New York City's Cowboys: How men on horseback rode along Manhattan's 'Death Avenue' carrying red flags to warn pedestrians of oncoming cargo trains In 1846 train tracks were embedded into 10th, 11th and 12th avenues to make transporting cargo easier into the industrial areas of New York City The trains were so dangerous on the street level that 'cowboys' were commissioned to ride ahead of the trains on horseback to warn pedestrians Even with the hardworking cowboys, hundreds of adults and children were killed and injured from the trains To prevent more deaths, an elevated railway called the High Line was built in 1934 In 1941, 90 years after the cowboys were started, George Hayde took their last ride after trains stopped running on street level Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-City-cowboys-led-freight-trains-streets.html
