signals under electrification

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Tue Mar 7 05:25:54 EST 2017


Jim, thanks for the clarification on the re-alignment,  I am still a bit
fuzzy on the actual sequence/extent of the new construction.  I went back
and read page 92 of Mason's book which indicates that in June of '50 they
put into operation an Eastbound only bypass through the new tunnel which
allowed the discontinuation of all electrified operations.  Westbound
traffic still used the old tunnel for a period of time (anybody know
exactly when the use of the old tunnel was discontinued entirely?).  I get
the impression that the new bridge at Coopers may not have been completely
finished by 06/50 and that even the Eastbound traffic may have switched
back over to the older line somewhere between the tunnel and the bridge.
I'm not really sure where this would have taken place because I believe the
older line was higher than the new line in this section for the most part.
I would also like to know exactly where the new bypass tied into the old
line on the West end.  Mason says just past Maybeury bridge, but again
there is a significant grade differential until you get West to about the
point where the spur went down into the "bottom".  Not really sure of the
precise location of this switch either, the pictures I have seen show a
water tank just East of the diverging point which is East of the power
house, but I believe it would have been East of the point where the Lick
Branch spur left the main.  Any additional information would be most
welcome.
Jim Cochran

On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 8:49 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> The re-alignment did not take place prior to the end of the
> electrification. The new tunnel was the first part, and the re-alignment
> west of Maybeury took place after that. So there was never any problem with
> the wires. Based on the photos, it looks like PL's were not installed until
> after the wires were dropped. That probably would have made them the newest
> ones on the system. By the way: they did not become CPL's until years later.
>
> Jim Nichols
>
>
> On Monday, March 6, 2017 5:43 AM, NW Mailing List <
> nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
>
> Thanks to Jim, Mason and especially Harry for the information.  Harry, I
> agree that the 01/01 date is suspect not only because of the foliage, but
> also, since the new tunnel wasn't opened until June, I don't think they
> could have removed the wire prior.  But that does bring up and interesting
> side question.  They were  re-aligning the grade from Northfork to Coopers
> for 2 or 3 years prior to ending electrified operations.  I assume much of
> the traffic though the old tunnel still needed electric units for the same
> reasons they were brought on in the first place, so I would further assume
> that to get the electrics where they needed to go, they had to maintain the
> whole electrified section actively while the construction was taking place
> by either moving components as they moved the right of way, or building new
> stuff, which seems a bit of a waste knowing that it was only going to be
> used for a couple years.  Did they de-electrify any of the main or branches
> prior to throwing the big switch when the new tunnel was placed in service?
> Also, I ran across archive item NW01199 (attached) labelled as Powhatan
> showing a signal bridge that was clearly build for the electrification
> (latticed supports) with PL signals, but the shot was obviously post
> electric operations because the wires are all gone, there are no other
> supports in site, and the tops of the supports that would have carried the
> high-tension lines have even been removed.  Can't draw any conclusions
> about my original proposition because there's no way to know if the PLs
> were installed prior to the end of electric operations, but environmental
> kudos to N&W for re-using infrastructure.  I'm still on the hunt for
> evidence of PLs being used in the electrified section.
> Jim Cochran
>
> On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 7:49 PM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <
> nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Jim:
> If you go to the NWHS website, you can view Negative NG100054
> made at Vivian, WV.  Catenary has been removed, but one semaphore
> appears.  Note the trainman walking around Bottom Creek Curve.
> He may be en route to a telephone to get the dispatcher to "talk" him
> by the eastward signal.  Date shows as 01/01/1950, but with all the
> vegetation showing, that may not be correct date.     Harry Bundy
>
> ______________________________ __________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/ options/nw-mailing-list
> <http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list>
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/ pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
> <http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/>
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
>
>
> ________________________________________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20170307/4b270c82/attachment.html>


More information about the NW-Mailing-List mailing list