Montvale Turn

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Accounts of Norfolk Division operations often cite the “Montvale Turn” 
in reference, as I understand it, to “fill” trains EB out of Roanoke, 
whose coal consists were parked at Montvale, to be drawn upon by 
subsequent through drags so as to aggregate consists of up to plus/minus 
200 loads (depending upon the hopper mix) for EB movement, with the last 
Appalachians challenge (Blue Ridge) now behind. Fill consists having 
been deposited at Montvale, the head-end power (the pusher normally 
having cut away at Buford’s Gap just east of Blue Ridge station) as a 
rule would head back westward (unless directed to the WB pusher siding 
at Irving, several miles to the east). Hence the (re)turn designation.

Question 1. Do we know when, approximately, the Turn action was 
launched? Through what period did drags EB out of Roanoke (minus the 
pusher after Blue Ridge) in fact routinely go straight through to EB 
destinations without stopping at Montvale (no Turn, no aggregation 
action at Montvale, in other words)? Lewis Jeffries in Giant of Steam 
(revised ed, pp. 46-47) cites a mid-’51 run out of Roanoke (Y6b 2184 
w/pusher), 96 loads, which, minus pusher beyond Blue Ridge, steams 
straight through to Crewe. An anomaly, with the Turn already the rule, 
or “business as usual” with the Turn not yet operational?

In an e-posting of several years ago H.E. Hale did not recall fill 
action in Montvale while a resident there in ‘47-’48. That would 
indicate the coming of the Turn sometime after ’48. Can anyone give a 
more definitive year?

Question 2. Texts maintain that in the Turn era Roanoke coal departures 
were headed by single and double-headed steamers (all with pushers). Ed 
King (The A Mercedes, p. 98; N&W In The Appalachians, pp. 20-21, 28) and 
others describe single head-end Y action for 90-100 drop-off loads at 
Montvale and double-headed (A + Y helper) sequel trains of up to 150 
loads bound for Montvale, for aggregation to some 200-load consists to 
Crewe/Phoebe, where the Y would uncouple, leaving the head A from 
Roanoke to finish the coast-bound job. The normative Turn plan, I 
presume. I have seen occasional references to double-headed Turn (not 
through) fill trains with up to 150 loads to Montvale. Infrequent 
occurrences?

Question 3. Even during the era of the Turn, did some double-headed 
drags out of Roanoke, up to some 150 loads (or even single 
engine-powered consists up to 90-100 loads) operate as through trains 
with no Montvale action?

Thanks for help on these inquires.

At mid-century I lived in Bedford, some 12 miles east of Montvale; I 
recall, vividly, EB action pounding through town with coal consists of 
awesome length. Just curious as to the Turn details permitting such 
stunning order-of-the-day consists.

Frank Gibson