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NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
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Author:  kevin kohls [ Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:14 pm ]
Post subject:  NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
I'm watching the video "Reflections of the NYC" and it shows a 2-8-2 heading down a branch of the Whitewater Valley RR showing the locomotive being turned on an Armstrong turntable at a place called Beesons. I have googled it but can't find where that turntable was located. Can anyone shed light on that ? Any current photos of that location ?
What an awesome place that was !

Kevin K
Author:  Ryan Scott [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
The turntable was between 1st and 2nd street. The lot is now a park. The canal which was still flooded in the film is now filled in with Rt 121 on top of it.

Ryan
Author:  kevin kohls [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Ryan:
I've tried finding it on Google but I'm not having any luck finding Beeson's or anything close. Where exactly was it ?
I appreciate your post ! Thanks.

Kevin K
Author:  Les Beckman [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Kevin -

If I'm reading my Official Guide correctly, Beeson is about 6 miles north of Connersville, Indiana. This is the line that the Whitewater Valley museum now runs on south out of Connersville (to Metamora). I'm not sure if they ever ran north to Beeson.

Les
Author:  Bartman-TN [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Here are a few things about Beesons from my book on the Whitewater Valley Railroad.


Between Connnersville and Cambridge City, the LE&W and the CCC&St.L lines were almost side-by-side and eventually the New York Central agreed to use the Nickel Plate route between Beesons and Cambridge City in 1931.

The line north of Beesons to Hagerstown was abandoned in 1931.

Freight service was discontinued south of Connersville in 1972. However, Penn Central continued to provide switch service between Connersville and Beesons to serve the large Philco-Ford plant. When Penn Central became part of Conrail in 1976, Philco-Ford was switched by Conrail. In 1981, this small isolated section was sold to the Indiana Hi-Rail, and has since gone through several other operators.

The five miles of track from Connersville to Beesons, part of the Connersville Branch, was abandoned by Norfolk Southern in 1988.

69.0 IH JUNCTION - IH Junction was once the connection with the Indiana Hi-Rail railroad. This location, the north end of the Whitewater Valley Railroad, is easy to find as it is at the north end of track, located just south of the connecting track between CSX and the Big Four Terminal Railroad (BFTR) near West 12th Street. The Big Four Terminal Railroad reached an agreement to operate the 5.2 miles of track between Connersville and Beesons owned by RMW Ventures, LLC. The line had previously been operated by the C&NC Railroad, known by some as the Connersville & New Castle Railroad (CNUR). The CNUR began operations on December 22, 1997, operating the former Indiana Hi-Rail line north to New Castle. The Indiana Hi-Rail began operating the line during December 1981. The C&NC Railroad still operates the line between Beesons and a connection with Norfolk Southern at New Castle, a total of almost 28 miles.

Bart Jennings
Author:  Ryan Scott [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Going to see if the snapshot will attach. I crudely drew in the table and the lead in black. Also circled in yellow the existing foundation for the standpipe that used to be next to the main. The train traveled from Indy down to the river, East to CUT, then back West to Valley Junction to then go North on the Whitewater Valley branch. Some of the scenes are theare going up the Branch and then to Connersville where you see the canal to the left of the track. When the train stops in Connersville, drops passengers and then pulls North to drop the train. That is approximately where the existing WVRR station is at 4th-5th street. Then the locomotive backs South through town to get back to the Turntable. After the locomotive is turned, there is a quick shot looking back North around the right hand turn to where the earlier shot showed the locomotive backing up.

Later in the film there are shots that show Twin Arch Bridges, Chicken Farm (just North of Nulltown) and then again looking back along the train as it turns right at what we call Alpine Straight (MP63), and then a show looking North in Laurel, before the film stops.

I think it is the same film as referenced above, but here is the link to the YouTube video I am referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhWQIalP_rw

Attachments:
File comment: Connersville Turntable Site
Connersville TT (2).JPG
Connersville TT (2).JPG [ 216.5 KiB | Viewed 5932 times ]
Author:  Ryan Scott [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
One more picture. This one is map view showing the existing WVRR station, as well as the drawn in table and the siding that shows up in the film.

The canal would have been where Grand Ave is shown on the Map, at least where it is parallel with the tracks. In our yard further South of these snips, the WVRR yard tracks sit in what used to be the canal.

The existing replacement depot is at MP 68.5 and sits near where the old Freight Depot used to be. The North end of the current WVRR railroad is at MP69, which is very close to 11th street, just North of the CSX (former B&O) bridge.

Very neat to be able to see those images from a different era.

Attachments:
Connersville Map.JPG
Connersville Map.JPG [ 104.42 KiB | Viewed 5917 times ]
Author:  kevin kohls [ Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Thanks Ryan, Bart, and Les !!! What a cool place that was ! I have watched it over and over because it shows a common NYC RR H-5 2-8-2 doing what they did best; gathering freight on Secondary Branch Lines and switching cars. Love it !


Kevin K
Author:  NS 3322 [ Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
Bartman-TN wrote:
The C&NC Railroad still operates the line between Beesons and a connection with Norfolk Southern at New Castle, a total of almost 28 miles.


Not anymore, NS cancelled their lease. As of 2021, Homestead Rail's New Castle Southern Railroad now operates the line between New Castle and Beesons (using a single GP15-1). However, operations are currently entirely in New Castle as there are no customers past New Castle.

I believe C&NC now only operates between Connersville and their shop in Beesons where they do contracted locomotive repairs. Not sure what the future holds for them...
Author:  Bartman-TN [ Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: NYC RR Armstrong Turntable on the Whitewater Valley RR
NS 3322 - Thanks for the update. The book is a couple of years old and you just have to print as things always change. This goes in the pile of things for future editions.
Bart
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