THE TWO FOOTERS    

“All Aboard”

Can you believe that this is issue number two?  It just seems like yesterday when we were putting issue number one together. We have worked some of the bugs out, but we are still learning as we go so, please bear with us as we continue to improve the Two Footer. There are some problems with email and addresses so if you know of someone that is not receiving the newsletter let us know. From the original list of the TFGOA some of those members did not respond and are not receiving the newsletter. If you know of them and they would like to receive the newsletter let us know also. The hard copies of the last newsletter were okay, but the pictures were bad. We will try to have a professional copy center produce this newsletter and give the copier at work a rest. We are at the point of needing articles from the members or you will be seeing a lot of the Maine two footers, Goose Creek, and the B&W. If you had submitted an article to the TFGOA and it was not printed and you still have it or want to rewrite it please pass it on to us. There is talk of a TWO FOOT convention to TN/VA in August 2003, let us know who is interested.

Stan Griffith sent a video of his operation and will be passed on to anyone that is interested.

Mike Nix reports he got his engine house constructed so he has a place to store his equipment. He built it so it can be taken down and moved if need be. The building is 24 x 22. He got the idea for a sectional building from the buildings at the Fennimore Railroad Historical Society. Their web site is www.fennimore.com/railmuseum/index.html

The B&W open house will be August 18^th and September 15^th 2002.

Additional information on the Edaville Whitcomb is as follows:

Built in April, 1950 at the Whitcomb Works, Rochelle, Illinois.

Serial no.  40692

Bought new by Canada Creosote in Edmonton, Alberta.  Then operated by Domtar when that firm took over for Canada Creosote.

In March of 1988, the unit was transferred to the Domtar plant in Tyrenton, Ontario as back up power.  When this plant closed, the critter went to private ownership in Trenton where the new owner was attempting to get a tourist railway running in that town.  When that effort failed, the engine was stored on a local farm.

Later a Mr. John H. Vincent moved the locomotive about 60 miles north of Toronto to property owned by him. He and others worked on the machine over the last few years keeping it functional and presentable.  This information is supplied by Mr. Vincent.

Regarding the two foot gauge preservation project at the former W.W. & F. Railway depot in Albion, Maine, the photo below was taken on April 20, 2002.

We are looking north and standing on the right of way with the depot off in the distance.  There are several project planned for this year and I will look forward to providing coverage in future issues.  Anyone interested in more information and/or membership in the Albion Historical Society ($5 yr.) is invited to contact me at bwilson57@msn.com or by writing to me at Bruce Wilson, P.O. Box 12, Hanover, MA 02339-0012

Longtime readers of the Two Foot Owners Association Newsletter will remember articles on the birth, life and abandonment of the Tuckahoe Valley Railroad near Tyrone, PA that as part owner, I helped build and maintain from 1986 to 2001. 

Builder and primary owner, the late CJ Moore had decided many years prior to his death to preserve the railroad items that I did not already own. Upon his death, I was able to save the entire Tuckahoe Valley Railroad. The only catch was I had to remove it from the Moore property within a very short time frame.  To the rescue came the Bucksgahuda & Western Railroad gang with trucks, equipment, and people to help tear up the TVRR. I decided to store my equipment at the B&W, as my current property is too small to re-build the Tuckahoe Valley on it.  One item that I feared would be the hardest to move was the ex-PRR crossing watchman shanty that I preserved about 10 years ago from a local Bellwood resident that was going to burn it.  Since my great-grandfather was superintendent of the Bellwood railroad shops, this building has a little extra special meaning to me. I am not sure of its exact history, but it is a standard PRR design and was used in the town of Bellwood at an unknown location to protect a local crossing. This may very well be the last remaining railroad building from the Bellwood, PA area.

