Custom Fabricated Train - Serious Machine work

[limestang]

This is a photo from left to right of Mr & Mrs Ed Sholl, and my Grandparents Bob & Mary Schenk. Ed and Bob were both career machinists. I took the photo in 1984 where I introduced my Grandparents to Ed and his wife. Ed originally started to build this train when raising his son. Unfortunately their only child died of Hodgkin’s Disease at age 17 and he stopped. One day his wife asked him to finish it in honor of their son. Ed fabricated every part except for the steam tank - this was made by a steam tank company and fully certified for high pressure steam. Ed’s father was an engineer on this train (K-4 Steam Locomotive) when he was growing up, which was the original inspiration. He built everything from blue prints in his basement and it was fully functional. Materials were scavenged from junk yards and donations. The only cast part is the hitch. The prints didn’t show the wood planks in the engineering cab, so Ed visited a K4 and took detailed notes. He was an absolute perfectionist and just very talented. The train took 13 years and 25,000hrs to complete. The Governor of NY asked Mr Sholl to display the train at the world’s fair in 1965, and was on display for over 3 months. When the Sholl’s passed, no one in the family wanted the train. I believe it was donated to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

My wife recently found this photo - I was so happy to have a memory of this great group of people. Thought I’d share.

- limestang

[limestang]

Here is another photo of just the train.

Here’s a paragraph from the Bordentown NJ Alumni: Mr. Sholl’s true passion, however, was as a rail and model enthusiast. His classic Victorian home was jammed with his hobby craft-wall displays of model cars, fire trucks and toy trains, and a half-dozen mast ship models. Two of his most famous replicas, precise, working scale versions of steam engines that pulled the historic “Nelly Bly” commuter line and a working replica of the famous John Bull, one of the first steam locomotives used in the United States, caught the eye of former Governor Richard Hughes who invited Sholl to display them in the 1965 New York Worlds Fair.

In 1986 I let my grandfather drive my RC10 in front of his store (Schenks Rock Shop in the UP). He examined every detail of the car when we got back indoors. I can only imagine what Ed and my Grandfather might have made if they grew up with RC cars

- limestang

[limestang]

https://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

Here is the link to the museum. Next time I’m in that area I hope to visit and find his train on display.

- limestang

[Elkcycles]

Hmmm. I haven't been out that way in a few years (I had two train obsessed kids), but I don't recall seeing that on display. The museum is impressive, even if you aren't into railroads.

Thank you for posting his work. That is an impressive feat of engineering and machining.

[Elkcycles]

With that said, the staff there is so friendly, that if you showed them that photo, they might show you where it is stored in their archives.

[Halgar]

With that said, the staff there is so friendly, that if you showed them that photo, they might show you where it is stored in their archives.

I would include as much peripheral info as you have, maybe even a written history of the people involved, the museum should jump at the chance for any detailed info that can be had for one of their collection items.

[limestang]

Great idea - I will reach out to them. Hopefully that’s where the train ended up.

Thanks you both!

- limestang

[Halgar]

You're welcome.