What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

Nice photo-recap of the three bridges. Was the second bridge built atop the piers of the first, or new piers with every evolution? Definitely new piers on the third...

All this talk of Steubenville got me to poking around. Spent half a day wandering through this site:

http://www.coalcampusa.com/rustbelt/oh/oh-rustbelt.htm

Interesting with some good snaps.

Healey

Healey, full marks!!!

The second bridge was built on the piers of the 1st, as you surmised.

The original piers were too small to handle the 3rd bridge, which was wider. All piers were replaced except Pier 1 (the "shorty" sitting on land west of the arch) at the West Virginia side. And the Stone Arch was retained. I can't tell if it was part of the first bridge or not. It is definitely part of the 2nd and 3rd.

And thanks for the Rustbelt links - fascinating photos!

George

[rogruth]

The Rustbelt photos are quite good. The ones you show include my hometown of Bellaire but all of the towns that I frequented when growing up.
In the 1940s the Mingo mill still had Carnegie Steel on much equipment. Many of the mills in the area were often called Carnegie. I don't know if the were built or bought by Carnegie.
Some of the larger towns. 20,000+, still look OK but most look like Mingo. My hometown population has gone from @18,000 in 1950 to @4,ooo today.
Not only are the mills closed so are the foundrys, coal mines, chemical plants, well almost everything. These were once nice towns in which to live.
Not anymore.

[healey36]

For reference:



When was the line to Mingo Junction completed? When Gould built, or attempted to build, the Wabash-Pittsburgh Terminal Railway he jumped off from Pittsburgh Junction (see Pittsburgh & West Virginia here), clearly not the eastern terminus of the W&LE. Perhaps a more direct route than the dip to Warrenton before heading back up...

Healey

Edit :: A bit of further reading tells me that the 13.6 mile extension to Steubenville was completed shortly after the W&LE arrived in Wheeling, ~ 1892-ish. That would indicate that Gould built the western end of the WPT to a connection at Pittsburgh Junction in order to bypass the dip to Wheeling.

[rogruth]

The WPT was opened @1904 sometime after the other railroads in the area and the best right of way was already taken.
Possibly Gould would have made the connection from anywhere he could.
Apparently the railroad was well built.

[G3750]

George,
I seem to remember the crossing gates being activated by a man in a tower .
I might be wrong and it could be a different place.???

I kinda think that as well, but my memory is hazy. I will have to research that as well as actual buildings / businesses and locations.

George

Roger,

You were right! Recently I came across a photograph (not mine, I can't post it) that shows an elevated watchtower at each end of the platform.

George

[webenda]

You were right! Recently I came across a photograph (not mine, I can't post it) that shows an elevated watchtower at each end of the platform.

George

Sometimes you can post images "not yours" under the “Fair use” clause of the copyright law. If you do, it is only polite to state your source.

Unlike academic coursepacks, other copyrighted materials can be used without permission in certain educational circumstances under copyright law or as a fair use. “Fair use” is the right to use portions of copyrighted materials without permission for purposes of education, commentary, or parody.

[G3750]

You were right! Recently I came across a photograph (not mine, I can't post it) that shows an elevated watchtower at each end of the platform.

George

Sometimes you can post images "not yours" under the “Fair use” clause of the copyright law. If you do, it is only polite to state your source.

Unlike academic coursepacks, other copyrighted materials can be used without permission in certain educational circumstances under copyright law or as a fair use. “Fair use” is the right to use portions of copyrighted materials without permission for purposes of education, commentary, or parody.

I would do so under "fair use", but that doesn't apply in this case. I have been asked by source of the research material not to post it and I am respecting his wishes.

[G3750]

Updated 3/11/2018:

The refinement of the Steubenville side of the layout continues. Here is the view of the northern part of the layout.

Steubenville-N v048.jpg (629.87 KiB) Viewed 2512 times

Since the last look, I've added the correct location of the PRR station on N. 6th Street, the Federal Paperboard factory, a re-sized version of The Hub department store, and 5th Street. Both 6th and 5th Streets will be populated with a prototypical sampling of the correct businesses (can't fit them all).

Here's a look at the southern half of Steubenville.

Steubenville-S v048.jpg (589.57 KiB) Viewed 2512 times

This part of Steubenville will feature the intersection of 4th Street and Market Street, the prominent businesses on lower Market Street, N. 4th Street, and S. 4th Street, and the red light district at Water Street.

The terrain will rise from a low point at the south side of the layout to the northern points near the PRR station. Beyond that track, the terrain will rise sharply over then next 2 feet to meet the backdrop.

George

[chuck]

I think that looks great. You might be able to use more generic HO and N scale structures along that back wall as you build up to the back drop (like the Bates Motel).

[G3750]

I think that looks great. You might be able to use more generic HO and N scale structures along that back wall as you build up to the back drop (like the Bates Motel).

Thank you. I will keep that in mind.

George

[G3750]

Updated 3/13/2018:

Below is the benchwork plan. Some guidance to interpreting it:

• The main level (table top) is LIGHT BLUE.
• Lower levels, either the River Route (which is 9-10" below the Steubenville benchwork level) or the Ohio River and low level (flood plain) West Virginia shore is DEEPER BLUE.
• Pop-up access hatches are GREEN. I have tried to position those so that all hard-to-reach areas are accessible; ribbing placement is adjusted accordingly.

Table 10 Benchmark.jpg (787.71 KiB) Viewed 2486 times

Above the top view of the bench work is a side view of the bridge section showing the levels of the piers and abutments.

George

[rogruth]

Starting to make more sense now.

[healey36]

Looks great...presume that blue area is the river, flowing across the foreground of Steubenville on the left. That should be unique...very neat. I can see some barge traffic...

Healey

[rogruth]

Looks great...presume that blue area is the river, flowing across the foreground of Steubenville on the left. That should be unique...very neat. I can see some barge traffic...

Healey

After the railroad, mills and towns.

[healey36]

Probably insufficient time left for the lot of us, but wouldn't something like this be nice:



As an on-again/off-again ship-modeler, I look forward to seeing how guys do water...I botch it every time.

Healey