Frank’s Rail Book Catalog!
Where was the Citadel of Narrow Gauge Railroads in the East at mid 20th Century?
You can read all about it in Frank Kyper’s latest 134-page railroad book . . . .
Tracks Around Mount Union
Mount Union is about midway between Harrisburg and Altoona in South Pennsylvania. In the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s, it was much more than the Pennsylvania RR and the East Broad Top RR. Harbison-Walker operated the largest twin plants in the world for manufacturing silica brick – and fielded a 36-inch gauge rail mini-empire that dominated towering Jacks Mountain on both sides of the Juniata River. Even the Penn-sylvania RR got into narrow gauge railroading with 24-inch gauge tracks at its only plant for creosoting railroad ties. Three separate companies operated brick plants. No wonder the PRR rebuilt its main line through industrial Mount Union in a massive project in 1905-1907. It came with tragedy in 1917 when a rear-end collision snuffed out 20 lives.
Frank was not around for construction of the four-track main line on the towering fill or the disastrous wreck. But he was there to savor much of what was left at mid-20th century. As a wide-eyed youngster amid Mount Union’s busy railscape of that era, he walked through rail yards and facilities without being stopped during the immediate postwar years. He often had a camera, and he discovered priceless collections of photos in later years. He was in Jacks tower, he climbed over the barrier blocking the then-truncated dinkey rail trestle, he visited the bowels of the tie plant, and he was a frequent spectator at the East Broad Top’s water tank and enginehouse. One by one, these facilities closed and were demolished, leaving today little more than Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh main line and the highly unusual “Ghost Railroad Yard” of the East Broad Top in a very different residential community.
Tracks Around Mount Union is Frank Kyper’s sixth railroad book, many of which are available on the list on the back side of this sheet and can be ordered on the coupon below. All Copies Ordered will be signed by the writer.
ORDER FROM: Frank Kyper, 118 Marco Villas South, Marco Island, FL 34145-4658
Make checks (no cash please) payable to Frank Kyper. Thank you for your order.
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Please send me:
____ signed copies of Tracks Around Mount Union at $45.95 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $_____
____ signed copies of Twilight & Dawn on the East Broad Top RR 1945-1965 at $27.95 each . . . . $_____
____ signed copies of Narrow Gauge to Boston at $24.95 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $_____
____ signed copies of The Railroad That Came Out at Night at $12.95 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $_____
PLUS, insured priority mail & tracking ($7.00 for the first book & $1.00 for each additional book) $_____
TOTAL ENCLOSED . . . . . . . . . . . $_____
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June 2017
