N&W Engine Coal Policies/Practices

[NW Mailing List]

I just perused Missouri Pacific Circular No. 70 of January 1, 1938, a 28 page document which detailed how that railroad wanted its engine coal handled.

The document listed which Divisions were to receive coal form which mines, and which yards would hold the coal until until forwarded to the coal wharves. One strange sounding stipulation was that coal wharves were to keep on hand only a 48 hour supply of engine coal, which seems none too prudent when one considers weather, wash-outs, wrecks, cars frozen solid in Winter weather, etc.

Reading this item made me realize that I have no idea what system and policies the N&W had in place for supplying engine coal to coal wharves and engine terminals, and have never seen any instructions pertaining to such matters as who was responsible for keeping coal wharves supplied.

Does anyone know how the N&W handled matters surrounding the supply of engine coal ?

-- abram burnett
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