[N&W] N&W Mailing List - Reese Ohio ? Part I

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Hello,

It has been a while since I've sent anything to the Mailing List.
I've not had anything worth sending lately plus I was out of town
on business most of February and March.

While indexing drawings for the N&WHS Archives, I came across one
drawing with the following title:

Drawing NW-D47095 "PATCH FOR FLUE SHEET FLANGE AND
SMOKEBOX APPLIES TO STATIONARY BOILER N0. 45812
AT REESE, OHIO"
Drawn Dec 14, 1956 Revised May 31, 1995

Being unable to find Reese, Ohio in my trusty "List of Stations and
Sidings", I asked two of our West End experts if they knew where
this place was. This simple question received very interesting
answers that I thought those on the Mailing List might enjoy.

Tom Dressler replied first:
---------------------------
 >
 >Good afternoon,
 >
 >Reese's is on the Columbus District of the Scioto Division.
 >It is about 1 1/2 miles east (south) of the east end of Watkins
 >Yard/Valley Crossing.  Heading south, Watkins, Obets, Reeses, Miner,
 >Lockboure, Bradfield and so on.
 >
 >The Scioto Valley Traction Co had their power station there. The
 >SVT line to Lancaster, Ohio left the main line there and ducked
 >under the N&W. A state highway still uses the underpass.
[Tom did an article on the SVT in last years' "Arrow"]
 >
 >Given the date, Dec. 14, 1956, this most likely have been
 >the boiler at the water station. They would have had a boiler
 >there to power the pumps to draw water from Big Walnut Creek
 >and to operate the water treatment plant there.
 >
 >As I remember it, the water treatment plant and boiler house
 >sat down about 30 feet below track level on the site of the
 >old SVT power house on the West side of the N&W mains. And
 >there was a side track down to the lower level for coal hoppers
 >to unload. In my era, all I could see at track level were the
 >cement bases for the water tank on the East side of the west
 >bound track. This tank sat back too far to have had a
 >filler pipe to reach tenders, so I must assume there would have
 >been standpipes on each side of each main line track at this location.
 >
 >At the site of the old SVT power house, and I assume the N&W water
 >treatment plant, in my era was a small plant that made wood pallets.
 >
 >I don't have enough background information to prove it but I
 >would suspect this water plant also supplied water to Watkins
 >Yard as it was only 2 1/2 miles East (South) of the east end of
 >Watkins. And Big Walnut Creek was a good supply of water where
 >as there were no creeks close to Watkins. I simply cannot figure
 >them spending the $$$ to build a water plant at Reeses just for
 >watering through trains. After a westbound train passed Reeses,
 >it only had 10 more miles or so to Joyce Ave.
 >
 >Eastbound train would have left Joyce Ave. with full tanks and
 >could get more water (and coal of course) at Dorney just south
 >of Circleville. Thus very few eastbound trains would have needed
 >to stop at Reeses.
 >
 >Yard engines at Watkins needed water as did Pennsy and C&O engines
 >working in and out of there. And a westbound train setting off at
 >Watkins could possibly need water before going on to Joyce
 >Ave. so there was a need for a large supply of water in the area.
 >
 >About the only thing I can recall happening there in my 22 years
 >was an iron ore train burned off a journal and dumped 41 loaded
 >hoppers. They simply picked up some of the cars, smoothed out the
 >iron ore, covered it with cinders and dirt and laid down about 300
 >feet of new track.
 >
 >They left some of the tangled hoppers cars in the hole and forgot
 >them. You could tell the difference in sound of the engines rolling
 >on the rails when they went over the old wreck site. Not at all unlike
 >rolling on concrete cross ties.
 >
 >I hope this helps. If not please advise.
 >
Thank you Tom!