| Railway Preservation News https://www.rypn.org/forums/ |
|
| Penn-View Mountain RR photos https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7133 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | Jim Robinson [ Thu Oct 09, 2003 9:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Penn-View Mountain RR photos |
I'm always on the lookout for online photos of pioneer and/or "fallen flag" steam tourist railroads from the 1960's and 1970's (a favorite subject of mine, and I know for others here as well). I came across the following photos posted on George Elwood's website. They were originally taken in 1964 and 1965 by Bob Rathke. The subject is the Penn-View Mountain Railroad, a long-gone tourist line once located at Packsaddle Gap near Blairsville, PA. The PVM RR was constructed during the early 1960's by Sloan Cornell, later of Gettysburg and Knox & Kane fame. It opened in 1964 and lasted about 10 years. The PVM RR was an insular, private ROW, 2.25 miles in length. It featured two switchbacks and grades up to 4%. All equipment had to be trucked in (and out). The former B&O station from Rockwood, PA was also trucked in. Later this building was moved to Gettysburg to serve that Cornell operation during its earlier years. The PVM RR trains ran up to a scenic overlook and (like any respectable 60's tourist line) featured an on-line picnic grove stop. The blue Baldwin 0-6-0 in the photos is ex-Duquesne Slag Products 8, nee-Spang Chalfont & Company 8. Today this engine is the "sectioned locomotive" display at Steamtown. Between its time at the PVM RR and today at Steamtown, the engine was stored, in pieces, under private ownership at Clarks Summit, PA. The wooden caboose, er cabin car, in the photos is, of course, ex-PRR. It (and another one) later went on to Gettysburg (still there??). Other rolling stock included a couple "homemade" open excursion cars, built up from caboose hardware, and two ancient wooden coaches that were originally cars from the New York City elevated railways. A wooden combine from the Wellsville Addison & Galeton RR and several misc. freight cars rounded out the roster. 0-6-0 8 was joined by ex-Mississippian Ry. Baldwin 2-8-0 76 in 1967. 76 became the PVM RR primary motive power. Also for a time during the mid/late 1960's, the PVM RR also rostered ex-PRR diesel-electric passenger railcar 4666, however this doodlebug did not operate there (4666 did go on to operate on the New Hope & Ivyland and Black River & Western RR's during the 70's and 80's--it's still at the BR&W under private ownership). The PVM RR closed around 1974, in part a victim of higher taxes (it was a "amusement park" vs. a "real railroad"). Cornell next turned to the Penn Central's nearby Indiana Branch with thoughts of operating it as both a tourist line and common carrier shortline under the banner of the "Blairsville & Indiana RR". That idea never got off the ground and a few years later Cornell packed up the whole operation (including his enginehouse, diassembled and loaded into 3 gons!) and headed off to Gettysburg. That move was made behind 2-8-0 76 and a Baldwin diesel switcher that had been acquired for the stillborn B&I RR. They traveled over the former PRR middle division--around Horseshoe Curve--under steam, albeit with diesel helpers on the point for braking. As for the photos, click on the below link for the first one. Then for the others, highlight, copy, and paste the following URLs to your browser's address bar. http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pvm-s8b.jpg http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pvm-s8a.jpg http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pvm-s8.jpg http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pvm-c11a.jpg http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pvm-c11.jpg Regards, Jim Robinson Penn-View Mountain RR 0-6-0 8 |
|
| Author: | Alan Levy [ Thu Oct 09, 2003 6:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Penn-View Mountain RR photos |
Jim, Was this line built from scratch or did it use some exisiting ROW? Sounds like a lot of work, surveying, grading and laying track. Thanks in advance, Alan Levy alanl759@aol.com |
|
| Author: | Jim Robinson [ Fri Oct 10, 2003 9:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Penn-View Mountain RR photos |
As far as I know the PVM RR was built from scratch. Prior to building this line for the public, Cornell had constructed a loop of track on his farm near Blairsville. His first steam locomotive was ex-Duquesne Slag Products 0-4-0 65, which he operated on his farm. That locomotive is now on display in Dudley, PA along the former route of the Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain RR (it's lettered for the H&BTM, but it was never one of their engines). Regards, Jim Robinson |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|
