J's coaling at Prichard WV

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Portsmouth, OH also had a large coaling tower, now gone.

J. Kelling, Greenbelt MD


>>> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 9/24/2006 9:50 PM >>>

Ron:
Roanoke to CUT without coaling ?  Maybe a presumption on my  part.
Most districts had a main line coaling facility. On the Norfolk 
District,
Dwight HAD been a coaling facility at one time.  Blue Ridge  District
-
Phoebe,  Christiansburg  District - Vicker,  Poca -PD -  Farm,  Kenova
District - Prichard, and Columbus District - Dorney.   Although Afton
on the Cincinnati District, had been a coaling facility, I don't see 
that
there was a coaling station there in the Scioto Division timetable 
from
1955.  It's 260 miles Roanoke - Prichard and with the engine  assigned
to go through to CUT and NO main line coaling facility to the west, on 
second
thought, maybe No. 4 DID make a scheduled service stop there.  That 
meant 
that
with coal boards and topping off at Prichard westbound,  the
locomotive
had 328 miles to make before replenishing the supply.  Depending  on
weather, experience,  tonnage, et al., maybe the "J" was expected  to
get about 275-300 miles to a tank.
 
In N&W's cycle of "J" power, the engine assigned to No. 25 at 
Norfolk,
was slated to go through to CUT.  Never made it west of  Bluefield
on No. 25, but the times I rode it, I don't remember a stop for coal at
Phoebe
or Vicker.  The next possibility was Farm - 388 miles.
 
In January 1943, an average of 27 trains per day took on 16,000 gals. 
of
water at Prichard (I have no records of coal), but apparently  Prichard
did
figure into a scheduled service stop for passenger trains.
 
Water ?  Probably topped off the tank during the station stops at 
Bluefield
and Williamson, there were standpipes located on the passenger 
platform where the engine was spotted.  One night on No. 26, the  crew
received a bulletin order that the standpipe at Crewe was out of 
service.
They opted to top off at Phoebe. 
                                                              Harry
Bundy