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The "Hook & Eye" came from the KV's
first engineman, John Ross. He wore a pair of large hooks and eyes
on his overalls, similar to those worn by the Amish who live in the valley. Upon a question
raised by the Reedsville correspondent, "Katydidn't," for the Democrat & Sentinel, concerning
his "mammoth" hooks and eyes and wondering if he wished to start a new fad, Ross replied
that, first, they represent honest men, and second, they are only representative of an
honest, upright host of friends whom he served along the
KV line. He continued, "If the
person making the inquiry doubts this let them take a trip over the road and see the
donations made in the shape of half moon pies, sweet cake, & c., & c.; and lastly that all
good things bear a trademark." This covered his reasons for wearing "jumbo" hooks and eyes.
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This would be the view John Ross would have if he was the fireman on engine #6 in the late 1930's. It shows one of the few straight stretches of track along Jack's Mountain. I made an intentional error on the menu bar... can you see what it is? The KV never had a need to attach a caboose to the end of the train. My apologies to railroad purists. (Robert G. Lewis collection) |
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The KV's nickname was not unique
in the world of railroading. At least two other railroads were referred to as the
"Hook & Eye."
The Iowa Central Railway
One of the most famous railroads to be called the “Hook & Eye” was the Iowa Central Railway.
Although exactly why is uncertain. It is theorized to come from the company’s monogram
(when it was named the Central Railroad Company of Iowa) where the “C” for Central, lying on
its back, intersected or “hooked” the large “I” (“eye”) for Iowa. Don L. Hofsommer wrote a
book about the Iowa Central Railway and named it, similar to mine, The Hook & Eye
(University of Minnesota Press 2005). (For more information concerning the Iowa Central see:
www.eldora.net or
www.upress.umn.edu
for the Hofsommer book.)
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At the "Eye" of the Louisville & Nashville, the track circled Bald Mountain about one and a half times before crossing over itself with a 60-foot high trestle. (Patrick Henson collection)
Click Image to Enlarge
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Louisville & Nashville Railroad
A segment of the L&N route was nicknamed the “Hook & Eye Line” – the “Hook” being a
tight “S” curve at Tate Mountain, Georgia, while the “Eye” was an 8,000-foot loop around Bald
Mountain, Tenn., where the line crossed over itself. (For more information on the L&N see:
www.railga.com.)
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