My Grandfather A Hero
My grandfather, Robert Moore, of Chaffee, Mo., was an Engineer in the 1920s to early 1930s.
On April 29, unknown exact year, he was operating the Extra 108 North train, around 4:15 p.m. toward the town of Advance, Mo., when he saw a tornado approaching them. He drove ahead of the tormado so fast that he beat it to the town, blowing his whistle, flashing his lights, warning them of the oncoming tornado.
In Advance, approximately 150 ft. from the track, a shoe factory with 14 employees came out to see what the commotion was. They were able to get to shelter within minutes of the tornado. All were saved, the building was demolished. Other people were saved as well.
My grandfather was the only Engineer to ever recieve a speeding ticket for driving a train too fast! No, not for this story.
When I was seven years old my mother, my three siblings, our dog and I had to follow him from St Louis, Mo., to Clearwater, Fla., in two souped-up '55 Chevys my dad had designed. Dad was already in Clearwater opening his new Gulf gas station. My grandfather, not used to stop signs and very used to going over 100 mph, did as such all the way, with us close behind. My mother would later say, "I had to run those stop signs and go over 100, and I didn't know where I was going!"