Pokey operations

[NW Mailing List]

Jim,

Thanks for your comments.  Your mention of Alex's book reminds me that 
the Switchback power station is shown in his book on p. 152, and still 
begs the question in my mind as to how the material and machinery for 
that facility was delivered so far above the railroad.

Gordon

On 4/19/2022 7:56 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:
> Gordon,
> Can't speak to all facets of your question, but as to the name, there 
> was a turn out on the main (maybe more than one as I am looking for 
> documentation of a passing siding that may have existed) West of the 
> water tank with a spur that led down to the "bottom" where is 
> "switched back" to service mines along what is now at least route 52, 
> can't remember the name of the mines at the moment (covered well in 
> Alex's book).  The down spur also continued forward to go under the 
> bridge to become the Angle branch also followed the creek to the Wye 
> near Elkhorn Colliery.  Shamokin was also serviced down in the "bottom".
> Jim Cochran
>
> On Tue, Apr 19, 2022 at 7:37 AM NW Mailing List 
> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
>     Jim,
>
>     I can't answer your questions, but I can interject one of my own. 
>     The
>     origin of the name Switchback has intrigued me.  The photos of the
>     rather massive power plant on the hill above the mainline has made me
>     wonder if there could have been a switchback track spur up to the
>     power
>     plant to deliver the massive machinery and building materials
>     needed for
>     construction of the power plant in an era when the railroad would
>     have
>     been the principal carrier of such items.  Also, how about coal
>     deliveries by rail after the power plant was placed in operation,
>     or did
>     the plant's location give it direct access to a coal seam at that
>     elevation?
>
>     Gordon Hamilton
>
>     On 4/18/2022 9:35 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>     > Does anybody have any insight into operations at Switchback
>     prior to
>     > the late '40s realignment?  Coal loads would have to be rounded up
>     > from the Angle branch, Shamokin and Elkhorn and then brought up
>     to the
>     > main West of the power house.  But how was the traffic
>     controlled?  I
>     > haven't seen any photos showing signals to stop either mainline or
>     > mine movements.  How did they insure the main was clear when
>     they came
>     > up?  Also, if they "pulled" up from the bottom, the movement
>     would be
>     > pointed West.  Where did they go for assembly?  Did
>     everything go West
>     > to Byrd at North Fork or even on to Ecklmann?  Any and all thoughts
>     > will be appreciated.  Not to name names, but I'm hoping Mr. Grant
>     > might chime in on this one and perhaps Professor Schust.
>     > Thanks,
>     > Jim Cochran
>     >
>     > ________________________________________
>     > NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
>     > To change your subscription go to
>     > http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
>     > Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
>     > http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
>
>     -- 
>     This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
>     https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
>     ________________________________________
>     NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
>     To change your subscription go to
>     http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
>     Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
>     http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
>
>
> ________________________________________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20220419/9d6db5ca/attachment.htm>