Central Ontario Association of Live Steamers
History
- The COALS track (Central Ontario Association of Live Steamers) was located outside of St George Ontario on Highwat 24. The actual location was at the Oak Hill Nurseries. It was a 3/4"only ground level track and held spring and fall meets and even had a night run. It was home to guys like The Hoffmans,The McJannetts, Ivan Gray, Sid Copeland and Ralph Harrison. I always had a good time there but at times, my 3/4" scale body with a 1 1/2" scale gut made it tough to get down to track level at times. Unfortunately, the old track is gone but the club is now at Ralph's place.
Steve Bratina writes: The other picture is of my old Niagara. Frank Birch castings were used to make the loco. I bought it from a guy who was planning to make it into a CNR 6400. I changed it back to a Niagara and built the proper tender for it. It was nowhere near a true Niagara like Harold Crouche's but it ran well for me.
Carddo writes: The steaming bays at COALS for, I believe, the 1984 OMLET meet. The brass locomotive in the middle of the photo is Ian Wynd's 2-6-4T while the green locomotive in the lower right is Ted McJannett's B&O President Pacific. I was running Dave Powell's Hoffman Hudson in the event. Of course, Ian's locomotive won handily. How did I do? don't ask! I think that Dave was second or third. Harry Boneham's Britannia also did well that year.