Huger Middle Track

[NW Mailing List]

Grant,
Once again, terrific operational information for Maitland/Superior.  Would
you have the same type knowledge for any of the mines "up North Fork
hollow"?  In particular I am most interested in Crumpler, Greenbriar,
McDowell and Indian Ridge.
Thanks,
Jim Cochran

On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 11:59 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> Mr. Woods,
>
> Huger Middle Track has been and appears to still be used as a storage
> track. I'm not sure how this is currently worked, but based on this and
> similar locations in the past, the track arrangement suggests westbounds
> can set off empty hoppers by a trailing-point move from the #2 (former
> westbound) main and eastbounds can pick up loads by a trailing-point move
> from the #1 (former eastbound) main. The mine run can show up as just a
> light engine and swap empties for loads between the middle track and outlet
> track.
>
> Ironically, this middle track used to have an unusually elaborate
> arrangement on the west end and was kept busy serving three adjacent
> tipples. I believe the one current tipple is referred to as "Maitland" and
> is on the site of the former Lake Superior Coal Co., Operation #3, next to
> the westbound main. The former Maitland Colliery was on the same side just
> to the west past the next curve and the former Lake Superior #4 was across
> from #3, next to the eastbound main.
>
> The middle track's west end had the usual crossover to the westbound main,
> but had a double crossover to the eastbound main, just west of the #4
> outlet switch. Both Superior tipples only shipped west (lake) coal, so the
> double crossover made it easy to pull loads directly from #4 outlet across
> the eastbound main to the westbound. The mine run could set them over into
> the middle track along with loads from #3 for westbound River crews to pick
> up on their return to Williamson. River crews could also pull loads
> directly from the two Superior tipples if the middle track was full or if a
> tipple might get blocked off.
>
> Maitland loaded raw coal and when it shipped east to Bluestone, the mine
> run would shove these "short" loads into the east end of Huger for
> eastbound Elkhorn crews to pick up on their way back to Bluefield. When the
> mine run worked out of Eckman, they could also return with east loads for
> forwarding from Eckman Yard and free up more capacity at Huger.
>
> Westbound Elkhorn crews set off empties in Huger for the mine run to
> deliver all three tipples.
>
> When the lakes froze over, Superior stopped shipping and stockpiled coal.
> The resulting capacity in the middle track was used for storing coal from
> other tipples.
>
> Grant Carpenter
>
> On 10/18/2017 5:13 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> Just west of Huger tunnel a center track comes off main #1 then connects
> to main #2 about 3,000’ to the west.  I find it unusual since it’s not
> connected to both mains at both ends like most of the center sidings.  Can
> anyone explain this arrangement and how the track is used?  Is it just a
> storage track?  The satellite image on google maps shows some hoppers
> parked there.
>
>
>
> Here's the satellite image that shows the track:
>
>
>
> https://goo.gl/maps/dTJ7gwkN38y
>
>
>
> Carl Woods
>
> Richmond, VA
>
>
>
>
>
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