Unique prototypes

[nkp_174]

I wanted to create a thread to talk about unique prototypes.

The DSP&P, NKP, NYC, CSX, etc are NOT UNIQUE. But, a particular location along them may be unique (such as at a particular junction or abnormal operating phenomenon).

My idea for this thread comes from this:

The Crystal River shortlines were perfect for a model railroad. From appx 1900 to 1910, it consisted of a standard gauge line and a 3' gauge line, with a dual gauge engine facility, transfer trestle, and std gauge yards at Redstone. After 1910, there was a std gauge railroad and an electric railroad.

The std gauge railroad primarily operated with a mogul and a 4-6-0. The Spectrum 4-6-0 is a decent stand in for their Baldwin 4-6-0. The trains were usually short mixed trains. The narrow gauge operated with 3 big, outside frame 2-8-0s. The largest was as powerful as the original D&RG 2-8-2s. (these 2-8-0s became D&RGW #360, 361, & 375). The electric railroad operated with what appeared to be outhouses mounted on flatcars. The std gauge used foreign cars and a combine. The narrow gauge used ingoldsby dump cars. The electric railroad used shorty flat cars with curved spoke wheels. The std gauge operated a rotary snow plow, and the electric had an interesting double ended electric powered rotary.

Notably, the Lincoln Memorial was produced with stone quarried in the Crystal River region and shipped out on the electric and steam railroads. Later, the largest stone ever quarried, 56t, was shipped over the lines and became the tomb of the unknown soldier. This Yule marble was chosen for its reputation as the highest quality marble in the country.

HO scale Ingoldsbys: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.riograndemodels.com/Images/LargeHO/3116.jpg">http://www.riograndemodels.com/Images/LargeHO/3116.jpg</a><!-- m -->
S scale Ingoldsbys: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cimarronworks.com/CRR-210-A-0754.jpg">http://www.cimarronworks.com/CRR-210-A-0754.jpg</a><!-- m -->
HOn3 small 2-8-0: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://psc1.virtualfocus.com/MMI%20C-21%20HOn3.html">http://psc1.virtualfocus.com/MMI%20C-21%20HOn3.html</a><!-- m --> (would need backdating to be CR 101 or 102)
MDC's OF HOn3 2-8-0 is close to #103

The electric locomotives would be built with brass stock for weight, and with NWSL's PDT (or is it Flea?) trucks.

Photos from Photoswest:
ng 2-8-0 under trestle at Redstone:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?11005337+Z-5337">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?11005337+Z-5337</a><!-- m -->
early photo of std gauge:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10012281+X-12281">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10012281+X-12281</a><!-- m -->
Unknown soldier:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10012283+X-12283">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10012283+X-12283</a><!-- m -->
Electric in snow:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?11006662+Z-6662">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?11006662+Z-6662</a><!-- m -->
Loading at Quarry:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00138456+GB-8456">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00138456+GB-8456</a><!-- m -->
Quarry:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00071995+MCC-1995">http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00071995+MCC-1995</a><!-- m -->
(These pictures don't always load the first time...refresh a couple times and they'll work)

I am aware of one book on the subject: Sundance's Crystal River Pictorial

Michael