NW-Mailing-List Digest, Vol 57, Issue 16

[NW Mailing List]

The 12 track, a short yard track the last over at the east end of Wilcoe
took on the nickname "the Steal Track" after this caper.  Seems the
ill-gotten goods were set over on this track for "forwarding."  

Grant Carpenter


> Message: 1

> Date: Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:59:24 -0400

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

> Subject: Re: Coal crapping

> To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

> Message-ID: <8CCD4692640CCC9-150C-1E47D at webmail-m102.sysops.aol.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>  

>  

> Neill:

> So far the discussion has been based thievery based on a lump or two or

maybe what a man could

> throw off a loaded hopper.  Back in the 70's, N&W had "coal crappers"

that made these people

> look "penney-ante".  There's a prescribed method of distributing empty

hoppers so that every mine

> gets an equitable share.  When there's a demand for coal, it's important

that every mine gets its

> proportion of what hoppers are available-- maybe not all they need. . .

but their fair share.  The

> proposed distribution of the empties is PUBLISHED.    The Car Distributor

is responsible for seeing

> each mine gets the  number of hoppers designated in the publication.

>

> Back in the 70's, there had been an increase in Lamberts Point dumpings. 

Hoppers were scarce.

> Mines were crying for empties.  A friend had been transferred from Asst.

Trainmaster at Wilcoe

> to Operations Planning in Roanoke.  He told me the Asst. Superintendent

had called and asked

> if he wanted to go to Roanoke.  This friend asked the Asst. Super,

"what's the job ?"  The Asst.

> Super replied,"I don't know, but you've got 20 seconds to answer."  So he

thinks it through --

> he has a family living in the wilds of West Virginia with two children

getting an education.  "OK,

> I'll move."  

>

> Time passes and one afternoon, he (and I) are told to report for a

special project at 7:00 AM the

> next day. Later on, I'm told there's no need for me to report.  At 7:00

AM, he reports and finds himself

> standing before R. F. Dunlap, VPO.  Mr. Dunlap wants to know about the

distribution of empty

> hoppers.  HIs answer satisfies Dunlap.  Later on that day, the N&W

Property Protection cops

> bring the Pocahontas Division Asst. Superintendent Bluefield to Roanoke

in hand-cuffs.  Seems

> that he, several car distributors, and others have manipulated the empty

hopper distribution to

> their own benefit.  Instead of cash, the railroad officials receive

loaded coal cars from a fictious

> mine for their co-operation in diverting empties.  Train crews on one of

the mine runs started asking

> questions when they couldn't put the pieces together.  So my friends'

transfer to Roanoke was a

> maneuver to get him out of the picture.             Harry Bundy