Overview
The Miniature Railway at Silver Lake, Ohio was a gauge miniature railway inaugurated by the Lodge family in 1902 at Silver Lake, Ohio.
History
The ridable miniature railway was hauled by a scaled-down steam locomotive, but the open passenger cars had no role model. The small locomotive was built around 1901 by the Armitage-Herschell Company of North Tonawanda in Niagara County, New York, as park railways became increasingly popular. The locomotives of this manufacturer could pull up to 10 passenger cars with seats for 40 children or 20 adults. The steam locomotive, its tender, and three passenger cars were purchased for $1,050 for the locomotive and $75 for each car, equivalent to a price of $1.00 per pound, as the locomotive weighed . The Ohio Steel Company of Cuyahoga Falls made miniature rails with the unusually large weight of , twice as heavy as those for other park railways, as well as switches and their flange-bearing frogs for $42/t. The railway loop began south of the large pavilion, built in 1898.
The station was on the lakeshore at the boat-landing dock. The route led along the lakeshore, passing an old log cabin next to the later aquarium. It then passed the shooting gallery, the stone-built ice store, which was later rebuilt into the cage of the pumas, as well as cages for monkeys, a wolf, raccoons, a badger, and foxes. From there, one could also see the aviaries for an eagle, hawks, and owls, and the bear pits. After the menagerie, it led again along the lake, passed the "Linwood" log-cabin to another stretch along the lakeshore. This original route allowed the passengers a view of the lake and the zoo animals, which made the menagerie quickly known. After Frank Jones had died, he manufactured another even larger locomotive in his own workshop. He also built five new cars so that two trains with four cars each could drive at the same time.
The summer season of 1917 was the last time the park was operated, but the park railroad continued to be popular and in operation. The selling price of the park did not include the rails, locomotives, and trains. Since William Lodge could not find another buyer, he bought the rails and rolling stock for $1,000 and stored them on his farm. After a few years, he sold the locomotive and wagons to Buckeye Lake Park Co. in Licking County, Ohio. This operated the trains for several summers and then sold them to a park near Toledo, where they were still in operation in 1944.
Entrance to Silver Lake, Akron, Ohio.jpg Entrance to Silver Lake, Akron, Ohio Evening pleasures at Silver Lake, Ohio.jpg Evening pleasures at Silver Lake, Ohio Miniature Railway, Silver Lake, Ohio.jpg Miniature Railway, Silver Lake, Ohio Miniature Railway, Silver Lake, AKRON, Ohio.jpg Miniature Railway, Silver Lake, Akron, Ohio Miniature train returning from Chautauqua Park, Silver Lake, Ohio.jpg Miniature train returning from Chautauqua Park
See also
* Silver Lake Railroad in Madison, New Hampshire