by mikedc3
Carter,
Thanks for the kind words!! glad you like the pics.
Looking at the map that comes in the book, I would say the NG RR was at least a mile long plus, the trackage inside the plant, which went everywhere. Behind the horseshoe pit, there is an area called Davenport cut. According to the book, Edison was planning to take the entire top of this mountain off. Starting there, The NG tracks ran down to Edison Rd. Here there was an engine house. The very bottom stones of the foundation and the ash pit are still there today. From here the tracks crossed the road and then split. One way continued way down into the woods ending abruptly at a huge rock outcropping. This is where the switchback is. The lower track headed back into what's called Iron hill Cut, which is another big quarry.
Back at the split near Edison rd. The track ran into the plant. There were actually two ways to get into the main plant so that trains coming from either cut could get into the plant without reversing. There was also trackage going into the huge quarry right behind the plant. This is the quarry I called the rear pit in my first post. There was also quite a bit of standard gauge track in the plant for incoming coal, machinery, and out going sand, briquettes etc.
There are pics of the locomotive and several of the NG cars in the book. According to the book, The NG cars carried what was called Skips, These skips were loaded with huge pieces of rock from the quarry's. Then they would be taken to the crusher plant, The skips were lifted off by 3 chains, Two in front, one in the rear. The skips went into the crusher building, lowered and then the front 2 chains were un hooked. The rear chain would be lifted again and the skip would dump it's load into the first crusher.
There are also pics of standard RR cars in the plant too, Including a really neat shot of an ancient DLnW box car.
I'd be glad to meet you or anyone else up there sometime for a walk around the ruins. This place is amazing.
Thanks for the kind words!! glad you like the pics.
Looking at the map that comes in the book, I would say the NG RR was at least a mile long plus, the trackage inside the plant, which went everywhere. Behind the horseshoe pit, there is an area called Davenport cut. According to the book, Edison was planning to take the entire top of this mountain off. Starting there, The NG tracks ran down to Edison Rd. Here there was an engine house. The very bottom stones of the foundation and the ash pit are still there today. From here the tracks crossed the road and then split. One way continued way down into the woods ending abruptly at a huge rock outcropping. This is where the switchback is. The lower track headed back into what's called Iron hill Cut, which is another big quarry.
Back at the split near Edison rd. The track ran into the plant. There were actually two ways to get into the main plant so that trains coming from either cut could get into the plant without reversing. There was also trackage going into the huge quarry right behind the plant. This is the quarry I called the rear pit in my first post. There was also quite a bit of standard gauge track in the plant for incoming coal, machinery, and out going sand, briquettes etc.
There are pics of the locomotive and several of the NG cars in the book. According to the book, The NG cars carried what was called Skips, These skips were loaded with huge pieces of rock from the quarry's. Then they would be taken to the crusher plant, The skips were lifted off by 3 chains, Two in front, one in the rear. The skips went into the crusher building, lowered and then the front 2 chains were un hooked. The rear chain would be lifted again and the skip would dump it's load into the first crusher.
There are also pics of standard RR cars in the plant too, Including a really neat shot of an ancient DLnW box car.
I'd be glad to meet you or anyone else up there sometime for a walk around the ruins. This place is amazing.
Check out my abandond RR and Canal pictures at:
http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/MIKEdc3/
Password is pics
http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/MIKEdc3/
Password is pics