The Home Machinist!

Here are some images from A.W. Leggett taken at the 1938 NELS Meet at Danvers, MA

great pic's Jim. thanks.
fred v

Jim,

Thanks for posting.

The 5th picture from the bottom has 3 boys in the foreground around an engine in the steaming bay. Unless I am mistaken (and the photographer's notes on the back of your photo will correct me if I am), the guy on the right (in the raincoat) is Charlie Purinton, then aged 16. (son of Brotherhood founder Carl Purinton)

Also, the 4th picture from the top, that's Charlie on the left.

-John Kurdzionak

Jim, Thanks for posting those.... I love looking at pictures of the "beginnings" of our hobby.. any more?
John

PS:

These scenes are 15 miles from my home, and most of these scenes are a parking lot today. It took me MONTHS of regular visits, to locate most of what remains of the roadbed, on another part of the property. Very little of the ROW was visible without extensive searching on the property.

It can only be seen in winter/spring, when the weeds, the brush, the swamp grass, etc. is gone. Summertime, forget it. There is no trace of the roadbed. I always had tried in the summer time, until I got smart one late fall and went with a recent snow cover on the ground. Then, it was as plain as day.

If anyone is interested in seeing this stuff, if you're ever going to be in the Boston area, let me know. I'm always up for an archaeological field trip, and am happy to give a tour to other interested people. Maybe parking lots and old roadbeds don't excite you, but if they might, if you want to SEE where all this history took place, I can show you right where it is. I even can show you where the "high trestle" was that you see in the pictures. I know people who rode over that, and they said it was about 10 feet down!

-John

Great Picture Jim. Will you be bringing them to the meet so we can look at them during the evening rest periode?
Here is another one of Mr Leggett's Danvers pictures. Your 4th picture is one that I have and on the back was written L to R Charlie Purinton,Stew Evans, Fred Jerome and Mr Langworthy

Love seeing these pieces of history. The sights of steam and good fellowship always stands the test of time.
PJM

Some new photos of NELS (New England Live Steamers) at Danvers MA have just been posted on www.friendsmodels.com under "Our History 1938-1972". Please have a look if interested.

-John K.

Fascinating pictures and a piece of history.

(As an aside, is there a local historical society that might like copies. Whilst WE find them interesting and can preserve them, it is so easy fro such records to get lost and in time, these may be of historic importance in the community.)

I really wouldnt like to fall off that trestle though.!

neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night shall keep these steamers from making their elevated rounds !
Or something like that..
Thank You

Rich