Fall Brook Coal - Alpha

I have a record of Fall Brook Coal or Fall Brook Bituminous Coal having a 0-4-0ST from Porter delivered to Tonawanda. It was named "Alpha" and was 36" gauge. This was in 1870.

I can find no use for it up there. No coal dock or yard or shops.

Anyone have an idea what it was for? Thanks.

Charles

This *probably* isnt it..
but "delivered to Tonawanda" made me think "Erie Canal".
and since its a 3-foot gauge loco, it would have to travel by either canal boat or flatcar..

Could have gone via Canal barge from Pittsburg to Cleveland, up lake Erie to Tonawanda, then out the Erie Canal to the Fall Brook at Lyons.

seems pretty unlikely given the date, since railroads were pretty well established by 1870..it would be much quicker to deliver by rail from Pittsburgh straight out to the Fall Brook in PA.

although, yes, railroads were fairly well established by 1870, but perhaps not quite established enough yet..Canal delivery is certaintly possible!
depending on where it needs to go..its something to consider..

I wonder if there is a history of Porter delivering narrow gauge locos by barge?
they were probably near a canal in Pittsburgh with easy access to the Great Lakes and the Erie canal.

Scot

I agree. I did have the Buffalo part verified. Sometimes the builder's records come through with a strange drop off point. I think it depends on who is the scribe that day. Seneca Army Depot is a good example - one loco delivery delivery might say Kendaia and another Romulus. Both get to the army depot, both on the LV, but a name difference nonetheless.

I looked up some other Fall Brook deliveries and it seems they regularly had loco deliveries (narrow and standard) in Fall Brook, PA. So the fact that this was delivered in Tonawanda would seem that it was needed up there for something.