Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
July 25, 1955
Trainman News
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
What is this article about?
In Reading, PA, 26-year-old railroad brakeman Aloysius A. Russell heroically saves two-year-old Billy Mattson from an oncoming freight train by pushing him off the tracks, sustaining minor injuries. Russell receives multiple awards for his bravery, including nomination for Carnegie Medal.
Merged-components note: Merged the initial hero story on page 1 with its associated photo, the continuation on page 3, and the photo accompanying the continuation, as they form a single logical article about Aloysius A. Russell's heroism.
Clippings
1 of 2
OCR Quality
75%
Good
Full Text
Photo courtesy Reading, Pa., TIMES
A BRTer Al Russell
"GOD, DON'T LET THE BOY GET KILLED" - with those words on his lips, 26-year-old Aloysius A. Russell, Reading Railroad brakeman and BRTer of Lodge 172, Reading, Pa., rushed out of the cab of a diesel locomotive to the front engine step where he brushed little Billy Mattson, two, sitting happily on the tracks with his dog, Lassie, out of the engine's path.
Russell, who suffered a broken toe, bruised foot and brush burns when he tumbled down an embankment after saving the youngster's life, has a happier meeting here with Billy and Lassie.
The BRT hero has been awarded a $500 savings bond and a gold railroader's watch by the Reading and has been nominated for the Carnegie Fund gold medal for heroism.
He also is the first recipient of the new Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Carnegie Medal Nominee
READING, Pa. -- Little Billy Mattson, two, is romping around these days with his dog, Lassie, and enjoying life as a two-year-old can.
But, such would not be the case if it were not for BRTer Aloysius A. Russell, 26, of Lodge 172, Reading.
Russell, fast-moving, clear-thinking Reading Railroad brakeman, saved Billy's life recently in a spine-tingling act of heroism.
Billy and his dog took off from home one morn and ended up right on the Reading tracks near Supplee, Pa., where they sat down to get a close glimpse of railroading from a ringside seat.
All was well until the Reading's early-morning, 40-car freight came rolling along and sight of the youngster and his dog on the tracks threw fright into the crew of the train.
Immediately thinking of his little 18-month-old daughter at home, and with the simple prayer, "God, don't let the boy get killed," on his lips, BRTer Russell started to move -- and fast.
He hurried out of the diesel locomotive's cab, raced along the catwalk to the front of the locomotive where, on the front engine step, he brushed the youngster out of the engine's path.
As he knocked the boy off the tracks, Russell lost his precarious hold, fell clear of the train and rolled down an embankment, incurring a broken toe, bruised foot and brush burns.
"I believe any person who was in my place would have done the same thing," said Russell.
"To see him on the track, and then realize we couldn't stop in that time -- it takes a lot out of you, believe me," he added.
The engineer of the train had clamped on the emergency brakes as soon as he spotted Billy and his dog, but the train rolling at 30 miles per hour moved approximately 300 feet beyond where the youngster was before it came to a stop.
Billy was wearing only a T-shirt -- he had wakened early, removed his pajamas, dressed in the T-shirt and left his home through an unlocked cellar door, without the knowledge of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marwood R. Mattson.
"He didn't cry until I picked him up and then he started to howl," declared Russell.
Billy's dog, Lassie, scampered off the tracks uninjured.
Adequate grateful expression is difficult at such a time, but (Continued on Page 3)
BRT HERO ALOYSIUS A. RUSSELL of Lodge 172, Reading, Pa., second from left, receives the first Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry from John R. Torquato, secretary of labor and industry, at recent testimonial banquet in Russell's honor. Others pictured are Joseph A. Fischer, left, Reading Co. president, and James Powers, right, BRT general chairman on Reading Lines. Russell, a Reading brakeman, saved the life of two-year-old Billy Mattson when he pushed him out of the path of a Reading freight train. "We in train service, I think, may well be proud of the action of this young trainman and, of course, on the Reading we have more reason to be proud that he is a Reading Co. trainman, and again the fact that he is a member of the BRT of Lodge 172 at Reading," declared General Chairman Powers.
Agile BRTer Saves Life Of Little Fellow
(Continued from Page 1)
Billy's father declared when he met BRTer Russell:
"If there's anything we can ever do
The BRT hero, who has been nominated for the Carnegie Fund gold medal for heroism, was honored at a banquet at the Wyomissing Club in Reading when he was awarded the first new Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry by John R. Torquato, secretary of labor and industry.
Just before the safety award presentation, Joseph A. Fischer, Reading Co. president, gave Russell a $500 savings bond and a gold railroader's watch from the company.
He has received personal letters of commendation from Gov. George M. Leader of Pennsylvania, Secretary Torquato and from the office of President Eisenhower. Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a resolution commending BRTer Russell for his bravery.
Secretary Torquato announced that the new monthly award will be to "men and women who, in the normal course of their employment duties, display the type of safety thinking that results in the saving of human life."
The BRT brakeman who saved the Mattson family from tragedy, knows what tragedy is.
Just 20 months ago his home was burned by a sudden electrical fire and all possessions were lost.
This happened shortly before his daughter was born and Al Russell recalls the terrifying experience he endured until his wife, Rose, who was trapped on the second floor of their frame home, was safely removed.
"Little by little we're getting back to where we started. I've got a good job yet," he said.
The Russells now reside at 201 Penn St., Apartment 403, Reading.
A BRTer Al Russell
"GOD, DON'T LET THE BOY GET KILLED" - with those words on his lips, 26-year-old Aloysius A. Russell, Reading Railroad brakeman and BRTer of Lodge 172, Reading, Pa., rushed out of the cab of a diesel locomotive to the front engine step where he brushed little Billy Mattson, two, sitting happily on the tracks with his dog, Lassie, out of the engine's path.
