Pusher vs. helper

[NW Mailing List]

Ed (P.),

The last (?) routine use of helpers, including use of the term as Ed 
defines, was on the old Elkhorn grade until 1950.

Grant Carpenter

On 8/7/2018 8:24 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> Thanks Ed.  I wasn't trying to be overly critical but coming from a 
> commercial nuclear power career background I tend to get hung up on 
> terminology and details.  Again I've never heard the term helper used 
> by N&W men.... always pusher.  For what its worth.
>
> Ed Painter Member #70 - from Narrows, VA - living in Cohutta, GA
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 4:01 PM NW Mailing List 
> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>> wrote:
>
>     Ed -
>     The term most often used on N&W was “pusher”. As I recall, the
>     engine crew’s jobs were advertised as “pusher” jobs.
>     On some roads, the term “helper” was used because sometimes they
>     were on the front end ahead of the road engines.
>     The N&W had some long pusher runs; on the Pokey the Elkhorn
>     pushers usually pushed from Farm to Bluefield, and in some
>     occasions such as time freight 84 pushed all the way from
>     Wilmore.  On the Clinch Valley, pushers went all the way from
>     Finney to Bluefield.
>     Ed King
>     *From:* NW Mailing List
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, August 07, 2018 1:07 PM
>     *To:* NW Mailing List
>     *Subject:* Re: Walton Tower area
>     A minor point and Ed King and other old hands please correct me if
>     I'm wrong.....but I never recall the term Helper used by N&W men?
>     Relating to the N&W whether on Christiansburg Mountain or over
>     Flat Top Mountain up to Bluefield "Pusher: not "Helper" was the
>     term used.
>     Ed Painter - Member #70, from Narrows, VA living in Cohutta, GA
>

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