On my way back from a trip to Kentucky/Ohio on Monday, I had the opportunity to stop by Cleveland, and the Roundhouse home of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society. Was a good day to visit, as they were moving some equipment around and I arrived in time to see them pull their NKP coach out of the roundhouse. GTW 4070 was apart in the roundhouse

Also stopped by Conneaut Ohio to see the NKP 755 on display at the station. The main reason for the trip was a roller coaster trip, but managed to also see the Railway Museum in Bowling Green Kentucky at the L&N station. They have a nice E8A on display with a short passenger train. We were also given a special tour of the shop at Kings Island where they operate a pair of 36" gauge Crown 4-4-0's.

And a few final pics from the trip. Lodi Station is an outlet mall not far from Cleveland. They have a 2 ft gauge operation set up around the mall. THey were only running one oval of track the day I visited, and it doesn't look like they run much more than that. All level crossings have lights and gates too!! There was a diner on a hill with a former N&W steam locomotive coach and caboose. Buckeye diner I think it was. Tender was built on a former pilot truck, and locomotive was one of the ones rescued from a scrap yard a few years back. And the final stop was at the Lakeshore Museum in Northeast. I always stop here whenever I'm passing by. Always something to see.

Anyways, that's about all.

Ken--

Any photos of the smooth-sided Budd car seen in the right background of the GTW #4070 photo?

Sorry, I don't. It was difficult to get a shot of it. Here's a few more from the yard though. They had some neat pieces of equipment around there. Was definitely glad I stopped by.

Ken

Thanks, Ken!

Anyone know the identity of this car??

And under the "other stuff" of the subject line, the covered hopper (#7x2780) with some damage on the end, is surely an interesting old car. Anyone have information on it, including the original owning railroad and when built? Also, does MRPS intend to eventually restore it?

Les

Short round-roof baggage car is a B&O car, with "Mt. Clare XLT" trucks.

"XLT" was the symbol for a General Car Foreman named Leo Tomlinson, who would make his "mark" on stuff with a chalked "X" and his intials. He had a number of designs of car parts, such as these trucks. The previous was related to me 35 years ago by Bill Corrick, another old-time B&O car department guy.

Howard P.

Mr. Jones states in his comment to the photo of this car that it is an "open hopper converted to a covered hopper". If this is info about the car from MRHS, then it seems that they must have the heritage of the car. If it was an open hopper, it was a unusual design in itself. Sure would like some info.

Les

Didn't the SAL or ACL have a series of phosphate cars like this? I remember that Ambroid made a model.

I believe there was an old thread here on RyPN of those SAL/ACL cars (including some photos), and as I recall, those cars had smooth sides. No "outside braces" such as on this car at MRPS. I don't know about an Ambroid model, but if there was one, then historic information on what railroad those cars ran on, and other info, would probably have been included with their offering.

Les

Les, here's a picture of the Ambroid model:

http://www.trainweb.org/ambroidkits/trains/woodkits/pics/5000-1/09.jpg

It's an older model, and no historical information of yet.

It's an interesting conversion, whatever it is. The only other thing I could think of is a cement car.

David -

Thanks for the photo link for the Ambroid model. Sure is interesting; almost makes me wish I was still modeling in HO! In looking at that photo, there are obviously no hatches in the roof of the car, but what look like side doors in the wood addition to the original steel car. Boy, sure wish one of those Atlantic Coast Line cars had been preserved! Imagine ACL #8170, or a sister, running in a vintage photo freight!

Les

Ambroid made the kits in S and O scale as well.

I shot an email to the Midwest Group asking about the car. No response yet, but when I do, I will post it.

I also plan to scour my Car Builders' Cyclopedias later to see if I can find an example car.

David -

A friend sent me this picture to show a brakeman on the roof walk of a boxcar back in 1960 forwarding hand signals to the engineer of T&P GP7 #1118, a long lost practice these days:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 252&nseq=0

What really caught my eye however, was the covered hopper car in the consist. Looks like it could be a sister to the one at MRPS! Unfortunately, the angle and distance preclude getting the railroad name of the car. Rats!

Les