Hi all,

A friend and I were discussing the order of Arizona & Southeastern #2. The order was placed on July 6, 1888 but in the order the phrase "Junior Laws to" followed by the hand written date of "Nov 9, 1888". The question raised was what is the importance of " Junior Laws to Nov. 9, 1888"? Thanks

Robby Peartree

Is it a name?

A contact for clarification of design questions?

The person to address the invoice to?

They probably weren't thinking you would read this 130 years later.

I believe the phrase "Junior to the laws to" and the date is probably a legal issue similar to the year and month of Manufacture for an automobile in the states. Alas I do not know for sure.. Given phelps dodge's history sometimes it seems the last thing they worried about was law. Look at the Bisbee Deportation as an example.

Robby Peartree

Baldwin had a series of "Law Books" essentially collected memos which were the rules or standards which Baldwin used when building a locomotive.
...
Stanford University has the "Old Man" rule book... in it you will find things like a definition of the machine thread used by Baldwin (in a time of no standards, Baldwin had to state the standards it worked to) as well as the formulas governing the size of the fire box door, rivet patterns for boiler construction and the smoke stack... but also things like "spell out Railroad unless the instructions say "R. R."....

Randy

In November 1888 we have a news paper article stating a locomotive derailment on the new line for the Arizona & Southeastern. Given that Date, the date of #2 construction and the fact that A&SE #1 (latter EP&SW#1) was said to be sold by a Chicago equipment dealer in 1889. It appears to me that a construction locomotive may have been involved. Yet there is no record of a construction company building the original line. Does anyone know of a list of railroad construction companies of that era? Thanks.

Robby Peartree