I know this is a site more for the full size, but recently I've seen more and more mention of park trains and Cagneys. I was interested to see how many out there remember the Centerville & Southwestern Railroad that operated on the Becker Dairy Farm in Roseland, NJ until 1972. A 2" scale miniature railroad which operated a 3- 1/2 Ton Northern 4-8-4 "Pocono" No.1501 along with 2 "diesels". For many growing up in the Central New Jersey area, it was where we were able to witness Steam after it left the full size rails and before the days of Reading Rambles and the High Iron trips. Unlike many park trains the C&S operated a 2 mile trip that went out and came back. A turntable was used at the station end to turn the locomotive and a loop was used on the other end of the line. Operating signals, passing tracks, operating air brake systems were all used making it a true operating miniature railroad.



kmuldowney@att.net

I seem to recall that the 4-8-4 went to the Henry Ford Museum. I think the group trying to get the NJ RR Museum going at Phillipsburg has the rest of the equipment set up and operating.

http://www.grandscales.com/
ryarger@rypn.org

Bob,

Yes, the 4-8-4 was donated to the Henry Ford Museum so it would have a safe home only to have the Museum auction it off years later as "redundant and out of scope". The engine is now in private hands. The rest of the railroad, 2 diesels, 31 cars was donated to Monmouth County Park and later conveyed to the Town of Phillipsburg where it is under the care of the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians.

kmuldowney@att.net