Top 10 FreightWaves Classics of 2023

Was Gordon Lightfoot’s song about the Edmund Fitzgerald accurate?
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a 6.5-minute tune about the sinking of a ship and is told with surprising historical accuracy. FreightWaves Classics took a close look at the story, the aftermath and interesting facts behind the song.

Experimental propeller in 1975 breaks midtrip, but crew notices no difference
In 1975, two identical ore/bulk/oil ships underwent efficiency experiments. During one of these experiments, a new propeller concept broke midjourney, but the ship continued its duty with no changes in performance and the crew had no idea until it reached its destination.

The worst rail disasters in freight history

Following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio in February, we looked back at some of the worst train disasters in history. The incidents highlight the importance of safety and infrastructure.

The tragic train accident that created an American folk hero
The legend of Casey Jones remains alive today in music and pop culture. But the real story is about a serious crash and an act of heroism.

Famous Oscar Mayer Wienermobile stands test of time
Debuting in 1936, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was created as a marketing device and to transport the company spokesman. The unique transportation method went on to symbolize the meat brand.

30,000 pounds of spilled bananas immortalized in song and story
In 1965 a truck driver sacrificed himself to save others as his brakes failed on a steep hill while he was transporting bananas. The compelling story became the subject of a folk song by Harry Chapin almost 10 years later.

Route 66: How the Mother Road helped connect America
So much of the history of the United States can be traced back to Route 66, including major growth in the trucking industry. It is a highway so famous a song was written about it. The song and the highway are still well known today, despite the road no longer being in existence.

New York’s mail once carried by underground tubes
Did you know there was a system of tubes under New York City that used to carry the mail? Unique ways of shipping have popped up throughout history, each designed to create speedy and convenient ways of delivering goods and mail. One of the most interesting appeared in New York City more than a century ago.

How Australia lost a war with emus
After World War I, veterans took up farming and provided food supplies and wheat to western Australia. But when emus began to threaten that supply chain, another war broke out. The emus won.

A shipment of shoes led to an ongoing dispute
A story from 1976 shows a battle between a shoe manufacturer and a shipper over what the former believed was an “unreasonable rate.” The company-versus-company drama exhibits the complexity of international trade.