Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

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MQT1223
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Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Today on Facebook, the group Michigan Raikroad History Conference posted a picture of a miniature Pere Marquette #1214 running on a railroad, and the location of the photo is Grand Junction. Picture is dated 1951.

Can anyone shed any light on the railroad or locomotive?
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by J T »

Please post the photo here, or at least a link to it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by PatAzo »

The engineer is John Pugh and the railroad was his. His property was along the Pere Marquette near Grand Junction. He modeled 1" scale which is in the picture. Later moving to 1-1/2" scale.

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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by MQT1223 »

PatAzo wrote:The engineer is John Pugh and the railroad was his. His property was along the Pere Marquette near Grand Junction. He modeled 1" scale which is in the picture. Later moving to 1-1/2" scale.
Any info on the wearabouts of the engine?
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by PatAzo »

I don't know what happened to John's 1" scale equipment. He was running an 1-1/2" scale NYC J1a when I knew him. He built two 1-1/2" PM 4-6-2's and was planning a 2-8-4. I saw the 1" scale railroad in the 70's but it hadn't seen much use at that point.

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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by hoborich »

These guys might know something, or be able to point you in the right direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gFf7JuLPug
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

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You sure it's 1 inch? It was a ride on railroad.
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by PatAzo »

I'm confident that is 1" scale. It's smaller than 1-1/2" and John was planning to build a 1-1/2" scale 2-8-4 but father time caught up with him. You can ride 1" at ground level. 3/4" you can ride but on elevated track.

There are not a lot of 1" tracks around. There is a small one in Fort Wayne. The nearest clubs with 1" tracks are west of Chicago and in southern Indiana near Cincinnati. The locomotive in the picture may have headed to one of the distant tracks. Equally as likely it's gathering dusts in someones collection.

3/4" scale at the Illinois Live Steamers.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EtkM ... ACHM/h950/

1" scale at the Illinois Live Steamers
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KqI- ... QCHM/h950/

1-1/2" scale at the Mid-Michigan Railroad Club
https://pics-edge.slickpic.com/NTM4MTky ... C_7000.jpg

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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by MQT1223 »

PatAzo wrote:I'm confident that is 1" scale. It's smaller than 1-1/2" and John was planning to build a 1-1/2" scale 2-8-4 but father time caught up with him. You can ride 1" at ground level. 3/4" you can ride but on elevated track.

There are not a lot of 1" tracks around. There is a small one in Fort Wayne. The nearest clubs with 1" tracks are west of Chicago and in southern Indiana near Cincinnati. The locomotive in the picture may have headed to one of the distant tracks. Equally as likely it's gathering dusts in someones collection.

3/4" scale at the Illinois Live Steamers.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EtkM ... ACHM/h950/

1" scale at the Illinois Live Steamers
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KqI- ... QCHM/h950/

1-1/2" scale at the Mid-Michigan Railroad Club
https://pics-edge.slickpic.com/NTM4MTky ... C_7000.jpg
Wow. The picture makes it look a lot bigger then what your describing. Looked like it could've ran at White Creek at first glance.
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Re: Miniature Railroad at Grand Junction

Unread post by PatAzo »

Here's another picture of John Pugh.
http://ibls.org/mediawiki/index.php?boob ... e_Steamers

In the group picture is Ken Stanaback. Ken's last locomotive was a D&RGW K28 in 7-1/2" gage.

http://ibls.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Harry_Herder

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