Evening star., 1925-07-26
Rail Problems Studied on Miniature System in d. c. HON

est hobby-to build and own a COM
plete railroad.
Just to illustrate the accuracy Of
design which Mr.. Swartzell has
stressed in the upbuiIding of his as
tonishing models, the case of typical
North and South Pullman dining car
is illuminative. You may be inter
ested to know that on the newest
types of these steel cars there is no
vestibule, while the bedding for the
crew is carried in special invisible
lockers at the rear Of the coach. The
mattresses are carried in d large
chamber underneath the floor. which
Is accessible by Il concealed door in
the floor OF the car. Mr.. SwartZell has
incorporated these features in the lat
est dining cars which he has made
Thus far he has used toy couplers
modified to serve his purposes. He
now is working on miniature dupli-
Gates OF the regulation coupling de-
vices used on standard trains His
Pullman coaches are provided with
observation platforms, hinged gates
and hinged sections in the floor, which
can be elevated so that the passengers
can descend from the observation
platform to the station steps when the
train stops.
Up to the present time this Wash
ington enthusiast has been content to
and fiat cars Of white pine. This
wood is soft, easy to work and does
not crack or split readily. His future
| plan is to make additional coaches
and cars of metal, TO correspond
closely to the latest styles and rail
| roading fashions.
The last locomotive which Mr..
Swartzell made is of such complicated
construction that it is even equipped
with outside valve melton or gear.
| His express refrigerator cars are in
| sulated in the same manner as the
commercial vehicles. The ice-loading
compartments are situated in the
ends of the car, with a roof runway
along the top.
ITHE first locomotive of the SWart-
zell series is patterned after the
Baltimore and Ohio Atlantic type,
being equipped with the two-four-two
| sequence of wheels. 1t uses a Van
derbilt model tender, which shows
| cylindrical water tank and a coal
pocket mounted forward. 1t is pro-
vided with the ladder system found
on the large tenders, while it's raised
fire deck, which is on the same level
as the locomotive floor, is a feature
The tender is even equipped with
steam heating pipes and is adapted
for either freight or passenger serv-
ice. The coupling which links The
engine and tender is a perfect du-
plicate of those used on the profes-
sional outfits. 1t took Mr.. Swartzel
about six weeks to-build this particu-
lar locomotive. Altogether, he put in
approximately 45 hours of work on
the model. The windows in the en-
gine cab are pieces of celluloid set
up carefully in copper frames.
One of Mr.. Swartzell's friends is
a Government scientist, who is also
interested in railroad construction and
operation. These two men get to-
gether once a week and experiment
for several hours with the Swartzen
B. & o. line" 1t is a game more
Fascinating than bridge whist. cross
\ word puzzles, loungeroom tanning
about golf, or other amusements in
which Americans cuStonlarily indulge.
The two amateur 'railroaders" op-
crate the entire railroad system and
work out the proper handling of the
trains during emergency. swhich-un-
less carefully diagnosed-might re-
suit in accidents and wrecks. 1t is
indeed as fascinating as the war
game which our National Army lead
erS play during the annual maneuvers
of their various battalions, regiments
and companies
Mr.. Swartzell has named his rail
road system after the Baltimore and
Ohio system simply because he has
always admired that particular COM
mon carrier. He has no connection
| whatsoever, either in an official or
private capacity, with this system. In
fact, the Baltimore and Ohio authori-
ties, If they read this article, will
probably be astonished to learn that
such remarkable models of their loco
| motives, trains, shops, stations and
equipment exist. And this curious di-
version from which Mr.. Swartzell
| derives the maximum of entertain
ment and diversion is nothing more
| than an educational hobby Money
| could never purchase the pleasure
| which Washington's amateur railroad
executive has realized from this un-
usual hobby.