Mainline hopper movements

[NW Mailing List]

Jim C, you know what this message thread needs?  A dad-burned track chart -
that's what.
Some of us young ignorant types are doing our best to follow along.
Grant, this is very interesting stuff.

Mike Rector

On Sat, Nov 29, 2025 at 8:01 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> The Elkhorn pool run has filled both the Elk Ridge Storage track and the
> North Fork Storage track, grabbed its cab and headed West to turn and pick
> up loads.  Now, a mine run gets dispatched from Eckman bound for the North
> fork branch.  What class locomotive?  Did it have a cab?  Was it facing
> forward (East)?  When it arrived at North fork and signed onto the branch,
> Would it pull all the empties from both storage tracks at Elk Ridge or a
> lesser number prior to heading further up the holler to Algoma?
> Jim Cochran
>
> On Fri, Nov 28, 2025 at 6:23 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> wrote:
>
>> 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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