Mainline hopper movements

[NW Mailing List]

Grant 

 

How were cars handled  off Clear Fork , and Spice Creek ? Worked from where ?

 

Larry Evans 

 

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2025 6:13 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: Re: Mainline hopper movements

 

Maybe less pie and more nap – (2) edits below:

Grant Carpenter

On 11/28/2025 1:36 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

Hello Jim,

There were six to ten crews assigned to the Elkhorn Pool out of Bluefield. They rotated first-in, first-out with eight hours of rest. They handled full-length mainline trains, that was 80 loads eastbound upgrade, which required a 2100 and a pusher. 

Specifically, the Elkhorn run to North Fork left Bluefield running forward with empties behind and a cab on the rear. A clarification from earlier where I stated this job would turn on the table at Eckman and pickup east loads there for the return trip to Bluefield: Farm became the turning point when the Eckman table was taken out of service. If so, this crew continued west, possibly picking up east loads along the WB main, turned, filled out tonnage at some point, met a pusher, and started back to Bluefield.

Depending on the date, they called the operator or the dispatcher to unlock the switch at the branch junction with the WB main. Extra movements would have to register on, so the box should have been near that switch.

If you are still referring to the Elkhorn crew, it was a trailing-point move to back empties into the Elk Ridge Storage track, yes, formally formerly the oven track, then into the North Fork Storage track, formally formerly the main track before a new main track was laid next to it. They would not have delivered Algoma – that was first on the mine run's agenda.

Grant Carpenter

On 11/27/2025 7:10 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

Hope everyone is full of turkey and pie and got at least one nap this afternoon, 

Had I been and engineer in Bluefield assigned to the Elkhorn pool (were crew assigned to the pools?), and drew the North Fork run, what class loco would I have had under me (a 2000?).  Would I be running forward or reverse?  Would the empties be in front of me or behind me?  Would there be a cab, and if so, where?

When I get to North Fork, do I need to sign the book showing I am occupying the branch, and if so, where was the book kept (in the station?)?  After being cleared for the branch, and depending upon the loco's facing, I would start to either push or pull those empties around the hill where the Elk Ridge coke ovens used to be and head up the holler to make my first drop off at Algoma?

Can I pack any more questions into one short message, time will tell,

Jim Cochran

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