STEAM OPERATIONS

STEAM OPERATIONS

OF THE

CHESAPEAKE &OHIO RAILWAY

HINTON, WEST VIRGINIA

William E. Simonton, III

NOTES

Updated: 06/02/2012

1.	Section Tool House 122 is a standard C & O tool house built to C & O Standard S-5 & S-5A except for the doors which were an oblivious later addition. Razed 1985. .

2.	The Linemen's Tool House is apparently a standard C & O tool house built to C & O standard S-5 & S-5A and modified for use by the linemen by adding two windows (one at the side and one at the rear) and a coal stove. This was at least a standard on the C & O New River and Alleghany Subdivisions, as the author has observed identical structures at Thurmond, West Virginia, and Alleghany, Virginia. Razed 1985.

3.	The Propane Gas Storage House (108) is the second built at Hinton. The first was located between the old wood yard office and the Mallet Engine House. It was removed (relocated R.R. east) when the present brick Yard Office was built in the location shown.

4.	This structure was incorrectly identified as “Rabbit’s Shanty” in the Model Railroader article of September 1991. Razed 1985. The author recently observed (4/22/04) a photograph taken at Clifton Forge showing an almost identical structure used there.

5.	The sand bunker is a standard Fairbanks Morse & Co. design. The same design was also used at Fulton Yard, Richmond, Virginia, Clifton Forge, Virginia, and Stevens, Kentucky. In 1946, the sand bunker was modified by moving the sand conveyor from the inside of the structure to the enclosed structure on its R.R. north face, demolishing the original pit underneath the concrete shelter attached to the sand bunker, and building a new sand pit on a separate spur track elevated above and to the rear of the sand bunker. In addition to increasing the capacity of the sand bunker, the change would have alleviated the problems sure to have been encountered with the coal pit and sand pit on the same spur so close together. The structure to the rear of the concrete sand bunker was constructed of ¼” steel which was salvaged from old or scrapped rail cars, as peeling paint revealed the old white lettering on my last visit to Hinton. In addition to providing shelter to the chute from the elevated sand pit, the structure also contained an additional sand drying stove. At some date, the C & O began delivering dry sand in covered hoppers to Hinton, and the sand was piped directly from the bottom of the pit underneath the covered hopper cars to the coal dock sand bunkers. All operations ceased circa 1986.

6.	Drawings of the Depot prepared by the Historical American Engineering Record (HAER) may be found at the following website.
	HABS/HAER

7.	Photo of Jim EuDaly's Model of the Mallet House (Early color was probably black with red lead replacing the black sometime after 1946.) The drawings of the Mallet Engine House are based upon C & O Drawing Nos. 3000, 3000A, 15223, and 14549-8. Although the original drawings circa 1911 are complete (Nos. 3000 & 3000A) they do require significant study to understand as they are half-framing drawings typical of the era. Drawing No. 15223 provided information on the expansion of the Mallet Engine House required by the arrival of the C & O H-8 2-6-6-6 locomotives in 1942, but I have nothing on the removal of the monitor and the installation of the asbestos smoke jacks except drawings of those installed in the roundhouse in 1942, and a letter in one of the Chief Engineer's files which approved the purchase of six smoke jacks of which four were used on the roundhouse. The board and batten were rough sawn as a note on the original drawings specifies undressed 1" x 12" boards and 1" x 3" batten. Dressed (run through a planer to smooth the exposed surface) would have reduced the boards to 7/8ths inch thickness. A note on Dwg. No. 15223 indicates that doors from the roundhouse were installed on the extension to the Mallet Engine House erected in 1942 - that would have been from stalls 14, 15, 16 or 17. Whether roundhouse doors were also installed at the east end of the Mallet Engine House is unknown. Based upon photographs of the interior of the Roundhouse, the interior would have been white washed and the white washing would have included the trusses and framing.

8.	The Wash Rack drawings are essentially complete except for the D & M Washing Machines which occupied the 4' x 4' pads on each side of the wash rack. Connections were placed along the sides and center of the wash rack. A tank for D & M oil was located a short distance from the wash rack. The machines used hot water and added a mixture of D & M oil. The oil was atomized, and mixed with hot water and used as a surfactant (as de-greasing agent)(as a detergent pre-detergent era) with the patina of oil remaining to protect the parts. The recent Archives work session at Clifton Forge turned up a complete set of plans for the "Arrangement" for D&M wash machines with all connections. The only thing missing is the machine itself - a cylinder about 36" high by 22" in diameter. I will post a complete set of drawings derived from those in the future. In addition, a wood frame board & batten ancillary structure for the Wash Rack (the "D&M Cleaning House) was erected on the railroad north side of the wash rack in 1945. The size, appearance and use of this structure is not now known, but was probably used to store extra hoses and may - may have been used as a shelter for the wash rack workers. The author also observed an identical wash rack at Clifton Forge, Virginia.

9.	For modelers of the C & O, please note that Diamond Scale Products http://www.diamond-scale.com/ makes O and HO scale Bethlehem Twin Span turntables with the correct center arch (available as an option). The HO 120' turntable is a very good match for the 115' turntables the C & O used as the extra 5' virtually disappears when a H-7 or H-8 with the extra length typical of a model articulated is on the turntable.

