Rick,
Some small towns at the end of branches served grain elevators. This would
be quite common. A coal/lumber yard might also be common depending on the
time frame. In some places you might have seen a coal tipple but this would
usually require more tracks besides the 2 or 3 storage tracks. At an
elevator at the end of a branch you'd normally have a run around track
arrangement. That is a siding at the elevator with a switch at both ends.
This would allow the inbound train of empties to shove in the elevator track
motor first. They'd shove the loads ahead until the whole inbound consist
was on the elevator track. They could stop and uncouple the inbound cars and
then shove the loads and engine beyond the far switch. This being completed,
and with both switches lined for the main the engine could reverse and pull
back it's outbound loads until clear of the switch they entered on arrival.
They'd then through the switch for the elevator track, back in, couple onto
the waycar, and leave. This would only require two tracks. Without a switch
at the far end they'd have to rely on gravity to get cars into or out of the
siding depending on how the spur was graded.
Ken Thompson
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