Elliston: Coal and Fire Cleaning ?

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On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 10:33 AM, abram wrote:

In going through the literature, has anyone noticed mention of engines
> having fires cleaned and taking coal at Elliston?
>
> This would obviously be a pre-Mallet situation, if it ever happened.
>
> This question arises because of something a 1906-hire engineman, Tom
> Kegley, told me.  Tom stated that the helper policy was an engine ahead of
> westbound freights from West Roanoke to Elliston, this helper then
> returning to Roanoke.  At Elliston, one or two other helpers coupled on and
> assisted the train to Christiansburg.  If helpers were stationed at
> Elliston, the necessities (coal and fire cleaning) would have been required
> at that point.
>
> Is there any information out there...?
>

Did a quick search of the Annual Reports and found some hints and clues
with hits on "Elliston" -- although nothing definitive about coaling.

1907, pg. 18
Standard 50,000-gallon tanks were erected at Lowry, Ironville, Alexanders,
Shenandoah, Elliston, Pembroke, Kellys, Tazewell, Finney, Norton, Flat Top,
Coalwood, Delano and Williamsburg. Alexanders, Coalwood and Williamsburg
are new water stations; Lowry will displace Bellevue supply; Elliston and
Delano are second tanks, the balance were replacements of smaller tanks.

1910, pg. 18
Power houses for interlocking and block signal plants were erected at
Elliston, Oakvale, laeger, Devon, Waverly, O. and Renick.

1913, pg. 13
Enlarged pumping plants were installed at Suffolk and Elliston, Va. A water
softening plant was installed at Elliston, Va.

1923, pg. 12
An extension of 4,447 feet was made to the middle track at Elliston, Va. In
connection with this work two curves were eliminated and two others
reduced, thereby greatly improving the alignment.

1930, pg. 8
Steel storage tanks of 200,000 gallons capacity were erected at Elliston
and Norton, Va., and the water softener plant at Elliston, Va., was
extended.

The 1950 topo map that includes Elliston shows a third track from just
under the 460 bridge all the way up to the Friendship Rd. crossing
(Arthur). The track is on the east side of the two main tracks. There is
also a siding on the west side of the tracks that comes off the westbound
main just west of the crossing of Break Branch, ending just short of where
the main line crosses the Roanoke River.

Bruce in Blacksburg
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