Convention, Re: Pokey Places

[NW Mailing List]

Thanks, Jim. Great to see you and All at the convention, and thank you 
to Tim and Steve for pulling it together. I share your view of the North 
Fork Branch, but it got down to a choice of it or a long stretch of the 
main, and the route-feet balance already heavily favored the branch 
lines. At least the tonnage, otherwise lost, will be reallocated to 
Keystone (?!). I can file an appeal with Management on the proposed hole 
in the outside wall, but gotta tell ya I ain't feelin' it.

To my knowledge, your conjecture is correct. So happens I stopped by 
Hale and Pinhook on the way home Sunday, dodging a bear cub there on Rt. 
102 and dodging tornadoes in TN. The community of Hale's Bottom is 
located on 102 west of the switch off the EB main that is Hale. The spur 
served an Esso/Exxon facility with tank and box cars, and Thayer 
Furniture in my era with box cars in and out. The long sweeping 
left-hand curve starts west there at MP N-368.

A half mile east is Pinhook, site of ABS signals in both directions. 
They were halfway between and were advance signals for control signals 
at Falls Mills crossovers to the west and Clinch Valley Junction to the 
east.

You saw Pinhook, the control point, on the layout's dispatcher panel in 
case it needs to be added as a holdout signal to protect long yard moves 
out of Bluefield and back on either main.

Located on a short tangent that helped with sight distance, a spur was 
also located at Pinhook off the EB main as a pusher pocket, including a 
crossover to the WB main, all hand-throws. An electric Bluefield Pusher 
would clear up here to wait on eastbounds that needed a push up into the 
yard. The head end could easily hold clear of the signal at CV Junction, 
where the Bluestone River (such as it is) turns right and the main turns 
left up Bluefield Hill at 1.22%. This run ended and the spur came out 
when steam pushers stayed on through the new Elkhorn Tunnel and on into 
Bluefield.

Generally, trains could hold west from Mercer St., then CV junction west 
on the EB main to Morgan where road crossings became more numerous. Not 
so much later as train length increased (Chris?). The likely cause of a 
backup that far west was an eastbound working the River Track at 
Bluestone Junction or at Flat Top Yard. Trains had to be able to start 
on the ruling grade and backups usually occurred during night hours 
before the daylight schedule. Remember all those meets between passenger 
runs?

Grant Carpenter

On 6/11/2023 4:43 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:
> Grant,
> Just wanted to compliment you once again on your convention 
> presentation.  Your knowledge of Pokey operations is tremendous and 
> your layout is fantastic.  Don't understand exactly why you chose not 
> to model the best branch in your area, but at least you left something 
> for me to do ;^).
> Your information rekindled my passion for understanding how things 
> worked in the area and of course I now have more questions which I 
> will attempt not to overwhelm you with.
> Warning: the following contains my conjecture from which I am hoping 
> to get the correct information.
> My first question is about a location or locations known as Hale's 
> Bottom and or Pinhook (?Penhook ? Pin Hook ? Pen Hook).   Are these 
> different names for the same location?  If not where were they?  My 
> Guess:  Hale's Bottom referred to the broad, flat area seen in several 
> posed shots from the period of electrification showing a broad curve 
> at the base of a hill next to what appears to be a large farm field.  
> Further, I suspect that ?Pinhook? was the railroad designation the 
> control point East of the field described above.  What was the 
> significance of this point to operations?  After hearing your and 
> Chris's comments on how backed-up Bluefield yard could get throughout 
> the decades, it seems that this would be the last point that heavy 
> trains could be stopped and held out of the yard on what appears to be 
> a fairly level grade on which they might stand a decent chance of 
> being able to re-start and continue their climb into the yard.  This 
> of course begs the question as to when thing were really plugged up, 
> where were the previous places that trains were held waiting to be 
> able to get into the yard.
> Any and all comments from those knowledgeable will be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Jim Cochran
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