I need historical help for my future routebuilding project.

[Euphod]

according to what I have read, they dump 400 ore cars down that hole. Must of been a big hole! This ended the deep mining in tha area.

Because they realized they were out of ore cars?

 

[jadebullet]

LoL, at Euphod's sig. Yeah, I was talking about the Knox disaster. It was something like 400 ore and coal hoppers, mining carts, wood, and anything else that they could get their hands on. When that failed, they diverted the river with a dam. They never did find the bodies of the 6 miners who died unfortunately.


Also, don't worry, I am not encroaching on your turf. The Harrisburg area was a part of the Reading Division of the Reading. The Shamokin Division doesn't come close to the Susquehanna really, more of the Schuylkill and little Schuylkill rivers.

 

[MrScott2006]

Also, don't worry, I am not encroaching on your turf. The Harrisburg area was a part of the Reading Division of the Reading. The Shamokin Division doesn't come close to the Susquehanna really, more of the Schuylkill and little Schuylkill rivers.

I really was just kidding. One of the problems I found with modeling this area is dealing with the waterways. Rivers and stream go up in elevation so plan on a lot of waterfalls. This same problem stopped me from modeling the Scranton area. Currently, I have a layout that maps the river Sunbury to West Nanticoke. I had to put four breaks in the river since Trainz can only handle water at one level.

 

[jadebullet]

I will probably use splines or textures for the streams and rivers. Animated water is a real drain on FPS anyway.

 

[JCitron]

Another good source of information, jadebullet is www.railroad.net The forums there are pretty friendly, and quite a bit less exciting than here.

They have forums dedicated to the fallen flags as well as current operations through out the country. You'll be able to get some good information from these forums because many former employees of these railroad belong there, and can give firsthand accounts of what industry was where and what the operations were like.

John

 

[jadebullet]

Hey look at that, the site is back up. Yeah I know about Railroad.net from when I was searching for info on LVs black widow wreck crane.(the piece of rail equipment that I am glad was scrapped.)

Anyway, I posted a thread on the RDG section but so far I haven't even had one reply, but I can wait as long as it takes. I am just glad that I don't have to create the terrain myself. (I am definitely going to buy Trainz DEM.

 

[bmjank]

this should help

htthttp://www.columbusrailroads.com/images/A-Classhttp://www.columbusrailroads.com/images/B-Class.jpg.jpgp://www.columbusrailroads.com/images/20th-St.jpg

 

[CincySouthernRwy]

Someone made a layout based on the current Reading & Northern through Port Clinton and Tamaqua, even modeling specific lineside structures like stations, engine houses, towers, signs, breweries (near bottom of page), etc. All items are availble on the DLS except the route, IIRC, which is free at USLW. You might give that a look.

There is a layout on the DLS that recreates LV's Coxton Yard in Scranton. That may help you, too.

Maps:
http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm
http://historical.mytopo.com/index.cfm

One of these sites was invaluable in helping me locate Stroudsburg facilities and NYS&W mine trackage in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Aparently no one else thought to record this info but the USGS.

As for largest rail yard in the world... when was that claim valid? 1910? I thought Enola Yard (PRR) was the largest before 1960 (based on a book I read in elementary school!), and UP's North Platte was largest after about 1975 or so. I realize that Reading was the largest company in the world around 1900 until Bethlehem Steel surpassed them, but that was a long time ago.

 

[jadebullet]

1917 it was completed if I remember correctly, and it was the biggest at its time.

And yes, the R&N is Ex Reading trackage in the Shamokin Division. I am thinking about eventually backdating it.

 

[CaseyJones3]

Wrong, at the time, St. Clair yard was America's largest rail yard, it was also home to one of the world's largest roundhouses, it was similar to steamtown's roundhouse in Scranton, PA

 

[bendorsey]

I made three full circle roundhouses. 48, 60 and 72 tracks although for technical reasons the 72 track one only only has 68 or so.

Ben

 

[KingConrail76]

Wrong, at the time, St. Clair yard was America's largest rail yard, it was also home to one of the world's largest roundhouses, it was similar to steamtown's roundhouse in Scranton, PA

Congratulations!!

You've bumped a nearly FIVE year old thread to correct information that has already been corrected, about a route that has already been released.

You get the award for being the Interwebs biggest Tosser.

 

[cameronjames]

Well, seeing as I am between computers at the moment, I figure that it would be a good idea to begin planning my future route building endeavor. I am planning on attempting to create a prototypical route set in the 1950s. The area that I am modeling is from Pottsville, PA to various coal towns such as Shenendoah, Shamoakin, Minersville, Frackville, Mahanoy City, Saint Clair and any other points that I might have forgotten that are in the area.

I was wondering if anyone knew where I could find some pics of the rails in the area as much of it has been destroyed. Track maps, signal maps, are needed as well as pictures of several things such as Pottsville in the 1950s, along with the other towns. Also, I need some pics of both the Pottsville Yard and the big Saint Clair car and engine service yard.

I have emailed all of the historical societies that had email addresses, though Pottsville has no historical society for some reason.

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

brings back some memories of watching "steam across america" as a kid.
st clair was a huge part of the pennsylvania portion of that show.