L&N transfer at Ivorydale

NG501070

L&N transfer at Ivorydale

Steam Freight Train

Among the most interesting of the Cincinnati Terminal operations and in the days of steam especially, by far the most dramatic are the across-the-river transfers. The interest stems from the unusual nature of the transfers; the normal concept of a modest cut of cars, powered by a yard engine, the latter often backing up, with a castoff or converted-boxcar caboose usually trailing the engine instead of bringing up the rear... such nondescript characteristics are as out of place as a commuter train in C.U.T., as far as these runs are concerned. The average across-the-river transfer is pulled by heavy-duty road power, is helped on part of its run in both directions by equally heavy-duty road power, has from 80 to 90 cars, consists predominantly or completely of coal loads on one leg of its run with a tonnage in excess of 4,000, and makes a 40 to 50-mile round trip in twelve hours or more. As for the dramatics, this photograph should provide sufficient (if mute) evidence. The two H-7s are thundering up through Ivorydale in the early morning on the return trip from the L&N's DeCoursey yard. This crew was called at Sharon late on the previous evening, took a train of mostly empty hoppers to DeCoursey, and brought back 76 cars, with a head end of manifest and a fillout of coal. The blasting iron horses are the 1961, the helper out of Mill Creek, and the 1964, the road engine. The latter will of course tie up on arrival at Sharon; the former will return light either to Mill Creek for another "help" or, more likely, to Riverside to tie up (the time factor usually restricts these crews to one helper run).

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

Jun-54

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354

H-7e

#1961, #1964

Cincinnati, OH

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