Phantom 309

[RandyEarle]

What truck was the famous Phantom 309 from the old song?

[Mike77]

The record cover shows an old Red Ball Van Lines truck but I don't think it's meant to represent the 309...

 

Edited May 5, 2016 by Mike77

[guitarsam326]

The song says it was a Mack....

[DRIPTROIT 71]

The song says it was a Mack....

x2

He said: "This old Mack will put em all to shame." I always pictured an H-Model, but that is just my creative take on it.

[RandyEarle]

The urban legend part about being picked up by phantom truckers is up to you to believe, but the story of the crash itself was absolutely true.

On Jan. 29, 1963, John William “Pete” Trudelle drove a tanker truck to the Chelsea River Bulk Petroleum Facility north of Boston to load up on 4,600 gallons of gasoline. Trudelle turned around and started to make the several-hour trip back to Keene, New Hampshire, near the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, just across from the state of Vermont.

He started up Route 1, just north of Boston in  Saugus, Mass., on the Newburyport Turnpike.

The intersection of Route 129 and Route 1 in Saugus was treacherous. Trudelle passed under the bridge, where a blind spot impeded drivers as they went into a dip. Little did Trudelle know that there was a car stopped under the bridge, where it was waiting for a school bus to pick up children.

There was no way Trudelle could stop. Rather than plowing into the back of the two vehicles stopped, he crashed the tanker into the bridge abutment. Trudelle was unable to escape the cab as the 4,600 gallons of gas erupted. The driver of the car, Robert Mayer of Stamford, Connecticut, tried to escape, but was overtaken by the flames.

The bus was engulfed in flames, but the six children and the driver on board had time to escape. About 10 seconds after the passengers and driver got out, the bus burst into flames. The heat of the fire was so intense that steel girders on the overpass buckled from the flames.

In August of 2014, residents of the town of Troy, New Hampshire, got together to build a monument in honor of Pete Trudelle. According to an article in the Keene (NH) Sentinel, “Troy selectmen approved [the monument] in July and construction on footings for the stone on the common is well underway.” On September 13, the monument was unveiled.

The main inscription reads, “Troy’s Hero,” just below the words, “Greater love hath no man than this … To lay down one’s life for his fellow man.”

[guitarsam326]

Thats awesome, i thought it was just a song. I had no idea what the inspiration was. Dont know if you guys have ever heard the song "Widow maker" before, its about a guy saving kids by ditching his truck.....

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Thanks for posting that story Randy. Like Sam, I thought is was just a song. I'm also curious as to whether the song "Widow Maker" was inspired by true events. I remember truck drivers telling similar accident stories years ago in the early 80's.

[RandyEarle]

The song was written in 1967, so the Mack would have been a 1960s model, probably a cabover.

[RandyEarle]

There was another song back in the early 1960s called Truck Drivin Fool from the Old School, and in that song the guy said he had a brand new Emeryville, but I'm not sure what that was either. I think it would be cool to have a series of trucks based off old truck driving songs. My favorites are Giddy UP Go, Six Days on the Road, and Wolfcreek Pass.

 

In my truckin career I drove Peterbuilt 352s, and Kenworth conventionals like the KW from the tv show Movin On. First truck I ever drove was a Autocar 2 axle dump.

Edited May 2, 2016 by RandyEarle

[truckabilly]

Phantom 309 as well as another truck driving songs of the day were a great part of my education.  When I learnt English language I would listen not to the Beatles as most Europeans probably do, but to the good old American country music. And the truck driving songs played a major role in the process. My musical taste moved closer to the dark side but I still love to listen to the old guys like Red Sovine, Dave Dudlay, C.W. MacCall and Hank, Merle and Waylon...

Thanks for reminding me the old times.

  

[landman]

There was another song back in the early 1960s called Truck Drivin Fool from the Old School, and in that song the guy said he had a brand new Emeryville, but I'm not sure what that was either. I think it would be cool to have a series of trucks based off old truck driving songs. My favorites are Giddy UP Go, Six Days on the Road, and Wolfcreek Pass.

 

In my truckin career I drove Peterbuilt 352s, and Kenworth conventionals like the KW from the tv show Movin On. First truck I ever drove was a Autocar 2 axle dump.

