Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Another Spot

While working on the scenery and structures around the engine service area at North Pierce, I happened to notice that there was some extra room at the end of the spur where tank cars of diesel fuel will be spotted for unloading. That led me to place a boxcar at the end of the spur to see just how much room there really is.































So with a boxcar spotted as above, would there still be enough room for two tank cars to be spotted at the fuel unloading cranes? If I moved one of the cranes closer to the turnout, it might be able to unload a car on either the Supply 2 or the adjacent Supply 1 spur. I mounted one of the unpainted cranes to check clearances, and sure enough, it works. As can be seen in the photo below, Supply 1 will also accommodate two tank cars and a boxcar.
































So the old water treatment building next to the water tank is now used for storing supplies and a boxcar will be spotted there occasionally for unloading. It's always great to find another location to receive cars during an operating session, especially given the limited amount of switching on the railroad. And it's these types of finds that can really ramp up the enthusiasm to get a particular area finished.

4 comments:

  1. Tom, great to see some progress on the CWE.
    We might have the same ideas in mind. I recently reconfigured my engine shop for more action during operation sessions.
    But let me ask a brief question : Why not unload the tank cars via bottom valves ?

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  2. Mike,

    It was most likely due to the configuration of the tank car or the viscosity of the fuel or a combination of both. I believe this type of fuel crane came into use when the diesels first appeared on the scene. I know they were common on the C&O and I have photo taken in 1984 of four of them in a row at Hazard, KY on the L&N.

    Tom

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  3. Your giving me bad thoughts on freight car spotting and locations Mr Patterson

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