This 97 page booklet is Part I of a
Two Part publication that is reprinted from an Official C&O Industrial Directory (8 ½ x 11) that was issued January 1, 1950 by the company s Industrial Development Department. It lists alphabetically by town, the industries along the entire C&O system and includes information on over 600 towns. It will provide modelers with LOTS of inspirational ideas for operating sessions and names for line side industry.
Prototype and Freelance Modelers are always looking for names to associate with line side industry or waybill cards. The listings in this booklet include the name of the town, County, State, population, elevation, railroad(s), electric provider, gas provider, and the railroad facilities at that town. (I.e. team track -10 car capacity; stock pens -1 chute, 4 lots, water). For example, based on the information listed for Hinton, West Virginia one could make the following assumptions:
It would be very prototypical to see refrigerator cars for Wilson & Co, “B” Company, Bluestone Distributing Co, and New River Grocery.
Tank cars would be in town to serve Standard Oil Co and New River Oil Co.
Just think of the interesting operating session and waybills that could be developed from having this information?
The information is great for historians and modelers as it not only gives ideas for business names, but it also gives one a good idea of what freight was going in and out of a community. Furthermore, the information indicating if the business used a team track, had a private siding, or used a yard track gives an indication of the amount of freight that might have been shipped in and out. (I.e. In Hinton, West Virginia the T.A. Honaker Lumber Co handled building supplies and used a Team track. Whereas, Hinton Builders Supply Co also handled building supplies, but had their own private siding.