Russell, who suffered a broken toe, bruised foot and brush burns when he tumbled down an embankment after saving the youngster's life, has a happier meeting here with Billy and Lassie.
The BRT hero has been awarded a $500 savings bond and a gold railroader's watch by the Reading and has been nominated for the Carnegie Fund gold medal for heroism.
He also is the first recipient of the new Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Carnegie Medal Nominee
READING, Pa. -- Little Billy Mattson, two, is romping around these days with his dog, Lassie, and enjoying life as a two-year-old can.
But, such would not be the case if it were not for BRTer Aloysius A. Russell, 26, of Lodge 172, Reading.
Russell, fast-moving, clear-thinking Reading Railroad brakeman, saved Billy's life recently in a spine-tingling act of heroism.
Billy and his dog took off from home one morn and ended up right on the Reading tracks near Supplee, Pa., where they sat down to get a close glimpse of railroading from a ringside seat.
All was well until the Reading's early-morning, 40-car freight came rolling along and sight of the youngster and his dog on the tracks threw fright into the crew of the train.
Immediately thinking of his little 18-month-old daughter at home, and with the simple prayer, "God, don't let the boy get killed," on his lips, BRTer Russell started to move -- and fast.
He hurried out of the diesel locomotive's cab, raced along the catwalk to the front of the locomotive where, on the front engine step, he brushed the youngster out of the engine's path.
As he knocked the boy off the tracks, Russell lost his precarious hold, fell clear of the train and rolled down an embankment, incurring a broken toe, bruised foot and brush burns.
"I believe any person who was in my place would have done the same thing," said Russell.
"To see him on the track, and then realize we couldn't stop in that time -- it takes a lot out of you, believe me," he added.
The engineer of the train had clamped on the emergency brakes as soon as he spotted Billy and his dog, but the train rolling at 30 miles per hour moved approximately 300 feet beyond where the youngster was before it came to a stop.
Billy was wearing only a T-shirt -- he had wakened early, removed his pajamas, dressed in the T-shirt and left his home through an unlocked cellar door, without the knowledge of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marwood R. Mattson.
"He didn't cry until I picked him up and then he started to howl," declared Russell.
Billy's dog, Lassie, scampered off the tracks uninjured.
Adequate grateful expression is difficult at such a time, but (Continued on Page 3)
BRT HERO ALOYSIUS A. RUSSELL of Lodge 172, Reading, Pa., second from left, receives the first Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry from John R. Torquato, secretary of labor and industry, at recent testimonial banquet in Russell's honor. Others pictured are Joseph A. Fischer, left, Reading Co. president, and James Powers, right, BRT general chairman on Reading Lines. Russell, a Reading brakeman, saved the life of two-year-old Billy Mattson when he pushed him out of the path of a Reading freight train. "We in train service, I think, may well be proud of the action of this young trainman and, of course, on the Reading we have more reason to be proud that he is a Reading Co. trainman, and again the fact that he is a member of the BRT of Lodge 172 at Reading," declared General Chairman Powers.
Agile BRTer Saves Life Of Little Fellow
(Continued from Page 1)
Billy's father declared when he met BRTer Russell:
"If there's anything we can ever do
The BRT hero, who has been nominated for the Carnegie Fund gold medal for heroism, was honored at a banquet at the Wyomissing Club in Reading when he was awarded the first new Secretary's Award for Safe Thinking of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry by John R. Torquato, secretary of labor and industry.
Just before the safety award presentation, Joseph A. Fischer, Reading Co. president, gave Russell a $500 savings bond and a gold railroader's watch from the company.
He has received personal letters of commendation from Gov. George M. Leader of Pennsylvania, Secretary Torquato and from the office of President Eisenhower. Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a resolution commending BRTer Russell for his bravery.
Secretary Torquato announced that the new monthly award will be to "men and women who, in the normal course of their employment duties, display the type of safety thinking that results in the saving of human life."
The BRT brakeman who saved the Mattson family from tragedy, knows what tragedy is.
Just 20 months ago his home was burned by a sudden electrical fire and all possessions were lost.
This happened shortly before his daughter was born and Al Russell recalls the terrifying experience he endured until his wife, Rose, who was trapped on the second floor of their frame home, was safely removed.
"Little by little we're getting back to where we started. I've got a good job yet," he said.
The Russells now reside at 201 Penn St., Apartment 403, Reading.
What sub-type of article is it?
Heroic Act
Personal Triumph
Survival
What themes does it cover?
Bravery Heroism
Triumph
Survival
What keywords are associated?
Railroad Heroism
Child Rescue
Train Accident
Brakeman Bravery
Carnegie Medal
Safety Award
What entities or persons were involved?
Aloysius A. Russell
Billy Mattson
Lassie
Marwood R. Mattson
Rose Russell
John R. Torquato
Joseph A. Fischer
James Powers
Where did it happen?
Reading, Pa., Near Supplee, Pa.
Story Details
Key Persons
Aloysius A. Russell
Billy Mattson
Lassie
Marwood R. Mattson
Rose Russell
John R. Torquato
Joseph A. Fischer
James Powers
Location
Reading, Pa., Near Supplee, Pa.
Event Date
Recently
Story Details
Aloysius A. Russell, a Reading Railroad brakeman, saves two-year-old Billy Mattson from an oncoming freight train by rushing from the locomotive cab and pushing the child off the tracks, injuring himself in the process. The child had wandered onto the tracks with his dog. Russell is awarded multiple honors for his heroism.