Pennsylvania Coal


Coal was one of the three primary sources of revenue for the New York Ontario & Western Railroad.  The other two were milk and people.  Since the coal deposits were in Pennsylvania, a branch line was built from Hancock to Scranton.  No models exist for the early mines but that was a non issue since available space would have prohibited an accurate representation of what used to be.  The kit placed here is merely a suggestion  of an old coal mine.


Early O&W coal cars were built from wood reinforced with iron channel braces.  No kits exist for these early cars.  This car was built from scratch using basswood scribed sheathing and structural shapes over plans drawn from pictures.  Wire was bent for the ladders at the ends.   Champion decals were the source of the lettering.   Since a coal car has no roof these models presented a challenge.  Built from light wood, these cars would never stay on the tracks.  Messy coal would be needed to solve the weight issue.  The cars might not have the strength to carry a full load so they are nothing more than display models.


These loaded more modern steel cars are being pulled from the mine.  They are plastic models where all that I did was paint and letter them.  The loads are also plastic built to hold steel balls hidden beneath the coal.  That extra weight will keep these cars on the tracks when the trains are actually running.

The tank engine is a combination of two different models that were likely manufactured as much as eighty years ago.  The boiler and cab were taken from a Varney Dockside.  The Varney motor, frame and wheels were judged to be of poor quality when compared to a more recent design from Mantua.  Their operating valve gear was the real selling point.  A Mantua Shifter was the source of the motor, frame and wheels.  A fair amount of cutting away and filing resulted in a surprisingly tight fit.  This work was done while I was still in high school. 


There are any number of explanations for why the scenery was never finished in this area.  The layout was built on framework that was only three feet wide.  In most locations I can reach across three feet but this mine is on the highest point on the layout.  It is uncomfortable to reach to the far edge for the length of time required to place the bushes and trees.  Besides, other areas needed building while this spot at least suggested what was in mind.  The auctioneer will be here in two days.  The process of moving on will then begin in earnest.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Delaware & Northern

Image
Railroad Fever swept across our country reaching a peak during the mid to late 1800s.  The quiet secluded valley that contained the East Branch of the Delaware River was not visited by this malady until very early in the 1900s.  Big plans called for a railroad that would transport Pennsylvania coal to Schenectady.  That grand scheme was never realized but a line from the NYO & W tracks at East Branch to the Ulster & Delaware tracks at Andes was built.  Prior to the completion of the railroad it was common for residents of this remote river valley to spend their entire lives close to their birthplace.  The   D & N changed that with residents riding the rails as far away as NYC. There was no way that the D & N could be a part of my model railroad but an engine was modified to at least resemble the prototype number 10.  Two cars were built but the new finish would not have lasted long in actual operation.  Unblemished shine clear...
Read more

Maywood Milk To N.Y.C.

Image
  The N.Y.O.& W. grabbed my attention rather late in life.  Native to close by Ithaca, the Lehigh Valley Railroad was an early interest.  The story of my trip home following birth had our car stopped at a railroad crossing.  My Father held me up so that the passing train was visible to the new born.  Memory fails me as to whether the engine was steam or diesel. My second teaching position placed me in the area where the O & W had operated and that railroad became the focus of my models.  A picture of the Maywood trestle can be seen on the wall in the background.  It had fourteen towers but available space limited me to only seven.  At this point on the trip to the big city, the milk train would have been pulling more than five cars but this image may still be seen by others as impressive.  The creamery in Sidney Center was large, employing many and providing transportation for many area farm's milk. No model could be found for these m...
Read more