loco motions

[NW Mailing List]

Jim,Note the illustration on the liner notes of Link's "2nd Pigeon and the Mockingbird" album (note smoke direction!)Also,  there is a video out there, I  don't remember which one, showing the backward running.Jimmy LisleSent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> Date: 11/17/25  9:07 AM  (GMT-05:00) To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> Subject: loco motions 
	
	


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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