Visit to Fritz Kuenzel's Railroad World

Hi Friends:

Friday Feb. 9th, 2013 was a super fun day for me and some of the members of the historical team as we visited the home of Fritz Kuenzel in Norwalk, OH. Fritz contacted me last month after finding our website about the film and told me about his interest in the Ashtabula Disaster.  He also said he had collected a few things over the years about the LS & MS and even had some artifacts from the disaster site. "SOME THINGS" WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!  Fritz's collection of train memorabilia was huge and would make any museum curator jealous. 

Fritz is a railroad engineer with the Norfolk Southern Railroad and runs his train between Bellvue, OH and Portsmouth, OH. He enjoys all things about railroad history,  but especially the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. Fritz feels he was born in the wrong era and dreams of the days when old steam engines ran the lines. Today, Fritz enjoys treasure hunting along old railroad beds and bridges looking for old iron train parts, but really enjoys treasure hunting at the old Ashtabula Bridge Disaster Site.

On the trip to "Fritz's Railroad World" I was joined by team members David Simmons with the Ohio Historical Society, David Tobias (Historian & Artifact Collector) and Chuck Burnham (Historian, Locomotive Engineer, Passenger Conductor & Breakman).

                                          Historical Team inside Fritz's Depot

                                         Fritz Kuenzel in his depot around some of his collection.


Fritz has a huge collection of LS&MS railroad artifacts, photos, and books from the time. David Tobias was in train heaven the entire time we were there. I think they are going to be new best friends and will be enjoying many years of treasure hunting together.

The Ashtabula Bridge Disaster site seems to have been picked over by collectors over the years and no longer gives up her secrets as easy as she use to. You can still find artifacts, but you really have to know how and where to look. According to  David and Fritz, you can spend hours or days in the gorge looking before you find one small artifact.

Here is a photo of Fritz's depot he took during the summer.

After lunch at "Berry's Restaurant" in Norwalk, Fritz took us to see an old stone railroad bridge that was built by Charles Collins. It was unbelievable to see! The same stone masons that built the abutments for the Ashtabula bridge built the abutments on this bridge over the Huron River. Seeing this bridge was like seeing what the abutments on the Ashtabula bridge must have looked like and how tall they were.

Photo of the bridge over Huron River built by Charles Collins and same stone masons that build the Ashtabula Abutments. This photo does not do this bridge justice. It looks small in this photo, but it was huge in real life.

                                         Sign beside the bridge.

Here are other photos from our visit.

                                      Buckets full of old "link and pin couplers" and track plates.

                                               David Tobias was really happy to be here.

                                               LS&MS Survey Marker and railroad car jack.

                                           Old railroad rails.

                                                 Old mid 1800's  Link & Pin Coupler

                                         Wall full of "journal box covers."

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Len Brown

Photo of Dr. Freeman D. Case Found

Today I got an email from Sue Dalke, stating she has found a photo of Dr. Freeman Dwight Case. Its a photo we have been looking for, for some time. Good job Sue!

Dr. Freeman Dwight Case is the only town doctor we can prove was actually in town at the time of the disaster. He lived at 95 Center St. in Ashtabula. When he heard the fire bell ring he left for the Protection Company Fire House, which was not far from his home. He watched the men  hooked up the fire steamer Neptune and leave for the fire. He followed in the blizzard conditions and made his way to the Bridge abutment and was able to look over the side at the wreckage and raging fire. According to the story, he left from there and walked to the Ashtabula passenger depot to treat some of the wounded. From there he made his way to a number of hotels and eventually ended up at the home of Henry Apthorp, were he would treat his last patient at 5:30 AM. Physically exhausted the young 30 year old physician returned home for a short nap and then resumed his duties the next day with other surgeons, which had arrived on the relief train from Union Depot in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Freeman Dwight Case was born Dec. 16th, 1846. His parents were Hiram Newton Case and Mary Amidon. He married Annette  J. Barnard on Nov. 18, 1868 and had two children Clarence Everett Case 1870-1958 and Mary B. Case 1875 - _____. He died at the young age of 58 on Feb. 7, 1905 in Ashtabula, Ohio from blood poisoning from an injury he received when he slipped on the icy steps in front of his home and fell into the street.

Dr. Case attend Oberlin College where he completed his literary studies and then attended Western Reserve Medical college in Cleveland, graduating in the spring of 1870.

Dr. Case was also a very respected member of the community and served on the Ashtabula City Council for several years. During his service with this body, he helped oversee the modernization of the city water works, saw the first street cars in Ashtabula put in service and saw a new city all built.

Here is his photo:

Len Brown

More Good News Today:


Justin R. Durban joins the Engineering Tragedy film team!

You might not know his name, but I know you have heard his music in film trailers and films such as: Brave (Disney/Pixar 2012), The Immortals (2011), Alice in Wonderland (2009), Chronicles of Narnia 3 (2010), How To Train Your Dragon (2011), Australia (2008), Star Trek: Of Gods and Men (2008), Curse of Babylon (2011), Firecracker (2005), Mummy 3, Hulk, Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix and many more...

Justin R. Durban was born on December 7th, 1977 in Memphis Tennessee and was raised in the small town of Madisonville, Kentucky. He majored in Graphic Design and Art studio with a Theatre minor at the University of Kentucky.

Justin’s strong desire to work on anything involving films led him to pick up a keyboard, find some music software, and begin to write and score his own music for his own movie projects. He gained recognition by giving away his music to anyone that found a place for it within their films. This was accomplished through the online entity called, “Edgen” (pronounced: edge – in). This working partnership and “Pay it Forward” thinking with filmmakers lead to a growing body of work that has spanned and grown tremendously over the years.

His music can best be described as “Upliftingly Dark” Cinematic Film Music with Epic Intimacy. He plays by ear but the music ultimately resonates through his heart.

He currently resides between Los Angeles, California and Austin, TX with his wife, 2 boys and guardianship of his 7 yr old nephew, further pursuing his filmmaking and film scoring career.

You can visit his website to see more of his credits and listen to his music here: http://www.justindurban.com/

Len Brown

Producer & Director