Finished brass probably would be sent covered if possible to avoid tarnishing by the elements. But loads like pipe often were shipped in gondolas (if of the drop-bottom kind, the doors would be left open so any rainwater would drain, although at some point running with the doors open became illegal). Pipe not only would have been used by shipbuilders but also by local contractors erecting houses (brass commonly was used for the plumbing). Waterbury did have at least one large tube firm.
Re aggregates, another product of the region was (and still is) trap rock. New Haven Trap Rock mined this material from areas southeast and east of Waterbury, sold it to towns for use as a road-building material. The New Haven Society of Model Engineers used screened traprock shards for model ballast for years and always had people asking where they got such realistic material! Trap rock is non-magnetic, so will not get sucked into motors or bearings, but I do remember that the shards are sharp as razors – if one rubbed his finger along the roadbed, it often was not long before the ballast started looking a little red.
More “UNOFFICIAL” [;)] tour of the Naugatuck Valley model railroad
I have been so fascinated [bow][wow] by David Popp’s layout in April 06 MR that I just had to explore it more. As it turns out, one can do just that by “re-purposing” Popp’s Step-by-Step column. I did just that from my box of Model Railroader for 2005 and assembled this “tour”.
SYSTEM MAP showing prototype area with modeled lines Feb05 p.40
For orientation, I am following the map directions along the modeled line, and listing scenes from “north” to “south”, Hancock Bridge- Waterbury- Prospect Hill- Beacon. With the exception of Hancock Bridge, “north” is to the left from the point of view of an operator in the aisle, and “south” is right. Using these directions, I describe various structures, mini-scenes, etc as in the “north” of “south” end of a town.
HANCOCK BRIDGE
JDH Metals Foundtry Feb05 p.41
WATERBURY
Waterbury yard aerial view, showing 2-track freight house diverging to upper right and car cleanout platform. Jan05 p.36
“SOUTH” WATERBURY (for identification, this is what I am calling the back side of the main Waterbury depot scene, before the track goes under the underpass and around the corner to Prospect Hill)
Mainline with Quincy Smith and Grivno in background Dec05 p.48
Quincy Smith Pin Company Aug05 p.38
Grivno Coal low relief building Feb05 p.41
PROSPECT HILL
A&P warehouse with NH roof sign Jan05 p.53; Feb05 p.41
New England Brass Button Company Sept.05 p.40,41
(note: this industry was shown as built in the “aisle” of the layout, but
April06 layout tour shows layout benchwork extended out to take in this
industry, and some background structures relocated.)
Homes, residential scene Nov05 p.40
Polsgrove Fuel- wide shot of entire industry May05 p.40
closeup of coal delivery trestle Jan05 p.53
café just south o
Some weeks ago, I compiled a list of scenes on David Popp’s Naugatuck Valley Railroad from
“Step-by-Step” articles in 2005 Model Railroader. I intended to go back and do the same for 2004, but I had a May 1st graduate history paper deadline, and then a deadline to spruce up and photograph my layout for MR’s Small Layout Contest. For the required technical information, I wanted to see how the magazine filled in “layout heights” in its technical boxes for layouts that sit on whatever table is handy and don’t have any regular height. While I was doing that, I leafed through my 2004 Model Railroader issues and compiled the following additional list of scenes on the Naugatuck Valley.
(from north to south on the layout)
PROSPECT HILL
Goat farm on a hilltop above town of Prospect Hill, looking down from “back” of layout
I call this “Hilltop Farm” although Popp did not give it any name in the photo.
MR June 2004 p.45
Cut at south end of Prospect Hill area where track goes directly from a cut with a retaining wall onto a deck bridge over the Naugatuck River. MR March 2004 p,53
Low angle from just above the river looking up at the same scene. MR June 2004 p.42
NAUGATUCK RIVER in gorge between Prospect Hill and Beacon
General view of end of peninsula MR April 2004, p.46
Close view on water in this scene MR July 2004 p.40
BEACON
Crossing at north end of Beacon MR December 2004 p.54
North end of Beacon station area MR March 2004 p.52
South end of Beacon business district with road leading south MR August 2004 p.43
Hanson Piano Company just south of Beacon MR September 2004 p.44
Since the south end of the railroad appeared first in MR articles, I would guess that end was sceniced and presentable first, before the Waterbury scene with its yard trackage and its impressive station building.
There is no “right” way to build a model railroad – as long as it is your railroad, you have the right and power to do what you want – but for those who want prototypical improvements, I remind them that the railroad must follow the river, which flows from Waterbury past Plank’s Mill Road to Naugatuck and not up the very steep hill to Prospect. The Naugatuck portion would be dominated by the town depot, the spur to the Eastern Company, and the three Uniroyal (United States Rubber) facilities centered on the Naugatuck Chemical plant. These plus the large company on Plank’s Mill (forgot the name) and the brass factories in Waterbury were major employers – goat farms they weren’t! The operational possibilities on a pike with these features would be impressive.