Covered Hoppers

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

There were outlying points where no sanding facility existed.   Apparently
Gainesville was one such point on the Southern.  Certainly N&W  was
fortunate to have many points equipped to sand locomotives.  At  outlying
points where no sanding facility exists,  power may be cycled back  to
a service facility, yet with all good intentions, an engine may linger  too
long and run out of sand.  In steam engine days,  an engine  watchman
coaled and sanded (by hand) engines at outlying points during the  off
hours.  Remember - you don't have to fill the sand reservoir to  capacity --
only enough to get a day's work done or enough to get it back to the
service facility.  Different strokes for different folks -- one of  NS's
Baldwins ran out of sand at Chocowinity.  The crew formed a line  from
the depot warehouse to the top of the engine and passed sand in
buckets to replenish the tank.  The sand had been shipped in a  55-gal
drum LCL style IN BOX CARS from the mechanical department  and
stored in the depot JUST IN CASE. The innovative Southern used 50#  bags.
Not every railroad had the financial where-with-al to make capital
improvements like N&W. 
                                                               Harry Bundy
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