I'm seeking information for a school project. Here's what I know: Dates of Operation_1977-79; Route_Wren, OH to Hammond, IN; All ALCO road power.
If someone could fill me in on the history of the Erie and EL mainline, that would be great!
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Erie Western. From what I know it was a class III railroad operating between 1977 and 1979 as you stated. I think it might of had one branch line a little under 30 miles long. I would check that. The basic reason of why it was created was because Erie Lackawanna's mainline in the Illinois and Indiana area wasn't included in Conrail. People who owned businesses wanted to have rail traffic still. So Erie Western was formed.
June 24,1979 is when it ended. This shortline is definitely not my area. But I'm sure there's someone else here who knows much more. Good luck.
RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:Erie Western. From what I know it was a class III railroad operating between 1977 and 1979 as you stated. I think it might of had one branch line a little under 30 miles long. I would check that. The basic reason of why it was created was because Erie Lackawanna's mainline in the Illinois and Indiana area wasn't included in Conrail. People who owned businesses wanted to have rail traffic still. So Erie Western was formed.
June 24,1979 is when it ended. This shortline is definitely not my area. But I'm sure there's someone else here who knows much more. Good luck.
It's in my area. I'm sitting less than a mile from it's main engine terminal in Huntington as I type.
Hi Brody.
If you can swing it, you may want to consider picking up a copy of "Erie Western in Color" released not long ago by Morning Sun. Authored by John Eagan, the book offers a thorough history of the road accompanied by plenty of great photography. It should prove useful with your school project. A shortline enthusiast, I have a copy myself. It's a good book.
Good luck with your project,
Bob
Remember too, that working within the framework of the FWRHS, you might be the guy that makes a name for himself returning NKP624 or LE&FW #1 to operation without the hassle of trying to deal with a bunch of outsiders, and you would be doing something relevant to your own part of the world. Once you have established a positive reputation in the steam community, perhaps some of those battles can be won in the future. There are a select group of people in the steam business that when they talk, people sit up and listen. Earn your stripes and try to become one of those people. Just remember that most of THOSE people got where they were by listening about ten times more than they talked themselves.
Dieselbob posted:There are a select group of people in the steam business that when they talk, people sit up and listen. Earn your stripes and try to become one of those people. Just remember that most of THOSE people got where they were by listening about ten times more than they talked themselves.
Good advice. Very good advice.
I've heard of 113. Anthracite coal right? And I agree that Dieselbob's advice was excellent. I'll keep 6218 in the back of my mind for now. 
So a book on the Erie Western that retails for $59.95 list (can be had for less with a little looking) does not fit Brody's budget as one of his priorities in life is to restore 6218 to operating condition per what he has stated elsewhere on these forums.
And if you search on Amazon, evil bay or Other Places you might be surprised to see the book selling for less! Seriously,
for the supermarket list above to "save the old RS3", even the MSRP book price is one of the CHEAPEST items to get!
645 posted:...Have you checked out CNJ 113? It's a large 0-6-0 which was restored to operation over a 20-year period without the benefit of an enclosed shop or roof.
The 765's original restoration, completed in 1979, was also done outdoors, without the benefit of cranes, shop equipment, etc.
As you know, I was doing a project which was the purpose of this post. I got an A on the project, but the part I'm most proud of was the visual aid. For our project, we had to have a visual aid for our presentation, so my original plan was to bring one of my two NKP 44 tonners. I had got one for christmas that was DOA, so I got a brand new one, and the dead one became a show piece. After seeing my classmate's visual aids, I decided I would take the opportunity to show them up, and unleash my creative side. I was up until midnight finishing the visual aid. The main reason for it taking so long is most likely my ADHD. I'll be working on one thing, and then an excellent idea will pop into my head, and I will immediately drop what I'm doing and work on that idea. So basically I bounce around.
I went all out on detail in an intent to impress my class. I even have wires on the telephone poles. Here it is!
Every time my geography class does a big project like this, we vote at the end on who had the best presentation, power point, and visual aid. My little slice of Huntington was voted best visual by my class!
Congratulations Brody! Great project. Looks like it could easily be added to a layout and would fit right in.
Brody,
Right now is the first I saw of your topic, I am glad I saw your end results! I can see why your visual aid was voted best. With all the digital aids we have now at our disposal, I still like to see the 3 dimensional aids.
Our grown daughters had a few projects like that when they were in school. They always had an idea, and I would help them select materials and methods. Then after showing them how to use materials they weren't familiar with, I let them have at it by themselves. I think they always did a good job. At one point, we had the Roman Coliseum, a section of the Great Wall of China, and some clay tablets with Sanskrit writing in our attic. One daughter was never diagnosed with ADHD, but she bounces around too.
Good work!
Congratulations!
I wonder if those little scale model train crews ever stop for some fried chicken at that KFC.
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