Pritchard and Other Coaling Stations

[NW Mailing List]

Bruce, I found the following paragraph in a February 1925 issue of the Circleville Herald article sub-titled “Norfolk & Western Puts in Mammoth Plant at Dorney Station” that gives a hint about the staff on the softener side. I find the last sentence a little confusing the way it’s structured, but I interpret the total staff as eight. And just one trick. This is contemporaneous with the Pritchard construction. 

The water softening plant is in charge of Mr. L. D. Ashford, who has been in the service of the N.&W. for the past thirty years, in that particular department, he he is
ably assisted by Messrs. Samuel Groom, another veteran employe of the Company who has been at Dorney since it was established, George Wrightsel, Jacob Hatzo, Michael Good, Jobn Ross, Harold Lockart and John Cory. Mr. Ashford has the first eight hour trick after which the softening plant is looked after by the tipple employes.

Regarding your question about moving locomotives to the appropriate track for lump coal, it appears from the drawing that each of the tracks had a chute capable of dispensing lump - the first (or last) chute over a given track. Thanks for asking it, as it sent me back to the article.

I’m curious about the answers to all of your questions. 

Matt Goodman
Columbus, Ohio, US


> On Jul 11, 2025, at 9:30 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> I enjoyed the detailed article in the Arrow about the construction of the coaling and watering station at Pritchard. Now I have questions about how it (and others like it) operated.
> 
> I assume parts of it operated 24 hours a day, although the article did say there wouldn't be a night shift for the hoist and the water softening plant. How many workers were typically engaged in the operation? Who and how were the switches controlled to move trains on to the right track to reach a standpipe, then under the correct coal chute (stoker coal vs. hand-fired)? Were stops at the facility scheduled much like station stops so the workers would know what trains to expect when? Was there a telegraph office there to track movements? Who did what in the process -- did the fireman take care of filling the tender with water and coal or did he have help from the workers at the facility? What about dropping ashes? How were the hoppers spotted when delivering coal for the facility, along with moving empties and cars with cinders? Was that a job for a local that passed through? Was there a "coal master" like a yardmaster in charge on each shift? Lots of details that aren't normally thought about.
> 
> Bruce, curious in Blacksburg
> 
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