I am wishing to build a layout modeling primarily the Erie Lackawanna Mainline between Hornell, NY and Binghamton, NY set in the Mid 70's <perhaps with some minor artistic license taken just to make things work better on the model> But right now my hang up is where to look to find out what kinds of on-line industries/customers EL had in that area and types of frieght run so as not to stray TOO far from prototype in the region. I have read that nearly 20% of EL's frieght at the time was TOFC, but beyond that I'm alittle stumped. So any guidence my friendly online community could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks everyone,
Brad
If there are no dogs in heaven,then I want to go where they go.
Be sure to see the spectacular scale drawings for Binghamton NY block of brick industrial bldgs. in Model Railroader July 81 p.58. A block of five or six story tall as I remember, old brick buildings with spectacular and varied brickwork that apparently survived into more modern times.
I never actually built a "real model" of these but I photocopied the scale drawings to my scale onto cardstock, colored with markers and watercolors and used as a temporary low relief building. Hope you can get this from Kalmbach.
Good info Ghant, but yeah as old as '81 I'll have to cross my fingers that MR might still have a copy in the archives. Any chance they would have that sort of thing in an Online database? AKA some other way to dig it up if I have too?
KingConrail76 wrote:I'm not sure that the EL serviced it, but with creative licence you could model the Corning Glass factory as a larger-than-it-is industry. Hoppers, or Covered Hoppers in with silica and other raw materials, Box and possibly Flat cars out with plate glass. As for the Trailers, by mid Seventies probably 45's. 48's would be late 70's early 80's I think. You could also have an Interchange with the What-if Competetor Conrail to the South East and North West for Through Freight service from Philidelphia to Buffalo. I checked out Wikipedia on this before posting, and apperently in 1970 EL contracted with UPS to haul Intermodal freight, it does not specify containers or trailers. The article also mentioned Automobile, Steel and Fruit/Produce from chicago to NJ.
Indeed I have found in my research that they did server the corning glass factory. And a cheese factory & Alpo plant in/about Waverly, NY. Also the ELHS had a pretty decent article this past year outlining several industries that EL serviced in Elmira area. American Bridge, Kennedy Valve, Bendix Corp, Thatcher Glass, American La France & Ward La France <although I do not know what those last 2 companies did>. As well as an unidentified industry just off the sharp westerly curve of the mainline near Horseheads. The article also mentions there was a former Pullman plant on the south side of Elmira that is "currently used by another business" but they do not say what the other business is.
Indeed UPS was a major customer of EL. #1 in some years moveing some 35000 units a year.
tormadel wrote: But right now my hang up is where to look to find out what kinds of on-line industries/customers EL had in that area and types of frieght run so as not to stray TOO far from prototype in the region.
On the Shenware site is a free app called "Indman", I think, that is a search engine for the Rwy-Industrial-Ops Sig industry database. You can search by several different parameters to find industries. It might help you.
You might also join the Erie or EL historical society. They sometimes have access to shipper's guides.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Try
http://gelwood.railfan.net/el/el.html
http://gelwood.railfan.net/cr/cr.html
Have fun
tormadel wrote:...Also the ELHS had a pretty decent article this past year outlining several industries that EL serviced in Elmira area.... American La France & Ward La France
American La France made/makes FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. I believe a big name in fire trucks. I have a 1973 tariff for industry spurs in Houston that shows an American La France industry handling Fomite used in fighting refinery fires.
I imagine they also made and/or distributed such special things as valves, hose fittings etc. used in fire fighting.
leighant wrote: tormadel wrote:...Also the ELHS had a pretty decent article this past year outlining several industries that EL serviced in Elmira area.... American La France & Ward La FranceAmerican La France made/makes FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. I believe a big name in fire trucks. I have a 1973 tariff for industry spurs in Houston that shows an American La France industry handling Fomite used in fighting refinery fires.I imagine they also made and/or distributed such special things as valves, hose fittings etc. used in fire fighting.
I looked them both up, and American /Ward la France appears to be branches of the same company. Ward talks only about firefighting, american talks about all emergency vehicles.
dehusman wrote: tormadel wrote: But right now my hang up is where to look to find out what kinds of on-line industries/customers EL had in that area and types of frieght run so as not to stray TOO far from prototype in the region. On the Shenware site is a free app called "Indman", I think, that is a search engine for the Rwy-Industrial-Ops Sig industry database. You can search by several different parameters to find industries. It might help you. You might also join the Erie or EL historical society. They sometimes have access to shipper's guides.Dave H.
Thanks alot for this tip! :) This is some cool looking stuff.