Auburn Branch Photo Album

Steam Hand Car # 3 Steam handcar # 3 was built at the Midland's shops in Middletown, NY in 1877 and made occasional trips over the Auburn branch. Exactly how long this machine was in service is not known, but it doesn't appear to have ventured outside the shops much after Master Mechanic John Minshull was killed during an inspection trip on August 12, 1879. As the car approched a crossing at East Branch, NY Minshull decided to jump because he felt the car was about to strike a team of horses pulling a log wagon. In doing so he fell, fracturing his skull. A tongue-in-cheek caption under this photo appearing on page 104 of the May, 1943 issue of Railroad Magazine states : "Old-time O&W officials didn't like this quadrocycle built for four; contended they wanted no beefsteaks dropped in their laps. But then, they'd never heard of a meat shortage." Photo courtesy of Robert Groman.