Cagney and Crown Discussion Cont.

In a past thread last week we held a discussion on Crown 24 inch scale locomotives and trains. I have forgotten all of the names, but I have read the questions and hope to continue the thread in this new message.

First of all, yes, it is I, John E. Rimmasch that restored a 15â€

While visiting Bert Williams in Elizabeth to look over the few 23" gage HUGE 0-4-0s some years ago he told me a story about their overbuilt boilers.

Apparently, the steel mills wanted to get as much weight as possible on the drivers of the ingot haulers, so an old German engineer with Porter figured make very heavy boiler shells "to put der extra metal vere it vill do some goot." Has anybody saved any of these old slabs on wheels?

In any case, Crown hired this same engineer to design the boilers on their park engines. Bert felt the boilers on the early 3 footers were a bit skimpy, so they were somewhat enlarged in later production.

Crown is now Castle Ridge Products, and I am not sure if they are still supporting Crown or if they have sold all that business to Tweetsie.

Dave

John, thanks for the info on the Crowns. Dick Thiriot sent me his latest pamplet on his "Midway Shortline" last year which mentions the Lagoon "Bamberger" cars with a small photo of them.

I had heard Bert W. sold Castle Ridge entirely to Tweetsie Shops in the past year or two.

Hi John,

If I remember correctly, the 1967 Crown came to Lagoon from an amuseument park in Oregon called "Pixieland" (the same place the log flume ride was purchased from). That train is still running, and in fact has a new blue paint job this year that replaces its former colors of pastel pink and blue. One of the later Crowns (it was the "Green train") is now a static display at the Rattlesnake Rapids attraction. It is now painted red and black and is lettered for the "Rattlesnake Rapids Railroad." The engine seems to be complete, but needs boiler work to operate again.

Jeff Terry

Speaking of Cagneys, recently came across a great site with several photos of International steam operations. Included was one of the Cagney running down at a sugar plantation down there. A far cry from what it was, it's still being enjoyed:



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