<P>In the "Railroad Extra" website at www.railroadextra.com, is a page on Steam Locomotive oddities. It makes for facinating and worthwhile reading.<p>One of the oddities mentioned is the "James Toleman". This four-cylinder steam locomotive was built in England, and tested to no avail on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.<p>What caught my eye is the statement regarding the fate of the "James Toleman":<p>"The engine 'James Toleman' was some seven years ago turned over to the Purdue University, La Fayette, Ind., as a museum<br>feature, and I believe is still there."<p>If I recall correctly, a steam locomotive museum was planned for Purdue University. When plans for the museum fell through, the locomotives collected went to the Musuem of Transport outside St. Louis.<p>The Reading inspection locomotive "Black Diamond", The "Marmora" (an example of an "Eddy Clock" 4-4-0), and B&O "Mother Hubbard" #173 all came from the Purdue University Collection, if my memory is correct.<p>But what happened to the "James Toleman"? Was it scrapped by Purdue, or did it not find a home when the collection was sold? What other steam locomotives were in the Purdue University collection that not with us today?<p>On a closing note, my sons and I visited the home of the "Boilermakers" as part of our "Choo-choo" tour of Indiana. We were hoping to see the Boilermaker Mascot locomotive; but we missed it. We did walk away with a "Boilermaker" badge for each of us, and a very positive impression of the Purdue U. staff.




Railroad Extra
james1@pernet.net

<P><br>Don't know what happened to that particular engine, but there were several references to the establishment of the Purdue collection in the railroad trade journals of the time, about 1900 or so. The B&O camel came under its own steam, possibly others too. The libraries of universities that taught engineering at the time may still have these volumes in storage. Sorry I can't find my notes at this time. I did my research about 20 years ago at the University of Vermont storage facility, which is now almost impossible to access. Bound volumes of the journals are well indexed, and some have many repair tips and shortcuts, sort of a railroad "Popular Mechanics" of the time. If there's such a collection near you, it might be wise to see that these valuable references aren't destroyed to create more library shelf space. This first U.S. railroad museum collection would make an interesting article if someone had time to research and write it.<br>




ryarger1@nycap.rr.com

<P>The Boston & Providence "Daniel Nason" 4-4-0 and B&P "stage-coach" were purchased by MOT in 1981 (82?) at the auction of the Great Danbury (Ct.)Fair. The New Haven Railroad donated both items in the early 1950s to the Fair owner, Joe Leahy.<p>I recall hearing the "Nason" went for $32,000. At the time, there was not much interest or real desire (read "dollars") in New England for that sort of thing. I doubt it would leave the region these days.<br>

<P><br>I think included in the Purdue collection was an interurban test car that was nicely proportioned. It had different ends built on it, and probably was one of the earliest studies in streamlining.<p>One thing I have long wondered about was the actual condition of the NMOT electric collection. I had the old catalog of the collection from the 70's, but could not identify much of the trolley collection save for the Illinois Terminal cars. when I have visited NMOT. Are the test car, the Waterworks cars, and the streetcars in good shape?<br>Olin.<br>




oanderso@uiuc.edu

<P>How could I have forgotten the Purdue test car. It was built for the electric railways test branch of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, better known as the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and used for extensive wind resistance testing while its body was on a motorized flat car. Different shaped ends were used on it to determine wind effects. The data obtained was verified in the 1930s as quite accurate and several "windsplitter" cars were built using rounded ends based on the results. Most of the industry ignored this and it had no real impact at the time. Afterwards it was converted to its present conventional configuration and went to Purdue. It was last operated by the school in about 1940. It is at the museum and under cover right behind our operating PCC streetcar. <p>The "Nason" and B&P coach were indeed bought from the Danbury Fair sale, but I have no idea what was paid for them. the New Haven had title to them and had only loaned them to Purdue. They went back east for display at the 1930-40 New York World's Fair and were stored until after WWII, when both were sold to Danbury's owner. The "Nason" was repainted last year and is in the center of our large shed, the Roberts Building, where it is easily photographed. It can be seen at our web site, www.museumoftransport.org.




rdgoldfede@aol.com