Posted Monday, December 15th. 2008:  The Judge has arrived!

   

Taken from Brooks Shaw's Old Country Store of the Judge Milton Brown move by Deborah Shaw Laman
Background:  The white house is the home of Casey Jones and the construction is of the new train station addition to the Casey Jones Museum. 

It was such an exciting day with the Judge Milton Brown railcar coming to the Village.  Given to American Family Radio for West Tennessee by Mr. Ed Vieth in Cincinnati for their new studio, it been a dream six years in the making.  Today, that dream became a reality and many prayers were answered as the Judge finally arrived to its new home in the center of the Village.  It will be renovated by the American Family Radio network in the coming months.   Thank you to everyone involved for all their support on behalf of station manager Hap Fowler and all the AFR family and Casey Jones Village family.  Check out more information and pictures at www.jacksonsun.com  and www.wbbjtv.com.  We are very appreciative of the media coverage by both the Jackson, Tennessee and Cincinnati press.

Posted Saturday, December 13th, 2008:  We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Judge Milton Brown Pullman railcar.  Just one more day!  It will arrive Monday. See the full story below...

Posted Friday, December 12th, 2008:   Everything is on schedule for the Judge Milton Brown railcar to arrive in Jackson on Monday, December 15th! Given to American Family Radio, once renovated, it will become the new studios for the radio station and will be a part of the Casey Jones Museum tour.  We can't wait!

Posted Wednesday, December 10th, 2008:  If you are following the story of moving the Judge Milton Brown railcar to Jackson, here is the latest news.   Preparations have begun in Cincinnati for the move.  If all goes as scheduled it should leave Cincinnati this week for the journey to Jackson.   Hopefully the Judge will arrive in Jackson on Monday.  All this is contingent on speed of travel and safety of course as they are traveling by land not by rail.  Check back on this Events blog for the latest information. 

Posted Tuesday, December 9th, 2008:  We have received word that due to inclement weather and of course the accompanying safety issues the Judge was not able to leave Cincinnati today.  We will keep you posted with updates on the progress of the move.  Our utmost concern is with the safety of the transport crew.  Keep checking back for more information.
Thanks!

Posted Saturday, December 6th, 2008:  We are so happy to announce that the historic Judge Milton Brown railcar is coming home to Jackson, Tennessee next week.  It was graciously donated to American Family Radio for West Tennessee by Ed Vieth of Cincinnati and with the generous help of the City and County and private donations we are able to bring it by truck across country from Cincinnati to Jackson.  Scheduled to arrive in the Village on December 11th, it will then be renovated into the studios for AFR WIGH and WAMP.  It's truly a dream come true for station manager Hap Fowler, the AFR team and all of us at Casey Jones Village.  Judge Milton Brown was an incredibly important historical figure in Jackson in the 1800's.  His impact on our community and state was tremendous. It's a privilege to have the railcar named in his honor and personally commissioned by GM & O president I. B. Tigrett come to Jackson for a permanent home. See our press release below for more details:

December 5th, 2008

Media Contact:  Hap Fowler, Station Manager,

American Family Radio for West Tennessee   731.664.3882

 

Here Comes the Judge!

American Family Radio for West Tennessee

To Get a Real Train for Christmas

 

(Jackson, TN)  American Family Radio’s wish will finally come true as a historic Pullman railcar named the Judge Milton Brown will make its way to Jackson, Tennessee this Christmas to be the new home for the AFR radio studios.  Currently located inside Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store in a small office, the radio station for WIGH 88.7 and WAMP 88.1 Jackson/99.1 Milan will now take center stage in Casey Jones Village inside a real Pullman railcar to be renovated into the studio’s new home and a part of the Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum tour.   Station manger, Hap Fowler, said, “We are extremely excited because we’ve needed studios for some time now and finally there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

 

Given to the station by Ed Vieth from Cincinnati, Ohio, the “Judge” is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, December 11^th. Vieth donated the railcar specifically to be used for the new studio and the station raised the transportation funding. The delivery of this special Christmas package is being handled by Navis Pack & Ship in Cincinnati, Ohio, operated by Marty Sikora. Navis Pack & Ship specializes in packaging and shipping fragile, large, awkward and valuable items all over the world. http://www.gonavis.com/OH1083/  

 

The “Judge” is currently located at the Greater Cincinnati Railway Museum in Covington, Kentucky just south of Cincinnati and will arrive in its new home by truck.  Funding for the move was provided through grants from the City of Jackson, Madison County and through private donations.  The railcar was personally commissioned in 1948 and named by Jacksonian I.B. Tigrett, president of the GM & O railroad. The Judge Milton Brown Pullman car was completed at a cost of $148,000 and delivered in August of 1950. "The Judge" was the last new passenger car dedicated to the GM&O railroad. It is one of only four cars made of this model. The others were the Samuel King Tigrett (presently owned by Isaac Tigrett), the Culver White and the Timothy B. Blackstone. "The Judge" was built to run from Chicago to Mobile and did so until 1958. It continued limited service between Chicago and St. Louis until 1969.

The historical significance of "The Judge" coming to Jackson is extensive. Judge Milton Brown was a prominent lawyer, teacher and United States Representative who lived from 1804 to 1883. He was the president of the Mississippi Central & Tennessee Railroad Company from 1854 to1856 and president of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad from 1856 to 1871.  He is single-handedly credited with bringing the railroad to Jackson, Tennessee. He was also involved in the founding of Southwestern University (later Union University), Lambuth University and Vanderbilt University.  His final resting place is in Riverside Cemetery in Jackson.

 

An original portion of the authentic railcar will also be a part of the historic Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum tour when studio renovation is complete with visitors able to walk through and see compartments complete with original fabric. The renovation of the car will be sponsored by the American Family Radio network.  For more information contact American Family Radio for West Tennessee at 731.664.3882.  Casey Jones Village is located on the Highway 45 By-pass at I-40 exit 80A in Jackson, Tennessee.   

 

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