Re: Sectional Track - Part 2
Thanks to all for the replies regarding Koppel and Jubilee track. I've found some interesting historical info about small gauge mine railway equipment through the Gn15 website, including a bibliography that mentions an Orenstein & Koppel catalog. O&K has a website in English, too, but the logo has been modernized. I'll keep an eye out for the "OK" inside a lazy diamond logo. I'm sure that I've seen it before. Now I'm wondering if Hudson's Jubilee track dates from around 1887, the year of the Queen's Jubilee. (I need to do less musing about history and get back to work making coal-fired boiler fittings. I am making progress, you know.) Steve
Re: Sectional Track - Part 2
At 07:54 PM 10/4/04 -0700, Steve Shyvers wrote: Does anyone have any additional info about Koppel? If it was a German company could "Jubilee track" been a patriotically-named euphemism for the same product for use on the Western front? Prefab sectional narrow gauge track was originally developed by Paul Decauville, who installed it on his farm in 1875. He 'sold' the idea of it (along with Prosper Pechot) to the French artillery. Decauville went into mass production of the track in the early 1880s. The idea was adopted by other industrial railway mail order firms - principally O&K in Germany and Hudson in the UK, but there were many, many more. The term 'Jubillee' track is one taken from the Hudson catalogue and adopted by the Brit War Department in WWI when referring to prefab track. Each manufacturer had it's own patented component to make it different from its competitors, like means of securing rails to ties or join track panel to track panel (rail joiners). If you are interested in further info I can scan and send you material from the Hudson catalogue. regards, pf
Re: Sectional Track - Part 2
Hi Steve. Koppel, or Orenstein & Koppel were well known German loco builders. They built hundreds, possibly thousands of locos. They were builders of many of the German army "Feldbahn" military railway locos used from the 1880s through to after WW1.They bult many industrial steamers and I think diesels. I think "Jubillee " track was made in England by either Hudson or Bagnall Jim Gregg. At 07:54 PM 10/4/04 -0700, you wrote: Some weeks back I posted a photo link about sectional track in use at a coal fueling depot in 1918 Tahiti. Susan P. thought it might be WWI surplus "Jubilee" track. I just received the latest Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette issue and in Bob Brown's column he has photos of a Koppel Portable Track and Car System brochure that features a similar looking track system. Only brochure pages 18 and 19 are shown, and the footer on page 19 states "The Modern Way of Road Building". Page 18 has two photos of two men carrying and positioning a standard 15-foot section of 24" track. I wonder how much it weighed? Page 18 also claims that "Koppel Portable Track has been in constant use all over the world for the past forty-five years." No date on the brochure but from the layout and photos I'd say early 1920's. Does anyone have any additional info about Koppel? If it was a German company could "Jubilee track" been a patriotically-named euphemism for the same product for use on the Western front? Steve
