Mainline hopper movements

[NW Mailing List]

OK, so an Elkhorn job takes off from Bluefield with a 21 hunnert and a big
string of empty hoppers (caboose yes?) headed West.  This movement drops
off empties where needed (did it pick up any loads while setting off at the
terminals?) and finally has no more empties and returns to Bluefield?  So
this is how empties would have gotten to Byrd yard (a terminal?) ready for
distribution up North Fork holler.  Bet a buck you can anticipate my next
series of questions.  Well since you left the North Fork branch for me to
model, I need to do it properly :^)
Thanks,
Jim

On Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 3:21 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> Jim,
>
> The Bluefield pool job was referred to as just "Elkhorn" or "Elkhorn
> man/job/run." Motive power was one 2100 with empties or running light, with
> a cab and road crew of five. If there were two engines, one was a
> Pocahontas Pool pusher with a two-man crew, and both were dispatched facing
> in the same direction and running light to go pick up east loads.
>
> In similar fashion, the Tug River Pool job out of Williamson was referred
> to as "River," as well as the pusher pool. They were dispatched with
> empties or east loads, and sported auxiliary tenders.
>
> A clarification, terminals on the District where crews were based and runs
> originated in the 1950s included Weller Yard, Auville Yard, Eckman Yard and
> Wilcoe Yard. The terminal at Eckman closed in 1951 and Wilcoe closed for
> the latter half of the 1950s.
>
> These pool jobs could set off and pick up by trailing-point moves at
> designated storage points listed earlier, but tipples were left to the
> six-man mine runs. If needed, a pool run could, for example, deliver a
> tipple, and then put in for extra pay.
>
> Grant Carpenter
>
> On 11/24/2025 6:09 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> Grant,
> Should I forget to say it explicitly in any of my messages, know that I am
> always grateful to you for sharing your knowledge.  OK, it is the start of
> a normal working day in the mid 1950s in Bluefield.  A "pool" run (was that
> how they were referred to?) is assembled with a long string of empties
> bookended by power.  Was the power Ys?  Were there 2?  Was one running in
> reverse?  Since I assume most pool yards had two switches off the main,
> what was the reason for using locomotives with opposite facings?
> Jim Cochran
>
> On Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 6:32 AM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Jim,
>>
>> That's right, there was a pool of road crews based in each main terminal,
>> Elkhorn Pool in Bluefield and Tug River Pool in Williamson, that hauled
>> empties (when available) to storage points and returned with loads from
>> storage points. Mine runs only had to move empties and loads between
>> tipples and the nearest storage point. Those points on the main line from
>> Bluefield west to Iaeger included: Mullins Middle, Flat Top Yard, Bluestone
>> (River Track), Angle Branch, Morgan Storage, North Fork Hollow/Elk Ridge
>> Storage, Byrd Yard, Eckman Yard, Vivian (Kimball Yard), Cirrus Storage,
>> Huger Middle, Superior #3 Outlet, Tug Storage, Farm Storage, Caples Outlet,
>> Davy Storage, Twin Branch Storage, Claren Storage and Hull Middle (the
>> limit of Elkhorn crews). Branchline yards served by pool runs included
>> Clift, Wilcoe and Auville.
>>
>> As I mentioned earlier, operation limits, variations and exceptions were
>> typical; however, to your last point, I agree it is a good idea to limit my
>> posts to the specific questions and limit details, so feel free to follow
>> up.
>>
>> Grant Carpenter
>>
>> On 11/22/2025 2:44 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>>
>> Grant et al.
>> Thank you so much for your responses, I will keep asking as long as you
>> keep answering :-)
>> From the Pokey's point of view, empties magically appeared in huge
>> strings at Bluefield and Williamson, and needed to be distributed to every
>> mining operation.  What I think I just put together from Grant's response
>> (please correct me on anything/everything) is there was a distribution
>> hierarchy of runs to keep everyone supplied.  Those big "mainline" runs
>> that I started with in my first post, would start their runs "all empty"
>> and set off cuts at what I will call distribution points (yards) while
>> picking up loads from these large holding facilities.  The ones that come
>> to my mind are Flat Top, Cliff, Byrd, Eckman, Vivian/Kimball, and I get
>> foggier as I go West of my primary area of interest.  Mike you probably
>> know the ones around Iaeger, so please chime in.  Is there a comprehensive
>> list?  The mainline run would, at some point have set off all its empties
>> and picked up a full train of loads and head back to its terminal of origin
>> be it Bluefield or Williamson.  How am I doing so far?  I am going to keep
>> my posts somewhat short so as to try to concentrate on a limited aspect at
>> a time to help keep things straight, at least for me.
>> Thanks,
>> Jim Cochran
>>
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