[N&W] Re: Fuel or Water stops

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

[Charles Eck asked:]
 >How often would a through train, for example the Pocahantas with a class J,
 >stop for water or fuel? Would locomotives be changed in route?
 >
-------------------------------------------
The Js operated on a regular weekly cycle which covered the whole system
including the main line and the Southern trains.  These cycle sheets have
been published in Prince's book which will eventually be reprinted, I'm
told, and in Bud Jeffries "N&W - Giant of Steam".

The Bristol Line jobs operating through Roanoke without engine change
(according to the above cycles) would take coal and water at Vicker.  I
believe the engines operating through Roanoke westbound in their cycles
would take coal and water at Vicker and at Prichard.  When the tenders were
increased to 35-ton coal capacity, it was desired to not buy any more coal
than they had to from Cincinnati Union Terminal, so the ARROW would take
coal and water at Prichard, run through Portsmouth to Cincinnati, lay over
there and run back to Prichard for coal.

But the dispatchment of the Js was not haphazard; if you were at Monroe, for
instance, over the period of a week you'd see every one of them on a
Southern train except the one in the shop for boiler wash or in Roanoke Shop
for class repairs.  Same way if you were at Kenova or Petersburg - you'd see
all of them.

Hope this helps - if you don't have the above books, you should get the
Prince book when it's reprinted and Bud Jeffries tells me that they're after
him to put out a second edition of his book.  Let's all hope that happens.

EdKing