Quilting is a very active pastime in Fort Bragg and along the immediate coast. The annual quilt show has amazing quilts in on display in local business and a school. The weekend of the annual show is a big draw for residents and visitors alike. In a recent exhibition one complex quilt done by a lady was mirrored by a “quilt” made by her husband from wood. For a small town the skills are awesome.
The MCMR&HS has two large G Scale layouts and a Museum. Club Members thought that the offer of a railroad themed quilt would be a delightful addition to the artifacts we have on display. The quilt came to us unframed. Lonnie Dickson, a club member agreed to frame it, You can see it below in all its glory.
The Railroad Themed Quilt
The new quilt facing the Ain’t Goin Nowhere Layout in Fort Bragg
A very good friend of my wife Sarah heard of what the club was creating and made a donation the cost of the materials.
Club Member Frank Smith was kind enough to take the photos.
Until very, very recently I thought that this song told the story of the last train to San Fernando:
For the first time in my life this ghastly pandemic has enabled me to sit at home and cruise the ‘net. In the course thereof I have found a LOT of interesting stuff (to me that is) about the geometry of the pyramids, the geniuses who built the pyramids and the orientation of ancient monuments to the night sky. In the midst of my self-education(?) I have watched NUMEROUS train related videos.
To cut to the chase – the story in the above song is NOT about the last train to San Fernando.
Most people will tell you that San Fernando’s last service train was hauled by engine TGR No11 which today is on display at Harris Promenade, San Fernando. This is incorrect.
The very last train, as the video below reveals, was the service which departed platform 1, Port of Spain railway station on Monday August 30th 1965 at 5:12 pm (it was 37 minutes late, scheduled to depart at 4:35 pm). The Locomotive which hauled the last service train was TGR (Trinidad Government Railway) Engine No27, which was a member of the 21 Class 4-6-0 locomotives.
This train really was the very last passenger train to San Fernando.
Here she is:
The Last_train_San_Fernando_Trinidad_Harris_Promenade
Over the years both the event and the song – “The Last Train to San Fernando” – have become a part of Trinidad folklore, although largely through myth rather than fact.
“Last Train” was composed by MIGHTY SPITFIRE (local Trinidad Calypsonian, whose real name was Carlton Joseph Gumbs) in the 1940s as — “a celebration of a late night stay in Port of Spain rather than the allusion to the closing of the San Fernando line”. A listing of the Trinidad Calypso Monarch competition winners over the years lists thr song as the 1950 winner, composed by the MIGHTY DICTATOR (his Real name was Kenny St Bernard). The closure of the line to San Fernando occurred in 1965, a full 15 years after the song won the 1950 Monarch Competition.
Listen carefully to the lyric on the following vid (which really shows the last train to San Fernando) you’ll hear that the song has nothing to do with the closure of the San Fernando line at all.
Nevertheless, over the years it has certainly taken on a symbolic significance almost becoming the remembrance anthem for the closure of the Railway to San Fernando. Perhaps, justifiably so because it is fabled to have been played by guitarist as the “Last Train to San Fernando” pulled out of Port of Spain in 1965.
Some how or other I came to acquire this piece of info:
“In 1860 twelve lives were lost in a terrible maritime disaster in Mendocino Bay. The brig J.S.Cabot had approached the loading chute to take on a cargo of lumber. Seeing the chute was currently in use, the captain attempted to turn back to sea but a sudden gale brought in a heavy sea from the south. Although anchors were dropped, the ship was dragged and capsized. A boat from shore was launched to rescue the sailors, but the rescue boat was rolled over by a large wave. Half of those lost were the would-be rescuers.”
Whence it came I have no idea. It’s remained in my “more info needed” pile for some considerable time.
Our website has a large section (under Ships) of the vessels that plied the Mendocino Coast. Alas, there is nothing about this ship, the J.S. Cabot. A trawl of the ‘net also came up with an empty net.
Whilst staying at home during these awful times I have been sorting through old hard drives. On a hard drive i was using in 2015 I found this photo in a folder called “Cabot shipwreck.” I think the photo is of the ship referred to above.
Wreck of the Steamer J.S. Cabot in Mendocino Bay
If anyone has more better info PLEASE let me know.
