PRR's Butler Branch & the Logansport & Eel River RR


malletman

Alcohaulic
The PRR Butler Branch, Vandalia line or Eel River line(it was known by all of those names)branched off at Van interlocking in Logansport Indiana and headed northeast to Butler, Indiana. Passing thru Columbia City along the way. Whilest a busy line thru the second world war, it as mostly gone before the Penn Central years, and was all gone other than a couple short sections before Conrail came around. One and a half mile of track remain in Logansport and was home to the Logansport & Eel River Railroad. This was mostly a one weekend a year tourist operation for the cities "Iron Horse Festival". Using ex BC&G #13, reworked to resemble a PRR H10 and a few old commuter coaches, trains ran from Logansport to either France Park to the west or Anoka Junction to the south. I rode the train many times as a young boy, including in the cab of #1.
I always thought it would be fun to proto freelance the line as if more had survived up into the shortline era. Say up to the large grain elevator at Columbia City. And the railroad was approached by the elevator owners, as well as others along the OOS part of the line, to restart freight service. In Logansport you have Cole Hardwoods sawmill, the coal fired generation station(still in use in the 80s), a battery factory and one other that I cannot remember at the moment. I have the steamer in my collection, having reached a point that an expensive brass model was affordable(I have a few actually). Only one model really is close, a C&O G9 with the large cab. This was imported by Overland Models from Rok-Am in S. Korea. Not one of the best early builders, but thankfully mine runs really well. A few detail changes and its very close. Only the pilot is not quite right and lacking the open space were a second cross compound air compressor once was. I am still looking for a close looking brass pilot. The passenger coaches are out there in brass, just have to find them. What I cannot decide is what "cheap" diesel they would hunt for as even in the 80's before the FRA cracked down on steam boilers, running steam on a shortline would not be a common sight. Must be brass, and not a coffee grinder early diesel drive. So that leaves Overland, Sunset and Oriental Limited with the Ajin or Samhongsa drive. GP7/9 maybe? An SW might be a bit slippery dealing with grain hoppers.

I have considered modeling the first week or so or operation, a railfan paradise with a "work a day" 2-8-0 working freight on a midwestern shortline. Then advance a bit once I settle on a diesel to suppliment the steamer. TP&W and Conrail would be the interchanging railroads at Van interlocking. For now its just in my head, I have the 2-8-0, and one of the souviner MDC/Roundhouse Harriman coaches I got years ago. I even have a few of my tickets from riding the train. The NYSW is my current diversion whilest I gather stuff. I only have a 4x8 space to model in, with a 24" by 6' shelf along the other wall that ties into the main layout. So my plan is to mostly model the Logansport area on the 4x8, and the grain elevator at Columbia City on the extension along the wall. A smaller shelf stub on the other end has the engine house.
Here is my model of L&ER No1
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Here is the real No1
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Anything new to report? In some ways, smaller layouts are better as they require less time, and make you focus more on the details.
 



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