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You May Have Heard about the Polar Express, but what about the Empire State Express No. 999?
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On Jan. 8, 2005, a photograph taken in 1905 of the Empire Express Train was presented to the Masonic Village and Elizabethtown Model Railroad Club by Elizabethtown resident Ruth Hodge and her son, Bro. Bill Hodge of Colombian Lodge in Boston, Mass.
During Autumn Day two years ago, Bro. Hodge took a tour of the Model Railroad Club and thought his family's photograph of the train would make a great addition to the club. Unanimously, the club members agreed, and the historic photograph is now hanging in a central location inside the club.
The photograph was taken by Ruth Hodge's father, Bro. William B. Hodge of the York Rite in North Carolina, and his brother, Horace. They successfully photographed the entire train behind their family home in Palatine, NY, capturing its image while it slowed to 60 m.p.h.
The Empire State Express
No. 999 was the fastest moving man-made invention of its time. During an exhibition trip from Batavia to Buffalo, NY, on May 10, 1893, the train was recorded traveling at 121.5 m.p.h.
No. 999 was placed into service in May 1893, traveling from Syracuse, NY, to the "World's Columbian Exposition" in Chicago. After touring the nation and appearing at fairs, it was used to move milk cars in rail yards in western New York. Newer train designs, especially diesel locomotives, made No. 999 impractical. It was retired from service in May 1952. Today, No. 999 is on display in the Museum of Industry and Science, Chicago.
If you would like more information about the Masonic Village and Elizabethtown Model Railroad Club, please contact Carl Dreisbach at (717) 361-5761.
A photo of the Empire State Express No. 999, taken by Bro. William Hodge, late father of Elizabethtown resident Ruth Hodge.
Elizabethtown resident Ruth Hodge and her son, Bill Hodge, present the train photograph to Carl Dreisbach, president of the Masonic Village and Elizabethtown Model Railroad Club.
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