Re: [CBQ] Re: Chatts

["'John D. Mitchell, Jr.' cbqrr47@yahoo.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Scorio isn't "volcanic". It is shale that has been burnt by ancient fires that 
started when lightning struck the ground and ignited the underlying coal seam.


On Friday, May 23, 2014 9:45 AM, "mdecker@gwtc.net [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> 
wrote:
  


  
No, Bill.  Scorio is volcanic stuff that they have up around Gillette.  The Q, 
or more properly, the B&MR, had pits west of Lincoln for burning clay.  They 
dug, IIRC, three long trenches with tracks in between.  Then, they filled the 
pits with layers of clay, wood and coal and set fire to it.  when it was done 
burning, they had something like pottery.  They'd bust it up and use it for 
ballast.  There was a section about it in one of my old track books.  I can't 
find it today, it's not in "Notes on Track" or "The Trackman's Helper" both of 
1904 vintage,, but it might have been in an ICS text.

Mike