Setting a record for the fastest passage and besting a famous Extreme Clipper!

Although extreme clipper ships would be virtually unbeatable in most cases, every now and then a medium clipper would surprise everyone with incredible times themselves.  Often it was a case of knowing the best routes, skillful ship handling and sailing and lucky or unlucky weather.  On the trip to Australia the Carrier Dove evendentialy

The driving of the Golden Spike that connected the nation and so ended the reign of the Clipper Ship

These pics from the Wikipedia article on the California Railroads

The following is a link I pulled from the Wikipedia  article on Carrier Dove:

Courtesy Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, William F. Howes, Jr., President.

What a great job by Mr Huffman and the Railway Historical Society to put that together!

Not only fast but able to carry the goods!

THE LARGEST CARGO OF COAL.

Published: July 12, 1865  New York Times

"It was stated recently in a Boston paper that the largest cargo of coal ever landed in an American port was landed in Boston, and contained about 1,700 tons. The ship Carrier Dove, Capt. ANDREWS, from Shields, arrived at this port this morning, bringing, as per manifest, 2,056 tons of coal for the New-York Gas Company."

It is interesting to see that the New York Gas Company was ordering coal.  Gas lighting had already been around for some time by 1865.   Gas lights began to make their appearance in the city of Savannah nearly ten years before this.  The "Beacon Range Light"  a maritime light that ships in the Savannah River steered by to avoid wrecks sunk in the narrow channel was installed  in 1858.

Of course in the very act of transporting the cargo of Engine number 4, Carrier Dove was facilitating her own doom along with all of her beautiful sisters:

Carrier Dove sails a Steam Engine!