Robert Stevens Makes a Promotional Film for Railways And Steam Locomotives Featuring a Railway Rap

Рет қаралды 645

4 ай бұрын

This video answers the question of what might have happened if color and sound motion picture film existed in 1831, and the father and son railroad pioneers John Stevens and Robert Stevens, along with their engineer, Isaac Dripps, made a promotional film to advertise railroads, and also if they used rap music as part of their film.
Admittedly this is a rather unlikely hypothetical situation to explore, but just play along with us, okay? It was for a high school American history project!
Special thanks to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania!

Пікірлер: 25

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

I used to love trains... when I was five.

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

All five-year-olds love trains!

@denniscahill9683 4 ай бұрын

This must have been a gas to make!

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

Well, not gas, but steam! :)

@denniscahill9683 4 ай бұрын

Cute! I loved it!@@mr.roywulf

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

Here's a transcription of the "The Miracle of Steam Engines: Rap." Robert Stevens Makes a Promotional Film for Railways and Steam Locomotives Featuring a Railway Rap. Rap: Introduction: "Well, hello there, this is the old steam wagon built by my Father John Stevens. We built it back in, uh, 1825 to show Governor DeWitt Clinton that railroads were better than canals, and it worked. "Just an experiment back then, but it was the first locomotive on track in the United States. It was a humble beginning; we laid a track of a mere 660 ft just in the front yard of our home and proved with the steam wagon that steam transportation on land was feasible." Background: "Our inspiration for the steam wagon were the early locomotives built by British inventor Richard Price in England some 20 years before. He wanted to use them in mining operations." "So, the boiler is up there and here's the barrel to supply the water to the boiler and here's the engine of the mighty steam wagon with the Piston that drives the gear." "With the concept proven with our steam wagon, we are now moving forward to establish an actual railroad. We have purchased from the famous Robert Stevenson, inventor of the locomotive, the Rocket, an excellent locomotive called the John Bull. It is named after the fictional character used to represent England." "Our new railroad is the Camden and Amboy; it will connect Camden and New Jersey across from Philly all the way up to Amboy in New Jersey just across from New York City. The locomotive itself was shipped from England in parts." "I'm so proud of our engineer Isaac Dripps, who had never seen a full-sized locomotive in his life, yet he was able to assemble the John Bull in just 10 days. I'm sure there was a part or two that he didn't know where to put, but I'm sure it won't make any difference." "We've even made some safety Innovations; we've created something that we call the cow catcher. But it's not mainly for moving livestock off the tracks; the cow catcher actually has guide wheels that keep the train from derailing. We might one day even add brakes." "The big day came, and we could finally fire up the boiler on a foggy morning. We took the John Bull out on our newly laid track. Our boiler is rated for 70 PSI, who usually operated around 50 PSI. My father's dream was always to have a locomotive that would operate at 100 PSI and be able to travel at 100 mph. We aren't quite there yet; we travel about 25 to 30 mph." "We plan to have several dignitaries, including Napoleon's nephew, Prince Murat, on the John Bull. We wanted to name the engine Stevens, but the crews called it the Old John Bull and the name stuck." "Well, it's very simple really; we just take an ordinary hammer like this, you know any hammer will work, and we just go to the boiler like this, just give a little rap on the boiler. And you know, we do this so much sometimes we make music out of it; we call it rap music. And actually, recently my father and his engineer Isaac Dripps were making a song of this rap music to publicize our railroad." Rap: Opening: "Isaac, sounds like a telegraph, holy whack steamless carriages, Stevens, you're right. Team steam white, let's go! Stevens! Ladies and gentlemen, it's showtime, hurry hurry, step right up, introducing the star of our show, his name is Stevens! "You wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. So, without further ado, I bring you, Stevens!" Main Part: You're about to witness transport in the most quickest, most cheapest form, of steaming, most versatile, most spacious, almost flawless, push off the canal boats." "Yeah, old steam is back, looks like Robert Fulton can't keep up with the track. Oh, New York with DeWitt Clinton, got his own Eerie Canal, he has his own funding, got his own state for his morale. McCormick is the plow, farmed fields terrain and grain, looks like stable crop production might make it rain." "But America's in for a shock in 1825 with a steam-powered invention that will thrive, chug chug, yeah I'm in my prime. "Let's get down, the railroads. America don't got no time play around. What is this? Must be a train in town, it's moving our loads, not exploding steamboats. Can I get a witness?" "Let's get down, the railroads. America, don't got no time to wait for wagons. What is this? Must be a train in town, needs no dirt roads, and like unlike bumpy slowed carriages, can I get a witness?" "Look at all the traffic on canals and roads that delays the travelers in America, but railroads do be going everywhere. It's the solution, yeah duh. So over the mountains, through the field, Stevens will do it best. We need his steam travel; yeah, sharks you should invest." "Railroads are profits on wheels without any limit. Steamboats, canals, wagons, roads, too confined, so forget it. We're the cheapest one, but that doesn't make us slow. Heck, we're actually faster and even carry more tons of cargo." "It just costs so much less and makes investors so much more. Millions will be taking trains from Ohio to Baltimore." "Let's get down, the railroads. America don't got no time to play around. What is this? Must be a train in town, it's moving our loads, not exploding steamboats, can I get a witness?" "Let's get down, the railroads America, don't have time. You know you should patent and invest in our tracks; it's not only steam but money that the Great Union Railroad stacks." "Look at all the traffic on canals and roads that delays the travelers in America, but railroads do be going everywhere. It's the solution, yeah duh. Evidently transportation across the Union will always last. Sharks choose railroads for an alternative that is 10 times more fast." "Yeah, you know you should patent and invest in our tracks. It's not only steam but money that the great Union railroad stacks." Outro: "So there you have it folks, Stevens has come to save the day, back with his friend Isaac Dripps. You know one day we might have a Transcontinental Railroad that would connect the country." "It would mean that we could have large scale agriculture, Idaho Potato Farmers could bring their potatoes all the way to the East, Orange farmers in Florida could spread their oranges across the country, more food for me, for you, for brother, and for sister. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's true, railroads will revolutionize life. One day we will have railroads with 100 PSI." Closing: "Oh well, the song ended ladies and gentlemen. Well, that's a wrap, this Robert Stevens fellow with his steamboats; he's of menace to river navigation." Credits: Thanks to the Railroad Musuem of Pennsylvania! By: Jahan Humenik, Koen Fredericks, and Roy Wulf.

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for this. We wanted to add subtitles to the rap portion of the video, but there wasn't time. We through this video together very quickly to meet our due date (which was today)!

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

@@mr.roywulfSeems relatable. I've written an essay the night it was due and turned it in 10 minutes before the due date.

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

And my speech from last week was a similar ordeal.

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

@@sp00k48 What was that one?

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

@@mr.roywulf My essay was on Anne Frank and my speech (which was originally an essay which was also presented as a speech) was on animal testing.

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

What in particular was the history project?

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

My class was assigned to do an advertising pitch for a technology of the early 1800s, such as canal boats, textile mills, the mechanical reaper, etc. My group was assigned the locomotive.

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

@@mr.roywulfI had to do a quackery advertisement the other day for health class, and I drew Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in front of their RV with meth. Funny part is, she gave me full credit.

@mr.roywulf 4 ай бұрын

@@sp00k48 The Breaking Bad assignment, eh? :)

@sp00k48 4 ай бұрын

@@mr.roywulf Now that I'm thinking about it, I need to start watching Breaking Bad again.