pre electric operations

[NW Mailing List]

Shoot, I was hoping your 'light bulb' would pop on.  Doesn't matter.

 

Figure that the configuration was to put two locomotives- tender outward- on
each end of the string of empties to be distributed.  The locos are set so
that the engineer can look outward and forward to brakemen on the ground by
the coal cars and not have to look over the tender ( not slope-backed
types).   One loco and cars would work the west facing spurs and the other
would work the east facing spurs to set off cars ( they don't have to worry
about setting off specific cars in specific spurs) by pushing the cars in to
the siding..  Using just one locomotive would require that some cars would
have to be set off by a 'flying switch' when the switch points face the
front of the train.  Flying switches  would be difficult to do if the siding
has a significant uphill grade or length so that the cars would run out of
momentum before they reach their desired location on the tracks.

 

Using one train for both east and west facing switches keeps just one train
on the mainline for the dispatchers to work other trains around.  Also two
trains, one working the east facing switches and the second working the west
would get in each other's way as they worked down the mainline and set off
cars.  The railroad would almost be forced to run one orientation in one
shift and the other run the next shift.  

 

Gary

 

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 6:52 PM
To: NW Mailing List
Subject: Re: pre electric operations

 

Gary,

I don't know.  All I have are the old maps from the N&W RR Annual Reports
showing  roughly where the set out/pick up sidings left/entered the main.
The only operation I am somewhat familiar with is Crumpler, and that one is
probably a little unusual being located at the head of the "holler".  If I
'member correctly, the empties were pushed past the tipple and stored until
needed.  When loading, a cut would have its brakes released (controlled) and
travel by gravity under the tipple chutes at the required speed.  When full,
the cut would be stored on a siding below the tipple for pick up by the next
run.  Since there was no turn table or "Y" on the Northfork Branch, I assume
that they backed the empties up and pulled the loads down with the loco
running forward, but that's just supposition since I was too young to see
steam working.  I'm hoping someone more versed in the operational history of
the Pokey can shed some light on how/why things worked.

Jim

----- Original Message ----- 

From: NW Mailing List <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>  

To: 'NW <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>  Mailing List' 

Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 3:57 PM

Subject: RE: pre electric operations

 

Jim:  Which way are the switches pointed on the spurs and tipple tracks for
set outs? Eastward or westward?

 

Gary Rolih

Cincinnati

 

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2010 7:00 PM
To: NW Mailing List
Subject: pre electric operations

 

I have been reading the electrification articles in the latest Arrow and
have some questions about pre-electrification steam operations that I'm
hoping some of you may clear up for me.  First, on page 22, it states that
empty deliveries to the mines would be handles out of Bluefield by two
Mallets.  "For obvious operating reasons these engines were necessarily run
backwards on the westbound movement.  The second engine was handled at the
head end of the train for the purpose of permitting the better handling of
the air brake down the 2% grade."  

Well, like a lot of things in life, it aint "obvious" to me.  The picture
this paints in my mind is of one engine on the West (head?) end of the
string of hoppers running tender first with another on the East end, also
running tender first.  Is this accurate?  If so, why was this backward
running advantageous?  As to the better handling of the air, was this merely
due to the fact that the line was being controlled from both ends of the
train?

Next, the statement is made "At the first point where the delivery of
empties was to be made, the second engine would be set around on the rear
and the delivery of empty cars into all mine operating tracks would be made
from this end of the train."

What does "set around on the rear" mean?  Is the "rear" still the East end
of the train?  If so, does this put both engines on the East end now?  Did
the mines have separate delivery and pick-up tracks that were polarized?
For example, did they always push empties into the delivery tracks from
railroad East and pull loaded cuts out onto the main heading railroad west? 

 

Thanks in advance for any help,

Jim Cochran

dcochran116 at roadrunner.com 

  _____  

________________________________________
NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
To change your subscription go to
http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20100602/be631e15/attachment.htm>