Switchback Mine Run on Elkhorn Branch ca.1940s

Fri Apr 14 16:23:19 EDT 2023

Crozer Store was a flag stop for Trains 1, 8, 9 and 18 in 1908 and other time tables.

Alex Schust

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 1:27 PM
To: NW Mailing List
Cc: NW Mailing List
Subject: Re: Switchback Mine Run on Elkhorn Branch ca.1940s

Grant

To me everything on the Pocahontas Div. leaves me confused.  I would never say ever even for a Y.

I have got one for you.  Crozer Store siding a few miles west of Elkhorn, Switchback, Angle or Lick Branch.  Do you recall if any passenger trains stopped at this location by flag etc to pick up or discharge paying customers.  We have a very good photo of this store and would bet it was non time table station stop for some trains. Never can think to check this out when at the archives.

Jim

On 4/14/2023 11:11 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

Jim,

Alex questioned the existence of a wye at the junction in Maybeury and did a great job of proving a negative, leaving me unable to find the evidence I thought I had.

Grant Carpenter

On 4/24/2022 11:02 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

Jim,

In this period leading up to the Elkhorn realignment, other changes were occurring: tipples closed, traffic changed, Traffic Control expanded and so forth. I'm not sure of the chronological order of details here and most will relate to the run's last years.

Based at Eckman Yard, the Switchback Mine Run was a day job that worked the main line east from Keystone up to Switchback. Regular motive power was the Class Y3 No. 2005, dispatched facing upgrade/east. Empties for the branch were picked up en route at Morgan, about two miles west of Switchback. Westbound Elkhorn jobs would set off empties there on two storage tracks next to the westbound main. The mine run could access them via a local, hand-thrown crossover from the eastbound and would couple them ahead of the 2005.

At one train a day, the junction at Switchback didn't rate a signal--just a hand-thrown, facing-point switch on the eastbound main. Like the local crossover at Morgan, the switch had an electric lock that was controlled by the operator at Bluestone Tower. Permission was sought by phone in a line-side box at the junction. Another line-side box held a register book for the conductor to register on the branch and off when leaving.

Empties were shoved around the tipple(s) to the delivery tracks beyond, then loads were pulled from below and blocked for east and west. Tonnage declined as the three old mines on the branch were worked out. According to Alex in Billion Dollar Coalfield, Shamokin Colliery closed in 1941 and Elkhorn Colliery in 1944, leaving Angle (Norfolk) Colliery to hang on into the 1950s. I believe the third leg of the wye through downtown Maybeury was taken up before the wye you mentioned at Elkhorn Colliery, so closing Elkhorn removed any means of turning the 2005. Backing out to return home might have reduced tractive effort, but that was offset by the decline in tonnage. Also, there was the speed restriction for backing moves, but that was raised in later years.

Then there was the lack of signaling both at the junction and on the main. To come off the branch headed west on the eastbound main with no westward signals was slow running. Later, bidirectional TC would help, but that was somewhat offset when the Powhatan Arrow began service. Depending on the schedule, the mains cleared for Nos. 25 and 26 to meet in this area every mid-afternoon. This was on top of the base load of traffic. For example, before the relocation reduced it, the eastbound ruling grade was two percent, so heavy eastbounds were shorter, more frequent, and rated both pushers and helpers on short cycles (i.e., slow eastbounds and lots of westbound light moves). At least with extras, operators could hold traffic windows open during the day for local jobs to work.

After getting permission from Bluestone, coming out onto the eastbound main set the mine run up to proceed west to the Crozer tipple across the main from Morgan. From the eastbound main, east loads were set off in the tipple's runaround for pickup by eastbound Elkhorn crews. West loads were then shoved across the local crossover to the storage tracks at Morgan where the empties had been pulled earlier. Westbound Elkhorn and (later) River crews forwarded the loads to Eckman/Kimball and Williamson, respectively.

If the eastbound main was busy, Crozer was skipped and the east loads went on to Eckman. If the westbound was busy, Morgan was skipped and the west loads went to Eckman. If time got tight on both mains, the Eckman operator tried to keep the Powhatan Middle Track open for them to clear up.

Edits and questions are welcome--I hope this helps.

Grant Carpenter

On 4/18/2022 8:35 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

Does anybody have any insight into operations at Switchback prior to the late '40s realignment?  Coal loads would have to be rounded up from the Angle branch, Shamokin and Elkhorn and then brought up to the main West of the power house.  But how was the traffic controlled?  I haven't seen any photos showing signals to stop either mainline or mine movements.  How did they insure the main was clear when they came up?  Also, if they "pulled" up from the bottom, the movement would be pointed West.  Where did they go for assembly?  Did everything go West to Byrd at North Fork or even on to Ecklmann?  Any and all thoughts will be appreciated.  Not to name names, but I'm hoping Mr. Grant might chime in on this one and perhaps Professor Schust. 

Thanks,

Jim Cochran

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