10.	COAL DOCK NOTES: Typical Ladder Stock Rungs are 5/8" rod on 14" centers. Risers are 2" x 1/4". Width (Total) = 14". Hanger Brackets are L-shaped of 4" x 1/4" stock and project 6" from the coal dock. Ladder Between Coal Dock Legs Rungs are 5/8" rod on 14" centers. Risers are 2" x 2" Angle. Width (Total) = 18". The cross piece at the top appears to be 4" x 4" Angle and appears to be a later addition (not original). Cage between Coal Dock Legs. All Elements are 2" x 1/4". Bolted together (Bolt Heads are 13/16" Square). Cage is 56" high and 45" above the foundation (concrete). Cross pieces are 16" apart. Steps on Railroad West Elevation. Risers are 2" x 6" Steel Channel 3/16" thick. Width (Total) = 24". Steps are Wood 7-1/2" x 1-3/4" with a 10" Rise. Cross Braces (5 total on first ) are 2" x 1/4" on 60" Centers. Railing is 1-1/2" O.D. Pipe bolted to 2" x 2" Angle with 1/4" U-Bolts. Posts are 30" long. Walkways & Platforms. The original walkways were constructed of 2" x 6" channel with a 2" x 4" nailing pads bolted to the inside ] [ of the steel channel. The typical platform appears to be 38" wide with the steel channel on 28" centers (Total Width = 30"). The 8" overhang is to the inside and the posts appear also to be 2" x 2" Angle with 1-1/2" Railings. The triangular supports appear to be constructed of 4" x 4" Angle bolted to 1/4" triangular gussets with each leg of the triangle being equal. The platform between the Coal Dock Sand Bunkers on the Railroad East Elevation was added in the 1930's based upon photographic evidence. Unlike the original walkways they are constructed of straight 4" x 4" Angle and the railing posts appear to be 2-1/2" to 3" Angle. The Walkway on the slope of the Coal Dock above the Coal Dock Sand Bunkers was added in 1946 when the steel addition to increase the capacity of the Coal Dock Sand Bunkers was added and the modifications made to the Fairbanks Morse & Co. Sand Bunker. Windows (Hoist House) Opening is 38-1/2" x 56". Window Lights are 10" x 12". Mullions are 1/8" (Total 5/8" with Putty). Side and Top (Combination Blind Stop) 2-1/2". Bottom Frame 2". Doors. Door Framing is 1-3/4". Pipes. Small Pipes on the Railroad East elevation running from the bottom of the Sand Bunker support are 3" O.D. with 7" between the pipe and the leg of the Coal Dock and is attached with a "Z" bracket at the bottom only with a 1/4" U-Bolt. Large Pipes running down the side of the Coal Dock from the top of the Sand Bunkers are 5-1/2" O.D. with a 2-1/2" space between the Coal Dock leg and the pipe. The brackets attaching the pipes to the Coal Dock are 2-1/2" wide with the leg attachment pad being 2-1/2" x 4-1/2". Hoist Shaft Opening (at Base). The two (2) openings at the base of the hoist shaft were covered (1970's) by two (2) panels of 7/8" T & G beaded siding (4" boards beaded in a 2" pattern. The bottom panels were 72" wide and 48" high. The top panels were 72" wide and 62" high and overlapped the bottom panels 5".

11.	The HAER map of the West Yard at Hinton appears to be a composite of the West Yard from the Passenger Depot to the Coal Dock from the 1960's or 1970's and a map of the West Yard from just railroad west of the Coal Dock from 1929 -30 before the improvements which built the Coal Dock and the Engine Supply and Ice House. Many of the structures shown on the HAER map railroad west of the Coal Dock were removed as part of the yard improvement projects of 1929 - 1930, and the Engine Supply House is not shown at all.

12.	The HAER drawing of the Hinton Depot circa 1975 notes that the Passenger Depot illustrated in the HAER drawings was a replacement of the 1892 Passenger Depot which was destroyed by fire in 1913. That is incorrect. The upper floors of the Passenger Station was heavily damaged by fire, but was rebuilt using the original brick walls and the additions thereto which expanded both the eastern and western wings of the station and added second floors. The roof was completely rebuilt and modified. Compare the "As Built" station of 1892 drawn by the author from original C & O drawings to the HAER drawings and one can see the original 1892 structure. The author observed photographs of the passenger station after the fire showing the damage in the collection of Steve Trail.

13.	The Russ Hass drawings contain some errors based upon the my review of some photographs of the Clifton Forge M1 Coaldock. Using his indispensable drawings I have attempted to draw all four elevations. Much thanks to Russ Hass and the others who did much of the heavy lifting -- particularly the field measurements.

14.	The 3D Fairbanks Morse & Co. 800 Ton Coal Dock is correct as I can get it based upon my onsite measurements and the few Fairbanks Morse & Co drawing which have been found in the COHS files recovered from the C & O and CSX. The interior of the top of the monitor is incomplete, there is an apparent "interference" between the hoist shaft and the cone, some supports for machinery on the crusher floor are missing, and the inside of the cone and cylinder and slope sheets are incomplete as the few drawings I have of the interior are incomplete and will need to be “re-engineered”. I will post more complete drawings as I figure out the few that I have. This is the CONCRETE of the coal dock in one piece. Now if I had a high quality/large format 3D printer I could “print” the coal dock.