Moving day came one hot day early last spring. I arranged for a local logger to bring his Prentice log loader to assist with the loading.  We came up with the idea of removing the two side windows, running a long I beam to support the building to act as a spreader bar for a section of chain, and picking it up with the log loader.  After bracing the interior of the shanty for the trip, we set up the I-beam and chains. The log loader moved into position and I climbed up on to the roof to hook the chains. I gave the operator a signal and the loader did not struggle as it not only picked up the entire building, but also rotated it so Bill Bauer could back his trailer under it. It was set down and secured to the trailer with chains and straps. After loading up the last remaining pieces of the former TVRR, we headed for St. Marys. We got lots of funny looks as we headed down the highway.  On I-80 the tarpaper roof came off in chunks to the point that by the time we got to the B&W, it was almost all gone.  At the B&W, we backed the trailer into position to unload the shanty along the B&W tracks near the switch into building #3. Problem was we did not have the log loader to unload the building. We improvised and with blocks, jacks, bars and chains, and a little help from the little B&W Terra-Mite backhoe, we yanked the building off of the trailer and onto the ground.  After rotating it 90 degrees, Nick D’Amore and I replaced the roof with temporary covering. I plan on installing a metal roof this summer. On later visits to the B&W last summer and fall, I replaced the entire rotted floor with new pressure treated lumber and with help from my wife, we re-painted the entire building. I also made solid window and door glass covers to prevent the glass being broken out by vandals when no one was around the B&W.

All in all I am happy to have saved this little building and I could not have done it with out the B&W’s help and willingness to let the TVRR be stored in Saint Marys.   Paul & Bill Krellner of the Teaberry & Southern liked my little ex-PRR shanty so much, they built a copy for the T&S switch at Zorba. My PRR shanty is back where it belongs, along the tracks-even if they are 2-foot gauge!

Rolling westbound on I-80 near Clearfield, PA. Doors and windows were removed and the building was braced for the journey.  Shortly after this photo was taken the tarpaper roof blew off!

On Saturday, May 04, 2002 the Bucksgahuda & Western’s Hopper car received it’s official lettering.  We utilized Autocad to create the design of the lettering scheme.  If you notice, it models the East Broad Top railroad scheme.  We took artistic liberty and added the popular B&W logo!  We sent the drawings to a local printer who then cut vinyl lettering to our specifications.  Once we had the lettering, it took the crew one hour (a very tedious hour) to apply the vinyl lettering to the hopper.

As the fall of 2001 came to an end, the B&W crew laid enough rail for us to start planning the next phase of the St. Marys and Southwestern project...construction of the Wye.    

During the winter of 2001, construction began on the Wye. The first hurdle that we had to overcome was Mother Nature herself... lots of trees. Many weeks were spent clearing trees where the Wye would be located.

By April 2002, we cleared as much of the location as possible given the equipment we had. It was now time to call in the heavy equipment. 

May 18, 2002. This date will be remembered for a long time. We had SNOW!!! We awoke to a very white Saturday morning. By early afternoon, only a few traces remained, but it made for a very cold day working outside.  However, we were able to accomplish a lot. The first switch of the Wye has been laid and the switch stand is in place. The mechanical pieces still need to be assembled, but it makes for a great picture!  Stay tuned for more information…

Charles Pidacks is looking for a light gas mechanical engine.

There is a 42 inch gauge Brookville available. It has a new cat engine, but was in a flood a few years ago. Brookvillie’s frames are made so they can be regauged, but this one may be to far out to take down to two foot.  If there is any interest let the staff know.

As we bring the second issue of the Two Footer Newsletter to a close we have to believe that their are many interesting articles, books, and web sites on narrow gauge railroads that you would like to share with the membership.  As you are sharing information on your railroad, consider submitting this reference material.

Members Web Sites:   

Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad      http://www.alltel.net/~bandw

            Goose Creek Railroad  http://www.angelfire.com/va/GooseCreekRR/index.html

            WWF Railroad             http://www.wwfry.org/

Submit comments and articles to:

The Two Footers

534 Armory Road

St. Marys, PA  15857

tpbauer@alltel.net

or

tom@thetwofooters.com

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