Click on each link for a closer look!
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In this final set of pictures, we wrap up our visit to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in our search for ideas for our evolving museum. Here are the captions for each of these images:
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#13: This is a Climax locomotive. Their were at least three variants of this form of geared locomotive .. Shays, Heislers and Climaxes. They were typically used for logging and similar operations on very rough often temporary track. They could reliably stay on the tracks in very difficult conditions and could climb very steep grades that normal steam locomotives could never do. Their maximum speeds however were very limited. This museum has one example of all three types on one track allowing for a fascinating comparison of each to the others.
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#14: The museum's lcomotive roster lists this locomotive as a "1940 Camden & Amboy No. 1 John Bull Replica Altoona 4-2-0 RR79.40.2A Gift 10/1979 of Penn Central Corp. Built for NY World's Fair. Serviceable. Wood-burner. Exact copy of original 1831 locomotive." However, in the picture, it looks like a 2-4-0. The explanation for this discrepancy can be found in this Wikipedia entry. It was originally built as a 0-4-0 but a leading truck was added due to problems with derailments. The addition of a leading truck made it necessary to disconnect the front drivers from the back drivers technically changing the locomotive to a 4-2-0. The original John Bull is housed in the Smithsonian and was briefly operated under steam in 1981 making it the oldest operational steam locomotive in the world at that time.
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#15: This interesting display is a large scale model of an early Post Office car and is partly complete in order to show the structure of this wooden car. A model of our Fowler Box Car would make a great exhibit if done similarly as the Fowler car design was a Canadian invention.
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#16: The Pennsylvania Railroad Museum has a large yard and extensive repair and overhaul facilities. Here, we see their operational turntable with equipment waiting for restoration on their radial tracks.
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#17: The museum has one of the well-known Budd RDC self-propelled cars which did so much to continue passenger service in the face of stiff competition from other transportation systems. In this case it is Lehigh Valley Railway's #20. This engine last operated in 1988 and it too is awaiting restoration.
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#18: In our final image we see a pair of steam locomotives on display outside the entrance to the museum. The museum has a remarkably large roster of 24 steam locomotives, 11 internal combustion locomotives, 3 self-propelled passenger cars, 8 electric locomotives and 4 pieces of electric multiple-unit passenger units.
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In addition, there is a third major railway museum in Strasburg, the National Toy Train Museum. Their website says that the museum "contains one of the most extensive toy train collections in the world. Trains that children pushed, pulled or rode upon are included. The collection also includes miniature trains that are accurate replicas of their full sized counterparts. The Museum exhibits trains from the mid-1800s through the present day." We were unable to visit this museum due to the sun setting on our adventure that day.
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The Strasburg Railroad, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and the National Toy Train Museum collectively provide a superb destination for the railfan nd should not be missed.
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Posting and pictures by Russ Milland
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