Knox & Kane PRR Gondola To Be Restored

Scott Kwiatkowski · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:11 pm

I just came back from the Knox & Kane, in Marienville, PA, and brought home its former gondola open car, a PRR G29d 349138. Now only two freight cars remain there: a Cambria & Indiana two-bay hopper and a riveted tank car. It is sad to see this once very popular tourist railroad fade into memories, but I am happy to be able to save one of its legacies for others to enjoy.

My plan for the gondola is to restore it in as-built lettering with the circle (ball) keystone. Then I’ll add benches down the middle so it can be used as an open car, just as it was once enjoyed by many as it traveled across the now gone Kinzua viaduct.

Look for updates on my website.

Scott Kwiatkowski
Pennsy Railcar Restorations LLC
http://www.prrllc.com

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Scott,

Did you hear any scuttlebutt on the future of the C&I hopper?

Rob

tomgears · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:59 pm

Very good news. I know you will do a good job with it. Thanks for sharing.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6488

Scott -

Great to know that you got the G29d home at last. You are a master at your craft. I look forward to seeing PRR 34913 restored to her former glory.

Les

kburkey · **Joined:** Tue May 03, 2005 7:10 am **Posts:** 58

@robertjohndavis

The C&I car (162) is to be moved this coming Monday. It's going to Rexis, PA (ne
ar Vintondale), on the C&I for restoration and display along the Ghost Town Trail.

Keith Burkey

CRHauf · **Posted:** Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:03 am

Scott,

First congratulations on saving this car! Second, would you please share some info/details on the trucking and use of the tilt bed trailer? For low cars, that seems like a great way to go if you have a way to load the car and the trailer is long enough. I have used similar trailers to move smaller pieces, but never considered them for a ~50' piece.

Regards,
Chris Hauf
Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum

Scott Kwiatkowski · **Posted:** Thu Jul 09, 2009 5:44 pm

Chris,

Tartaglia's trailer is 40 inches high, 40 feet long on the lower deck. The one truck just barely fit on the upper deck which is about 66 inches high. The trailer is 53' long and has a winch. The gondola is roughly 6 feet high, so on the upper deck your under the 13' 6" legal load. Like you said ideal for lower cars.

While the C & O wagon top caboose (11' 7" high, 30' long) I recently moved would have easily fit on the lower deck of this trailer it would have been way to high and would have required a route survey. The caboose went on a trailer with 15" high deck.

There are other folks out there with different trailer configurations that can move railcars you just have to do some homework. Once you start bringing in cranes and multiple trailers, the price to move something can go WAY up quickly.

Scott