Iron Miners
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 Post subject: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:41 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:16 am
Posts: 7
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Here is a photo of Towanda Coal Compaly "H.D.V. Pratt" CN: 82 built in 1870 by the Smith and Porter (Later H. K. Porter) locomotive works, Pittsburgh for use inside the mines at Barclay, Bradford County, PA. I have lots of information on this locomotive and how it was used in case anyone is interested.

Regards,
Mark Stonbraker


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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:38 pm 
I am. is it compressed air or fireless?


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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 12:34 am 
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Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:13 am
Posts: 237
Location: New Zealand
Definately Steam there Dave, the Crosshead Lubricator, stack, firebox and saddle tank are the giveaways to look for.
Nice find Mark, I've always been a sucker for small Porters but stuffed if I'd want to operate one underground, the low headroom model shows the intended purpose.

Give me a Motor anyday.

Chris
in New Zealand

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:55 am 
yea, I realized that after I posted the question. I still want to know more about it.


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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:27 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:34 pm
Posts: 6872
Location: Within 60 Miles of the Northern Anthracite Field
I'd love to hear what you have on it. I've been in some of the old Barclay mines. Did you know when Glen Alden scooped up all the smaller companies they sold an entire colliery that was disassembled and relocated to a semi anthracite mine near towanda? We were talking to a guy up there that told us all sorts of info on the area and he had a huge ammount of artifacts. "digger" on here knows more about him and that area.....

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:42 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:47 pm
Posts: 95
Location: philly 'burbs
it seams just a little insane to me to operate a steam engine in an active mine, what with the fire and all in a place surrounded by fuel.

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:47 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:34 pm
Posts: 6872
Location: Within 60 Miles of the Northern Anthracite Field
Not many other options back then......

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:16 pm 
Another option is the "Fireless Cooker" it is basically a steam engine w/o a firebox. It is basically a giant thermos. It was "charged" with steam and water from a stationary boiler, and when it used steam, the pressure dropped and some of the water flashed to steam. after a while, it was necessary to recharge the locomotive at the stationary boiler. (I think that I got that right) they were used in chemical plants, explosive factories, oil refineries, and anywhere a regular steam locomotive could not be used for fear of a spark causing a fire and/or explosion. I find that they are relatively easy to reproduce in a model, because I can just cut the firebox and fuel bunker off of a tank locomotive, and extend the saddle tank to encompass the whole thing. The Chessie (Chesapeake & Ohio) had 3 of them. They were the class C-8, I beleive.


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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 2:46 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:09 pm
Posts: 486
Location: Forty Fort, Pa
Pittsbugh Yinz know that thing was build good N'at

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 10:50 am 
I don't understand the "fgxd" and "Pittsbugh Yinz know that thing was build good N'at" What is that supposed to mean, or is it an inside joke?


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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:26 pm 
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Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:51 pm
Posts: 1418
Location: SW Indiana
Heyna I think. And Easter Pa accent.

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:49 pm 
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Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:09 pm
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Location: Forty Fort, Pa
fgxd was supposed to be deleted and "yinz" and "N'at" are pittsburgh language

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:50 pm 
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Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:09 pm
Posts: 486
Location: Forty Fort, Pa
"You know that thing was built good and that"

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 Post subject: Re: Towanda Coal Company locomotive...
PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:09 am 
Ah. thanks! Althugh, I have no trouble understanding Yooper, for some reason, and I live nowhere near the UP!


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 Post subject: Towanda Coal Company locomotive & usage in the mines...
PostPosted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:14 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:16 am
Posts: 7
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Hello Everyone,

Sorry I haven't been checking the posts. Yes, interestingly they were to be used in "well ventilated" mines and I have found a wealth of information on them. Brookfield Coal Company near Sharon PA had an issue with one where carbon monoxide build-up killed six miners. Baldwin, Porter and I imagine quite a few others builders made these locomotives available for use in and around the mines. Anyone interested in what I have gleaned so far can contact me by email at:

stoney17111@yahoo.com

Towanda Coal Companys' neighbor, the Fall Creek Coal Company had purchased a very similar locomotive a few months prior and it is likely they influenced others in and around the Barclay, Towanda and Blossburg areas.

Regards,
Mark Stonbraker


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