[milwaukee-electric] Re: Anniversary

[William Sell]

I wrote this piece for July 2010 ECHO, the quarterly of Historical 
Milwaukee Inc
Bill Sell
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THE TRAIN WRECK TURN
by Bill Sell
I clearly remember the train wreck of September 2, 1950. My mother 
was spared that day. But not my city. The wreckage presaged and 
abetted Milwaukee's turn - sprawl, depopulation, and the neglect of 
public transportation.

I found a personal account of the day, dubbed into archival film 
footage (http://ow.ly/1S9Un). The man's voice is that of a boy who 
was downtown that day and was scheduled to ride the fatal train.

My passion for public transportation is rooted in these memories. I 
remember the Rapid Transit crash; and I remember its glory, a 
13-minute, 16-cent child's trip to downtown.

The "Rapid" took us below the 16th Street viaduct, and we walked up 
steel steps to the #20 bus, which delivered fans to Brewers' games at 
Borchert Field on 8th and Chambers. Less happy was that annual trip 
to the dreaded piano recital at the conservatory. The train dropped 
us a short walk from Uncle Alfred's home near the rosary shrine on 
68th Street; and to Kearney and Trecker's company picnic, with rides, 
in Pleasant Valley, a former parkland now subdivision.

In Hales Corners, after the tragic crash, we made do with sparse bus 
service. I found summer work at Continental Can on Port Washington 
Road north of Capitol Drive but the bus ride was an hour and a half. 
Coming home, I marked time at 43rd and Oklahoma for the last #64. Lee 
Blaesing, the regular driver, liked chatting with his riders. 
Speeding along he flicked his headlights off for me and created a 
moment of wicked fun dashing along the midnight Forest Home Avenue 
that was, unlike today, bereft of traffic. His last run was usually 
without a passenger, he said.

First shift? I hitchhiked, until my brother and I shared a car.

Service to Hales Corners atrophied and, today's limited rush-hour 
freeway flier service is on the ropes, touching the village's northern edge.

I think back how the demise of the "Rapid," hastened by another odd 
accident two days later, gave rise to cheering in our house - 
benighted children, we - triumphantly happy that Mother missed that 
evil train, righteously smug piling blame on "playboy" [we called 
him] owner Jay Maeder, and proud to hear the words "Hales Corners" 
(however unfavorably) in national news. In the village, however, we 
were kept ignorant; the hated (in the 'burbs) Mayor Frank Zeidler was 
looking for a way to salvage the train. His wisdom was buried 
alongside the "Rapid's" right of way underneath freeway concrete.

Just as talk radio and media blogs entertain themselves, and chide 
me, for advocating "choo choo" trains, I remember that I, too, was 
once a ignorant child, stupidly cheering as we lost the big game.

And so history teases me. Could we find in our roots that road not 
taken, a city repopulated and a ride to work for everyone, a city of 
industry and common purpose? Maybe. But history is a stern teacher 
and hard lessons come slowly to children.
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At 10:45 AM 9/2/2010, Ken and Tracie wrote:
>Sixty years ago today, some of you lost friends in a tragic accident 
>on the Hales Corner line.
>If you wish, please share your thoughts and memories.


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