Ray H.
June 11th, 2006, 05:01 AM
Geez, this poor forum is dying of starvation!!
Anyway, here are a few pics I took last year of the PRR coaling tower that still stands at Phillipston, PA. Hard to believe that Phillipston was a busy yard right into the Conrail era...the only thing there now is a small collection of fishing camps and a dirt path along the river. If you really know what you're looking for, you can find the turntable pit, now full of weeds and junk and in an area completely overgrown. There are still tracks downriver a half-mile or so at Lawsonham, where the B&P stored hoppers for use on the Sligo branch until 2004, and of course the former Low Grade Line, also now operated by the B&P.
On a model railroading (and personal) note, the coal in the tenders of all my N-scale Pennsy steam is crushed from a few lumps picked up from under that very coaling tower. The reason: my grandfather was a fireman on the Pennsy, and worked out of Phillipston. I never met him as he died before I was born, but according to a magnifying glass, my mother and two of my uncles, that fireman peeking out of #370 in the next post is quite possibly him.
These photos are from last October, and I'll take a few more this summer (Phillipston is about ten minutes downriver from here).
The final picture is from the 9/76 issue of Rails Northeast, and shows the tower in use.
Enjoy!
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil1.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil2.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil3.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil0976.jpg
Anyway, here are a few pics I took last year of the PRR coaling tower that still stands at Phillipston, PA. Hard to believe that Phillipston was a busy yard right into the Conrail era...the only thing there now is a small collection of fishing camps and a dirt path along the river. If you really know what you're looking for, you can find the turntable pit, now full of weeds and junk and in an area completely overgrown. There are still tracks downriver a half-mile or so at Lawsonham, where the B&P stored hoppers for use on the Sligo branch until 2004, and of course the former Low Grade Line, also now operated by the B&P.
On a model railroading (and personal) note, the coal in the tenders of all my N-scale Pennsy steam is crushed from a few lumps picked up from under that very coaling tower. The reason: my grandfather was a fireman on the Pennsy, and worked out of Phillipston. I never met him as he died before I was born, but according to a magnifying glass, my mother and two of my uncles, that fireman peeking out of #370 in the next post is quite possibly him.
These photos are from last October, and I'll take a few more this summer (Phillipston is about ten minutes downriver from here).
The final picture is from the 9/76 issue of Rails Northeast, and shows the tower in use.
Enjoy!
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil1.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil2.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil3.jpg
http://www.westernallegheny.com/forumpics/phillipston/phil0976.jpg