Heavy hump cut

NG501062

Heavy hump cut

Steam Locomotive

Engine 1971 is shown here shoving a typical cut - L&N coal - up the heavy hump. This cut is on the scale track, but is being switched to the lead (in the foreground, below) farther up the hill. The nine-track eastbound receiving yard in the background is known as "Evendale", getting its name from the community immediately south of it. . During the early part of the week, when coal received from the L&N and C&O dwindles to a trickle as a result of the miners’ day off on Sunday, the heavy hump is often laid in. When this occurs, eastbound business is flat-switched at Sharon Avenue, at the east end of the classification yard. Later in the week when the "black tide" increases, the hump goes back to work again. In steam days, twenty-six loads of coal in fifty-ton hoppers was about the heaviest cut the standard H-7 humper could handle without stalling on the ascent. If business was extra heavy, tvo H-7s or an H-7 and a U-3 were doubleheaded, enabling the cuts to be increased to around fifty cars. At present, two 1200-AP Baldwin road switchers operated in multiple are covering the heavy hump job satisfactorily. Incidentally, the vehicles crossing the tracks in the background are on a main highway, Bypass U.S. 50 (incredible as that may seem). This situation has, of course, resulted in a major headache for motorists and for the railroad, especially with hump cuts moving at a snail's pace over the crossing. At this writing, the problem seems about to be solved, since plans for an underpass have been approved.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

Dec-53

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2/8/2002

348

H-7e

#1971

Alco-Schen

Sharon, OH

See NG501062a