Aaron,

My bad. I was incorrectly assuming that you didn't know the turntable wasn't for sale.

As far as the museum is concerned, there are 2 sites under consideration. It's hard to tell at this point which one will get the nod.

If I hear of anything further, I will post it.

No idea what the the turntable length is, although it's bigger than a bread box.

mshirk@DELETEix.netcom.com

> Once again I call on the members of the rail
> fan community for assistance. Some time ago
> toward the beginning of the year I posted
> looking for turntables for sale. I thank all
> for the leads that were given.

> Currently I am in search of a turntable that
> is a minimum of 80 foot in length and is for
> sale or possibly could be for sale. Prefer
> the eastern part of the US but may go as far
> as Chicago etc.

> This turntable will be used in the new
> quarter roundhouse to be built at the
> Altoona Railroaders museum on which to turn
> the K-4 after it arrives from Steamtown. Any
> and all leads will be investigated. Thanks
> to everybody who helped in the past and
> thank you in advance to those you have
> information this time. Please e-mail me or
> post on the Interchange.

While we're on the subject, IRM is still looking for a 110'+ table. There are at least 4 in Chicago, but every one is still in (almost) daily use. If we find one that we can get, we'll likely sell our ex-C&NW 85' table.

Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

> While we're on the subject, IRM is still
> looking for a 110'+ table. There are at
> least 4 in Chicago, but every one is still
> in (almost) daily use. If we find one that
> we can get, we'll likely sell our
> ex-C&NW 85' table.
Kevin,

The UP is having an auction on 8/22 in Omaha at which time they are selling a railcar transfer table, 100 ft no engine. You may want to check this out. See www.blackmonauctions.com
Don


roxb@earthlink.net

I note in two places on this website that the former Wolfeboro track is "totally unused". My understanding is that the Cotton Valley motorcar club was still using it.. Has this ceased, or is it a case of the trails group not recognizing them?

Nelson Blount's trains did indeed operate out of Keene for a brief time, departing from the former depot site (depot razed in 1958), closeby the roundhouse and shops. I'm told he did visit the shops, but had no interest in saving them, which were and had been a screw factory since about 1940. Though most of the building was factory, the B&M retained a couple of stalls for its Keene switcher and the gas-electric car that ran over from Brattleboro, VT. The turntable remained at Keene until about 1973.

Blount's fantasy dream site for Steamtown in NH was located in an open field north of Keene, and was to be all-new construction where no rail facilities had existed before (sound familiar?)

He soon got into political problems when the NH administration changed, so pulled the plug and moved to the Riverside location near Bellows Falls, on the then-dormant Rutland line.

Riverside had been planned for a shop and yard by the Rutland, but the carrier's shaky finances never permitted completion. Blount did operate out of the North Walpole, NH (B&M) roundhouse for a time after the move, while the Riverside site was being prepared. The N. Walpole roundhouse was, at that time, an almost perfectly-preserved B&M steam maintenance facility, with even its original wooden coal chute.

After Blount's death, Steamtown and the common-carrier Green Mountain RR separated, and steam maintenance was moved to Riverside. GMRC soon tore down the historic coal chute, and (now busy)has since turned the N. Walpole yard and roundhouse into a modern maintenance and transfer facility. The roundhouse, which was modified some years ago during a highway-widening project, now has roll-up doors, concrete floors and a "transfer table" device inside for removing diesel trucks.

This link should work better...
> Also, didn't Blount's first operation start
> in Keene, NH? (Monadnock Northern?) Why
> didn't they use the old roundhouse and table
> there?


bobyar2001@yahoo.com

The Cotton Valley Rail-Trail Club is very active, and
I don't know why that Sanbornville site makes no mention of them. The link below will take you to some excellent new pictures of the work the club is doing to maintain the Wolfeboro branch. (Even though the switch for the branch has been removed in Sanbornville.) I was at Fernald station 2 weeks ago, and it appeared well cared for.
The site Blount was interested in north of Keene, I had never heard this before. Is there anything there now? Can you elaborate on that location a bit more?
Thanks,
Steve


Wolfeboro Branch Maintenance
sjhussar@aol.com

You may want to contact the Delaware & Ulster RR. in Arkville NY. they had the 90' ( I think) table from Kingston NY stored on there property.

Good Luck
B. Allan

cvsrkahuna@aol.com