Is This RR Preservation?

railfan44 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:45 am

Given the recent thread on Park Trains, I guess it is, maybe.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/sbt-all ... 335.column

weekendrailroader · **Joined:** Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:02 am **Posts:** 293

Here's one of the abandoned trestles mentioned in the article. It's pretty large for a miniature train:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYTi1_FuF2E

And here's one of the old steam engines that ran at the park:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peXX2m9QR_M

JR May · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:52 am

The House of David really is a fascinating piece of amusement park history which does border on railway/locomotive history. It did include a fairly extensive 15" gauge transportation system hauled early on by a Cagney product followed up by locomotives built on site to include additional 4-4-0s, then 4-6-0s and finally by 2-6-2s. These locomotives were built on site in a fairly extensive machine shop where the locomotives were over hauled each year.

I owned the remains of one of the 4-6-0 locomotives before selling it to Carey Williams. They made some very interesting design changes to the typical Cagney design to include the use of Baker gear rather than the more difficult to maintain Stephenson gear. In addition, rather than open individual journal boxes on the driver axles, they implemented (at least on the 4-6-0s) a fully enclosed axle box which ran from one side of the locomotive to the other and had replaceable bearing inserts much as you see in an automotive engine. This kept the ash from the firebox out of the journals and made maintenance much easier. Lines ran from these boxes up to a central lubrication pot to make lubrication much easier. So, from a railway stand point the line certainly fits the RyPN concept, at least in my mind and I feel their design concepts and self employed steam locomotive advances are certainly worthy of study and discussion. Simply put, this was not your typical amusement park operation. They came up with some impressive steam locomotive advances.
J.R.

sc 'doc' lewis · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:02 am

Wasatch Railroad Contractors recently completed some work on the Cagneys for Art Sullivan and Carey Williams and interviewed them at Eden Springs Park. It is their Video No. 11 at their website.

Quote:

Shortly after Train Festival 2011, WRC made a quick trip to Benton Harbor, MI to visit Eden Springs Park, home of the legendary House of David Amusement Park. WRC delivered two Cagney locomotives, one to Art Sullivan for his railroad in New York, and the other to Carey Williams for use at the new Eden Springs Park.

John Rimmasch talks with both Art and Carey about their respective locomotives, and Carey gives us a brief history about Cagney locomotives as well as the House of David.

http://www.wrrc.us

sc 'doc' lewis