"gasoline speeder"

[Jeff Hess]

Do any of you railroad guys know what a gasoline speeder is?

I am transcribing some more watch inspector meeting minutes tonight and the inspectors are lobbying for these to help them get their inspecting done.

And what is a flivver? A boomer? ???
Jeff Hess

[Jeff Hess]

Do any of you railroad guys know what a gasoline speeder is?

I am transcribing some more watch inspector meeting minutes tonight and the inspectors are lobbying for these to help them get their inspecting done.

And what is a flivver? A boomer? ???
Jeff Hess

[rrstd]

Jeff,

A few quick google searches, lead me to the following:

Gasoline speeders appear to have been small, gas powered vehicles that were made to run on railroad tracks. Some may have even been converted automobiles.

Boomers were men who jumped from one raiload job to another.

Flivver appears to have been a slang term for a small, inexpensive vehicle (i.e. Model T).

[doug sinclair]

Jeff,

These speeders were also hand powered at one time. I am reminded of an old silent movie with Ed Wynn flitting along on one of them. Not much competition for a locomotive. Nowadays, all railroads use "high-rails" (trucks that convert to rail use). There is a club in the US that tours on their privately owned speeders on abandoned railroad lines. It looks like it would be fun.

[Kent]

Jeff, et. al.:

A speeder is essentially a motorized handcar, not much bigger than the old hand-pump versions. Two people could ride on it and it was light enough for the two to be able to lift it off of the tracks when a train was coming. Those operating speeders were usually required to carry a standard watch so as to know when to get out of the way.

I've tried to find a picture, but my place is still a mess and I haven't come across them. If I do, I'll add a link.

P.S. I see that Doug beat me to an answer.
P.P.S. Here's the Picture of a Speeder (http://static.flickr.com/66/204434476_d9b608da68_o.jpg).

[terry hall]

I just remember Clevon Little and Gene Wilder on the hand pumped car in Blazing Saddles... :smile:

An believe there was either a hand pumper or a speeder in Brother Where art Thou ...

[Kent]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">These speeders were also hand powered at one time. I am reminded of an old silent movie with Ed Wynn flitting along on one of them. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Doug: I remember seeing a film, converted to video tape, of a very old Buster Keaton traveling entirely across Canada on a either a speeder or a handcar - its an indication of my age that I can't remember which.

Terry: I remember that scene from Blazing Saddles. I also remember cutting a college class to go see the movie and getting a zero by default on a surprise quiz that was given that day.

[Kent]

Oh, a Flivver is a Model T Ford.

A Boomer is a railroader who would move from road to road, usually following the crop harvests and moving from the North to the South upon the onset of winter and back again in the spring. If they bought a watch "on the tick," the inspector might not have gotten all of the payments (deducted from the boomer's wages) before the boomer(s) moved on.

The railroads probably resisted letting the inspectors ride on their own speeders due to safety reasons. A person could easily get killed if they didn't know what they were doing out on the road.

[Jeff Hess]

In 1914 Mr. F. M French from Albany Oregon noted in a meeting of Southern Pacific Inspectors that the only way he could cover his 300 miles of territory was to have the roadmasters and often the rr men meet him at pre determined places that he sped to using a "Gasoline speeder".

Mr. French: "I have tried inspecting on both freight and supply trains but I find the gasoline speeder is the only prompt way of inspecting watches"

Inspector Roby agree's to lobby for speeders for everyone.

Intersting, if anecdotal, glimpse of a watch inspectors life.

Jeff Hess

[Jeff Hess]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If they bought a watch "on the tick," the inspector might not have gotten all of the payments (deducted from the boomer's wages) before the boomer(s) moved on. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Excellent Kent. I addressed with exact quotes an even more graphic version of what you wrote on the "selling on credit thread".

Jeff

[Robert Sweet]

Jeff,
Here is a 1910 motor car.

Robert

http://static.flickr.com/78/204512691_6e5be5cb48_o.jpg

[Jeff Hess]

Robert,

Awesome.

Thanks

Jeff