More Crown Metal Products Info

Crown Metal Products

"REAL STEAM RAILROADS"

Further information gained from email groups about the trains in the 1975 catalog posted here earlier.

Through the gracious help of several on the email lists, I have been able to gather more information and photos on the Crown trains pictured in the catalog reproduced in this edition of the INGN. Due to this all trains have been identified but the 15" gauge train of page 3, the lower 24" gauge train on page 4 and the (maybe 24" gauge telling by matching the flag stanchions with the other 24") train on page 7.

Mr. Jugle helps to fill us in on prices over the years:

Recent Idaho catalog inspired me to check my files. With all respect to Mr. Williams, thank God he numbered and coded his catalog pages!...except at the start.

First catalog I have is 15 1/2" ga, "Little Toot" Cagney duplicate, no date but Mr. Williams HOME PHONE is "Elizabeth, PA #681" This is probably 1950's. "Little Toot" was $3,250.00.

The next catalog is buff cover page, no number; story of "Nothing pulls people like steam...". Next page A25JG867; 36" ga. at $57,500.00. The 8-67 must correspond to August, 1967. This fits sequence of Idaho catalog that is re-typed and up-dated. Page B25JG466; 24" ga. at $12,875.00 and April, 1966. Page C25JG967; 15" ga. at $6,250.00 and Sept., 1967. Page D5JG567, track costs as of May, 1967. These are one side printed, differing paper colors and stapled together.

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D. Larrick helped with actually identifying most of the locomotives:

Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 15:37:37 -0000
Re: Crown catalog,
I don't know where the 24" engines are, but

page 1 shows Kings Island (Cincinnati) #12 (left - light blue with red wheels) and #19 (right - all apple green)(36" gage). Both are still running there.

Page 2 shows Busch Gardens Tampa #4 when new (apple green - 36" gage). It is still running there with three other engines.

Page 3 shows Omaha Zoo #119 (black and red, possibly repainted now - 30" gage), which was rebuilt from the frames up in 1999 and is now in first class shape, running at the Zoo along with an Austrian 0-6-2T.

Page 6 shows KI 12 and 19 (top), Six Flags St. Louis #5 (middle - 36" gage - originally apple green but now running at Busch Gardens Tampa painted school bus yellow ---yuk), and Omaha Zoo #119 is at the bottom. All are propane except #119 which is oil.

I note that the Omaha Zoo train appears to make use of the 36" locomotive design for 30" gauge, while using the design of the 24" gauge cars for their 30" gauge track, interesting....

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Vincent G. Ferrari sent the following:

The picture shown on page 5 of the catalog (the 24"gauge on top) is of the very train that my father and I worked on at Idlewild Park, in Ligonier, Pa. He used to run it on weekends, and also built the track. This was, of course, a long time ago. You can see more about that here:

http://Ferrari3.tripod.com/Littletootagnes.html

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Dale Russell, an engineer at Kings Island Amusement Park near Cincinnati, Ohio was kind enough to offer some modern photos of the above mentioned 36" gauge locomotives:

36" gauge Crown locos are real work horses. They are quite similar to a Baldwin 8-16-C, although the drive wheel base is shorter to negotiate tighter curves. This past October I met with the head of Busch Gardens Tampa's train... I did get to see their FOUR Crowns. They are treated as utility transportation instead of an attraction, but they do have the most Crowns and I think the longest run. (2.5 mi). The locos built for the park have an African look to go with the parks theme. I think they look really good. The other two engines are second hand. #5 is from Six Flags St Louis and #601 is from our sister park Kings Dominion. In fact we are the only Paramount park that still has a train. We need ours to move people from our theme park to our water park. In our parks the train was just a ride as opposed to transportation like Disney and Busch. I think the waterpark, built in '89, saved our train.

Click on the photos below for larger views.

Kings Island Cincinnati #12 is at left on page 1 and again in the top photo on page 6 in the Crown catalog. Still on her home road after 30 years!

Busch Gardens Tampa #601 is not pictured in the Crown catalog, but is very similar to #5 in the middle left on page 6.

Busch Gardens Tampa #9 (bought new) and #5 (originally Six Flags - St Louis)

Have you ever seen so much large late 20th century narrow gauge steam in one place? All spit polished and ready to haul the varnish!

Any information you can add would be greatly appreciated and will be posted here for all interested to read.