Re: The C&S Coal Chutes: Four bins? Six Bins? Eight Bins? Twelve Bins?

Posted by Mike Trent on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/The-C-S-Coal-Chutes-Pine-Como-Dickey-Pitkin-and-almost-Breckenridge-tp4269p4308.html

Excellent thread, and information.

I can't offer any photographs, but I can offer some relevant comments.

1) The mechanical loader pictured at Leadville is a Red Devil. The D&RGW used these at both Alamosa and Antonito after the elevated pocket loaders were removed in later years at both locations.

2) I believe it to be very possible that at one time there were 14 pockets at Dickey. These were probably reconfigured or replaced in the early 20's to allow larger pockets to service the newer and larger locomotives. All of the 12 pockets at Dickey in later years are of the same style and capacity as what appear to be the two pockets added on to the Pine facility in later years.

3) Note in the photo of #76 at Dickey, that the chute is lined with either sheet iron or tin.

4) It bears mentioning that these pockets, while all had fairly high maximum capacity, some were designated for containing much lower tonnage. The tenders of the Moguls had a smaller tonnage capacity in their bunkers than most of the consolidations, and far smaller tonnage capacity than those of the B-4-F class, and #537 after it's tender was widened. Those pockets designated for light loads were marked with boards nailed to the insides which were used to mark the level above which they were not to be filled. I am sure I have seen a photograph taken at Pine which shows an enormous pile of coal on the far side of the track from the pocket which was obviously caused because a small engine was either spotted at the wrong pocket for loading, or someone had mistakenly overloaded a pocket. Either way, once the catch was released, there was no stopping the contents from dropping.

5) Interesting to note the tonnage rating for the pockets at all the locations which Ken posted. Bear in mind that the rated capacity of coal gons at full tonnage is 50,000 lbs. which is 25 tons. The ramps of all the elevated tipples appear to be designed for three loaded gons maximum, with very little space for stopping. The ramp at Dickey was built for four gons, which would deliver 100 tons. The picture Todd posted from the back side at Pine Grove shows six fully loaded gons spotted, awaiting their turn. Also very interesting to note the listed capacities of the old platforms, which contained a world of coal in reserve. The 2096 tons of coal listed at Dickey alone would represent the equivalent of 84 loaded gons, only four of which were in the tipple pockets. And that doesn't count loaded gons in the yard awaiting unloading. For modelers, even in HOn3 scale, crushing that much coal could give you a touch of Black Lung. Not to mention the mess. I do have plans to build a 3' coaling platform (144' in 1/4") which will really go a long way toward conveying the feel of what Dickey once was. I'll probably have to fend off the EPA to do it. No wonder the roster shows as any coal gons as boxcars.      

6) It is my understanding that the guys who were hired to do all of the shoveling to keep the coal moving were local men, hired as General Labor, not necessarily railroad employees. At Como, many of the guys who worked the tipples were either off duty enginemen, and their sons. And cousins, and next door neighbors. Times were hard, work was scarce, and the labor was backbreaking.

Any way you look at it, there is no way to disguise the terrible hardships and misery that were just accepted as everyday life, not all that long ago.