baltimoreohio

Some ideas: At right is a sheet describing the Beehive Coke Oven process The train cars are labeled Baltimore & Ohio, Fairmont Coal Company, and Consolidation Coal Co. "In early 1903, the company [Consolidation Coal Co] purchased a majority interest in the Fairmont Coal Company." - www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1522 Re: the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904 in St. Louis: "For mineral displays, fairgoers had to go to the Mines and Metallurgy Building, where they could see, among other things, a scale model of a coal mine with models of miners' houses, provided by the Fairmont Coal Company." - sah-archipedia.org/essays/WV-01 I wonder if this is the same model from the exposition.

Aha, apparently this model moved to the Smithsonian: Although not actively organized until June, 1913, a considerable amount of material relating to the objects of this division had previously been assembled, mainly through the generosity of exhibitors at the St. Louis exposition of 1904. The total number of accessions reported for the past year, including some of the St. Louis donations which had not previously been recorded, was 26. The more important of these were as follows: ... A complete working model of a bituminous colliery, presented by the Consolidation Coal Co., of Fairmont, W. Va. This is an exact replica of the company's mine at Fairmont, on a scale of onetwelfth natural size, and occupies a floor space of 30 by 40 feet in the southwest court of the older Museum building. The model shows, in addition to a portion of the mine workings, the haulage system, tipple, washery, coke plant and other surface improvements, and also the adjoining portion of the miners' village. Not only does it exemplify in actual working details the various operations connected with the mine itself, but from its setting the visitor's imagination may visualize accurately the social conditions typical of a coal-mining community. --- Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution: Report of the US National Museum 1914 books.google.com/books?pg=PA135&lpg=PA135&dq=fair...

Couple more pictures of it: www.loc.gov/item/2016840430/ calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/kt8870166q/

Thanks David Pirmann. I spoke with someone at the Smithsonian and they said it was located in the Southwest Corner of the Arts & Industries Building. By the early 1940's the model no longer worked and the processes shown were no longer cutting edge techniques. The decision was made to use the space for other exhibits and the model was given Ft. Belvoir so the Army could test out "camouflage experimental work."

We recently found some old catalog cards for Harris & Ewing that had a caption for this photo. Harris & Ewing's caption for this photo is: "This miniature colliery and coke plant, in one of the unique exhibits in the Smithsonian Institution, is an exact reproduction of a large coal company in West Virginia. The model well illustrates the operations and setting, typical of the coal mining industry in general. It is said to be the largest working model now in existence."

Beautiful memories, thank you!!

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called RPO RAILWAY POST OFFICE - MAIL TRAIN, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

For pictures of other US NPCS (non-passenger carrying stock), including TPO (Travelling Post Offices) in the Clerestory Group click here...... Adjust size to suit, the detail option gives descriptions.

Thanks! Now corrected.