Who wants an F40PH? How about a two-foot-gauge steam train?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:12 pm

Ten F40PH's, last seen in such diverse places as Youngstown, Montreal, and Raleigh, plus a bunch of widely-scattered EMD road switchers and switchers:

http://www.adamsauctions.com/servlet/Se ... tionId=360

"Complete" two-foot-gauge RR, with Jung 0-4-0T, gas/diesel switcher, cars, and half-mile of track, starting at $10,000:

http://www.adamsauctions.com/servlet/Se ... temId=2326

Anyone recognize the latter? Further, does anyone know if Transi-Tech, the alleged owner of the TANX reporting marks used on several of the F40PHs, is inter-twined with the fleet of F40PH's and ex-C&NW bilevels that was in Joliet and elsewhere around Chicago for a while?

(Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in either one.)

BILL · **Posted:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:26 pm

[quote]
Anyone recognize the latter?[/quote]

Looks like the New Haven and Lake Erie located out near Casad, IN.

1702 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:26 pm

Actually, TANX is registered to Titan Rail, Inc. http://www.titanrail.com

Jim Tatum

sbhunterca · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:58 am **Posts:** 728

Would anybody know what a reasonable minimum curve radius would be for this equipment? Many of the cars have truck mounted couplers, but I can't tell on the coaches.

Thanks,

Steve Hunter

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6469

BILL wrote:

Quote:

Anyone recognize the latter?

Looks like the New Haven and Lake Erie located out near Casad, IN.

BILL -

The depot was definitely part of the NH&LE 2' gauge operation. It's the TStL&W (Clover Leaf) depot from Craigville, Indiana and was built in 1889. The Clover Leaf of course, became part of the Nickel Plate Road and the depot seem like it would be a good "fit" for the boys just down the road with their Nickel Plate 2-8-4. The 2' gauge equipment might be a bit of a stretch though.

Les

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

That is the 2 foot railroad next to where 765 was orginally restored. While the engine was being worked on we would visit them from time to time, shot some film of it.
The 0-4-0 was under steam at one point. I've walked the tracks. Some of the equipment came from the Chicago Tunnel Rail Company. Thats when I first learned about the Chicago Freight tunnels.
I never knew he moved a depot there. Did the owner die or what?

While we worked on 765 we would be treated by the 0-4-0 steamer giving us a taste of whats to come with 765...hehe

The curves are very sharp, practically streetcar turns or tighter, as thats how the Chicago Tunnel ran , under the streets. The one flat car is a disconnected log car, probably a bar hooked between the two to give it a permanent connect.

Randall Hicks · **Joined:** Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:44 am **Posts:** 154

Do you happen to remember more specifically what equipment came from the Chicago Tunnel? That might be of interest to IRM.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

You may need to contact the original owners, perhaps Nathansixchime can lead you on better, but the Chicago Tunnel moved a lot of coal and ash so they have some of the "hoppers" there. I don't know if they are piecemealing this sale out, it might be the whole operation, engine, cars track and property, like it stays there or what the idea is.

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:34 am

Nothing in the auction site photos looks like Chicago Tunnel Co. equipment. From photos in Moffat's Forty Feet Below Tunnel Co. ash cars looked like wood side gondolas, same as the cars IRM rescued from the tunnel leading to the Field Museum. The close up showing the couplers looks definitely European; the Tunnel Co. used small size knuckle couplers.

Further, if it was Tunnel Co. equipment, it would have had to be acquired in the Fifties when everything was going to scrap. I think it's more likely the story was that this equipment was LIKE the equipment used in Chicago, and over time the LIKE got left out.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

I am not privvy to how any of the equipment was aquired, not would I know if the auction pics show all of the equipment or not. A good number of cars and equipment still remained in the tunnels. If he did aquire Chicago Tunnel equipment the story would be interesting how he did, might have been thru a roundabout process aquiring or perhaps he was there at scrapping and got some, you would have to investigate the equipment further. He kinda came out of the blue putting up this 2 foot line next to 765. He worked at a computer company (like IBM perhaps) and certainly fairly rich for doing so. His son certainly should know. No I don't remember their names.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2014 11:24 pm

Additional details from Trains Newswire:

Quote:

The estate of Edward L. Byer is selling the remains of his New Haven & Lake Erie Railroad just east of Fort Wayne on Oct. 23.

All of the two-foot-gauge railroad will be sold, including the depot, rolling stock, a half mile of track with several switches, track and maintenance tools, spare parts, signs, and miscellaneous railroadiana. Not included are the underlying real estate and a new enginehouse built in June 2012.

The private railroad was open to the public in some form from 1986 to 2011. It operated popular “pumpkin trains” in the fall where visitors could visit an on-line pumpkin patch until 2009.

Byer, who is known to the model railroad world for running manufacturer Westwood Models, started the railroad in 1967 when he bought an 8-ton, 600 mm gauge 1939 Jungenthal Hilax 0-4-0T steam locomotive from Germany. He later purchased several acres of woodland near New Haven; constructed an enginehouse; and moved a former Nickel Plate Road depot, built in 1897 for predecessor Toledo, St. Louis & Western, better known as the Clover Leaf 26 miles from Craigville.

When the city of Allentown, Pa., advertised a 2-foot gauge railroad, including a 1929 Plymouth gas-mechanical locomotive, six side-dump cars, a passenger car, and track, he purchased it all and moved it to New Haven. Later, he added several Polish log cars and two home-built wooden coaches to the collection.

With his son Greg, he laid about a half-mile of track around the property and, by 1980, the railroad was largely completed. However, a move to Arkansas interrupted progress.

Much of the Westwood model railroad business is also for sale.

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:17 am

Following the link posted on the Trains Newswire brings up a different auction flyer than was originally posted, which lists the origin of the 2' gauge equipment:

1939 Jungenthal Hilax 0-4-OT steam locomotive (Germany)
1925 Plymouth gasoline locomotive (Pennsylvania)
2 Beautifully hand-crafted coaches with a total capacity of 33 people which were built on frames from Poland.
3 Freight car frames with trucks and brakes, also builton frames from Poland
6 Side-dump cars (Easton Car Company)
Track Repair Tools, Numerous Railroad Signs and Lanterns
A Historic Depot from the town of Craigville, Indiana

None of this sounds like it has any connection to the Chicago Tunnel Co.

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

Ok, various conversations may have clued me that direction but its for naught.
I learned more here about him than there...

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs. ... S/10140334

Last run for New Haven pumpkin train

that is definately him, just aged...heh

okok so there may not be Chicago Tunnel cars there, but that was to me a mind blower learning that then, I went whut? yer kidding...

Now I know and my layout will have a minor representation of it.

Who wants an F40PH? How about a two-foot-gauge steam train?

Who is online