Structure in N&W's Lamberts Point Yard

[NW Mailing List]

On Mon, Mar 13, 2017 at 8:16 PM,
​Jack
 wrote:

> Using Google Earth, I looked at N&W's Lamberts Point Coal Yard in
> Norfolk.  When I zoomed in, I saw two long white structures that coal
> hoppers pass through on the way to the coal rotaries.  Does anyone know
> what these white structures are used for?  Thanks,
>
> Thawing sheds. Coal loaded in the winter in and leaving the mountains of
Virginia and West Virginia wasn't always bone dry and had the opportunity
to have rain or snow fall on top of it. The coal would then freeze solid,
in addition to freezing to the sides of the hopper. A trip through the
thawing shed (which used, I believe, infrared heaters) would warm the cars
sides enough to melt the ice, allowing the coal to fall out of the car when
it was rotated to dump.

Bruce in Blacksburg
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