loco motions

[NW Mailing List]

If I am remembering correctly the things I have read heard in the past
indicate that a mine servicing run (was this called a turn?) in the part of
the Pokey in which I am most interested, would begin with a train
comprising a string of empty hoppers sandwiched between a couple
locomotives, one of which was facing West while the other faced East.

>From my meager understanding, there were two typical track arrangements for
tipple sidings. They both began with a turnout off the main line followed
by additional turnouts whose number varied according to things like the
number of sized of coal produced, storage track configuration, run-around
track, re-connection to the main, etc.

In one example, a coal operation would have only one turnout on the main.
This would necessitate one of locomotives with a cut of empties to cut off
from the rest of the (?turn/job/movement?) and move the empties into the
mine trackage. Did the rest of the train remain on the main in the rain
blocking other traffic? Also, was there a preference for whether the
servicing unit proceeded moving forward or in reverse for this part of the
operation? If there were no run-around track at the mine, the locomotive
would have to push his empties past the tipple for gravity feeding
purposes, cut them loose after sufficient brakes had been set, move back
down to where this mine's loads had been stored, couple up, move this
string down to the main, reattach to the rest of the turn and move on down
to the next operation.

This account contains much conjecture on my part, and my purpose is to
learn how things really worked such as when those locomotives were run
forward and when they ran in reverse along with other specifics of the
operations along my most beloved portion of the Pokey.

If this is of interest to others or I get response (Grant, hint, hint), I
will follow up with additional questions and conjecture.

Jim Cochran
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