The Highland Line west of the station is quite different from the east side of town. A long siding services three major industries: The Russell & Erwin and P&F Corbin (Corbin Screw) divisions of the American Hardware Corporation; Fafnir Bearings; and Stanley Works. This siding also connnects New Britain Yard with a small yard on the north side of Myrtle Street called Farm Yard.
There are five grade crossings west of the station:
| Layout at a GlanceWhile I've had to make a number of compromises I think the finished layout will still follow the prototype fairly faithfully. For example, the Russell & Erwin Power Plant will need to be rotated to fit the trackwork, and the curve around Lockshop Pond is greatly increased. But the main components will still be in place for a close match to the photo of #1311 below. The mainline will be descending toward the helix, but with appropriate scenery and camera angles I think it will work.
Also, the majority of photos are from the Station and Arcade area, looking down the tracks. Thus, the section of the Russell & Erwin plant that is most visible will be modeled, and the P&F Corbin smoke stacks will be in the same relative location.
American Hardware CorporationI-2 #1311 with train 131 in March 1947 at Lockshop Pond and P&F Corbin Division. Note DEY-4 locomotive shoving hoppers up the coal trestle.
Kent Cochrane. Thomas J. McNamara collection.
The American Hardware Corporation has a very large factory complex on the west side of New Britain. There are two major divisions here. The Russell & Erwin Division and the P&F Corbin Division (aka the Corbin Screw Division). Their property includes the Lockshop Pond, a 4 million gallon man-made pond. Lockshop Pond and a large portion of both divisions were among the first victims of "urban renewal" in New Britain, to be replaced by parking lots. P&F Corbin DivisionThe P&F Corbin plant on Myrtle Street is also known as The Corbin Screw Company. Only a building flat will be modeled. The two sidings to the plant were inside the complex and will not be included.
P&F Corbin Division Power PlantModeled Capacity: 2 cars Directly across Myrtle street is the P&F Corbin Power Plant serviced by two coal trestles. This plant also serviced the Russell & Erwin Division, and it is labeled differently on different maps.
A particularly interesting feature of this complex is the brick star-shaped smokestack.
This power plant may have serviced the Russell & Erwin Division as well, but the Sanford map indicates it is for the Corbin Screw Company. Russell & Erwin DivisionModeled Capacity: On the south side of Myrtle Street is the Russell & Erwin division. There are three sidings servicing the complex, one west of Washington Street, and two between High and Washington Streets. On the south side of the Highland Line is a four million gallon pond built for the factory. None of the buildings of this complex remain today, and most of this property was excavated for the construction of Rt 72.
|