N&W in 1911--Re-icing

[NW Mailing List]

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
November 1, 1911

THE GRAHAM DAILY NEWS
------
TO TRANSFER RE-ICING
------
Large Tipple for Purpose Being Erected on Bluefield Yards

    It is learned that the Norfolk and Western Railway is preparing to transfer its re-icing business from Graham to Bluefield in the near future.  A large re-icing tipple is being erected on the Bluefield yard for the purpose.  The Mitchell Ice Company here has had the contract to re-ice the fresh neat and other perishable time freight being transported over the road for certain points ever since the line began hauling through freight.  Thousands of cars have been stopped here and replenished their bunkers with Graham ice during the past fifteen years.  From one to two tons of ice is the usual amount required to fill the bunkers of the ordinary refrigerator cars, such as owned by Swift and Armour and the other large packing houses.  It is said the reason for the change is on account of through trains being required to stop and occupy the main tracks while the re-icing is in progress.  The work is most disagreeable during the winter months and the Mitchell force will no doubt be glad to get rid of the practice of having their rest disturbed by being called out at night to break ice into the frozen bunkers.
------
[It's surprising that the N&W had been blocking main tracks at Graham while reefers were being iced.]

Gordon Hamilton    
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20110609/b3c7be1f/attachment.htm>