"Aldie" Farnsworth's Last Run

(The following article was printed in the Tuesday, October 12, 1926 edition of the Canton Commercial Advertiser:

 

Veteran Engineer Makes His Last Run

Alden J. Farnsworth Is 70 Years Old

 

Norwood R.R. Man Has Never Had Serious or Fatal Accident to Mar Record of 39 Years on Road

 

With flags flying and bunting rippling in the breeze, Alden J. Farnsworth of Norwood, pioneer engineer of the old Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg division, piloted his gaily decorated locomotive into the Watertown yards for the last time Thursday afternoon, Sept. 30 at 1:00 o'clock. Seated proudly behind the throttle, Mr. Farnsworth, 70 years old, greeted the group of old friends, eagerly awaiting his arrival, with a cheery smile, tinged with a bit of sadness at leaving the seat he has occupied for so many years.

When engineer Farnsworth stepped down from the cab Thursday night at the end of his last official trip over the Watertown-Massena run, he left behind him a clear record without a single serious or fatal accident to mar his slate.

A crowd, over 200 strong, of old friends and associates of the New York Central, gave Mr. Farnsworth a rousing send-off at Norwood Thursday morning. With whistles and horns blowing and the crowd shouting good wishes and congratulations, he received a reception as "big as though the King of Siam were in town," as C. L. Moulton, his fireman on his last run, put it. Many of the veterans of the service were on hand to give their old comrade a good send-off on his last trip. Among the old-timers who greeted Farnsworth when he left were Eugene Sullivan, of Massena, and Lawrence McCormick, of Norwood, two of the oldest of the retired Central engineers. The Methodist Episcopal church at Norwood, of which Farnsworth is a member, turned out 100 per cent for the celebration.

All down the line crowds lined station platforms to see the Farnsworth locomotive go through, and cheers rent the air as he waved greetings to his friends. Pictures of the bunting-covered locomotive and its engineer were taken at Gouverneur, where Mr. Farnsworth was once stationed. Most of the village of DeKalb Junction were on hand to cheer him on his way. At each station telegrams of congratulations were delivered from his many friends.

In the cab with Engineer Farnsworth, besides his fireman, C. L. Moulton, was William Bisnet, road foreman of engines of the St. Lawrence division. By a happy coincidence, a man named Farnsworth broke in as a fireman, was firing for the veteran's last trip.

A formal celebration is planned for December, when Stewart Wells, another pioneer of the division, will be retired. A banquet is to be held at Watertown with the veteran engineers as guests of honor.

Mr. Farnsworth was born at Norfolk on September 19, 1856, entering railroading at the age of 31, During his 39 years of service with the New York Central, he has made his home at Norwood. He entered the railroad service in January, 1887, on the old R.W. & O., firing for five years. He was "set up" as an engineer in 1892, and since that time has been at the throttle of a New York Central locomotive.

He is one of the pioneers of the service, one of the men who helped to build up North Country railroading from its earliest rude beginnings. When he began firing, the late Charles Caulkins was an operator, pumping water at Pierrepont Manor, P. E. Crowley, president of the road, was a trainmaster and F. E. McCormick, general superintendent, was just beginning his railroad career.

He sat behind the throttle of the first super-heated engine ever on the line when he was pilot of the club train from Watertown to Norwood for about a year, and he was skipper of the Gouverneur-Edwards train for many years. For several seasons he drove the engine hauling the fast club train or "flyer" as it was known, which was operated from Syracuse to Clayton during the summer time, with stops only at Richland, Watertown and Philadelphia.

On account of the long illness of Mrs. Farnsworth he secured the milk train leaving Massena early in the forenoon, and returning as No. 3 passenger train north, passing through Norwood at 11:00 o'clock at night. This gave him every other day at home. Mrs. Farnsworth died last year. During his 39 years at the throttle, Mr. Farnsworth has had no accident in which a human life was taken. His engine was once in collision with another in a village yard, and both Mr. Farnsworth and his fireman were thrown through the cab windows. Although retired under the age limit Mr. Farnsworth is still strong and hearty.

Although Mr. Farnsworth's last official run was made on Thursday, his actual run was made Friday. The milk train leaves Massena at 8:00 a.m., returning at 2:00 a.m., commonly known as "the midnight." "Aldie," as he is known among the railroad men, has been accustomed to board the engine at Norwood, a fellow engineer, by arrangement, running it from Massena to Norwood for him. Then he would handle the throttle from Norwood to Watertown and bring the train back to Massena that night. At 8:00 he would "deadhead" back to Norwood for his 24 hours off duty.

"Aldie" arrived here early Friday morning, completing his last official run. Arrangements was made, however, whereby he would handle the throttle from Massena to Norwood when the train started on the return trip. When he climbed aboard the decorated engine Friday morning there was an air of sadness about the veteran, but when the conductor gave the starting signal, he opened the throttle promptly and left the yard amid the crack of torpedoes that studded the track and the blasts from whistles of engines and nearby factories. At Norwood he turned over the engine to the regular engineer and left the road forever.

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