It looked like this:

 

[jacobus]

thats a memorymusiclane , have still those old records

widowmaker was from jimmy martin , on the cover of that album he standing for a international emmeryville 

truckdrivin fool is from red simpson and wath about dick curless , dave dudley 

i have also the album of merle haggard with the movin on  , so sad he,s past away on april 6 this year- big wheels rollin - big wheels rollin movin on

may god ride with you ten four and good by

 

 

 

 

[RandyEarle]

I  still have all my records also. I have 1 long play album that's all truck  songs. I even have Minnie Pearl's answer for the woman's version of Giddy Up Go. I like this thread. It brings back a lot of memories, and it's nice to share the stories here. There's a GMC Crackerbox sitting in a field not to far from my house.

[Greg Myers]

Not a Big Rig modeler, but the subject caught my attention. Got me thinkin' of "Giddy Up Go " also. seems like there were a few more along the lines of "309". 

My Dads brother was a truck driver outta north west Ohio, run for a bunch of Truck Farms and Campbell Soup.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Greg Myers

[scummy]

Hey randy thanks for the story of the crash . For some reason i always thought the truck was a B model mack ?

[Superpeterbilt]

You guys ever heard "Diesel smoke, Dangerous curves" or " Give me 40 acres to turn this rig around" ? These, and Phantom 309 are my favorite trucker songs. I dont know why, but I always pictured Phantom 309 as a Mack LTL. 

 

dont bother with the Sawyer Brown version

and a rare occasion in which I think the remake is better than the original

 

[RandyEarle]

Red Simpson had the best voice for truckin songs, he sounded like a diesel. lol

I talked to Dave Dudley and Tom T. Hall on the phone back when Nashville Now was on tv. They were best friends.

[guitarsam326]

Dave Dudley and Tom T did a song together but i cant remember what it was. Id have to say Dave is my favorite truck singer.

Big footed Dan is another good one...

Edited May 6, 2016 by guitarsam326

[truckabilly]

Red Simpson had the best voice for truckin songs, he sounded like a diesel. lol

Yeah, I second that. I remember pushing a pen when I tried to write down the lyrics to "I´m a Truck" from the old recording and how frustrated I was when my untrained ears couldn´t make out certain parts of the song. How easy it is now with internet available. Here´s one of my favourites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47LPQP710k8  

[cowboy rich]

Yeah, I second that. I remember pushing a pen when I tried to write down the lyrics to "I´m a Truck" from the old recording and how frustrated I was when my untrained ears couldn´t make out certain parts of the song. How easy it is now with internet available. Here´s one of my favourites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47LPQP710k8  

I can't get the video but was wondering if it said where the writer was from and he did, most are surprised.

Rich

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I used to have all those old truck drivin' songs: Widow Maker, Phantom 309, Giddy-up- Go, Convoy, Give me 40 acres, I'm a Truck, Freightliner Fever, Teddy Bear, lookin at the world through a windshield, How fast them trucks can go, and the list goes on. Wolf Creek Pass was one of my favorites. The bad thing is that I almost quote most of them, but have trouble remembering my bank account number. (L.O.L.)

Hey nobody has mentioned the "White Night."

[guitarsam326]

Im surprised Jerry Reed hasnt been mentioned, i would go as far to say East bound and Down is the most recognized trucking song out there...then theres The Legend!

[Superpeterbilt]

Im surprised Jerry Reed hasnt been mentioned, i would go as far to say East bound and Down is the most recognized trucking song out there...then theres The Legend!

" Every gear jammer knows his name, swear hes got ice water runnin in his veins

foot like lead, nerves like steel, hes gonna go to glory ridin 18 wheels"

Ive got Eastbound and down, the legend, and Amos Moses on my ipod at the shop. I definitly dig some Jerry Reed. 

[cowboy rich]

Old home filler up and keep on truckin' cafe hasn't come up yet, or 18 wheels and a dozen roses, radar blues or truck drivers queen, I didn't notice pinball machine or truck drivers prayer.

 

Rich

[RandyEarle]

The late Merle Haggard did White Line Fever. I had that song going through my head all day.. "the wrinkles on my forehead show the miles I've left behind me, they continue to remind me how fast I'm growin old, guess I'll die with this fever....in my soul"