loco motions

[NW Mailing List]

This is great stuff!
David Baker

On Tue, Nov 18, 2025, 9:40 AM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> 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 Lisle
>
>
>
> Sent 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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