Re: [CBQ] Aurora coal chute 1868

["Mike Decker" <mdecker@gwtc.net>]

I see by the Patent papers that one of the applicants is a 'J. E. Clifton'.  That leads me to believe that these are the chutes that are popularly called the 'Clifton Pocket Coal Chutes'.  Among others, the Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge in Colorado used them.  John T. Carruthers built an 'O' scale model of the Vance Junction chutes, which used to be on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum.  I haven't been down there in years, so I can't say if it's still there.

When Bob Richardson got the C&S Mechanical records from the Denver Roundhouse, they included the Master Mechanic's Personnel records, account the Engineers worked for the Mechanical Department, not the Operating Department.  The BN probably never thought of that.  One of the Investigations involved the Clifton chute at Colorado Springs.  Seems like the Passenger job stopped to coal up at one of the pockets.  Freight trains generally cut off the engine to spot for coal, but comparatively light Passenger trains generally brought the whole train up.  There were little wooden 'tags' in holders on the outer faces of the chutes, which were labeled, on one side, with the number of tons of coal in that 'pocket'.  The other side was lettered 'Empty'.  Well...somebody had emptied the first pocket he came to, but neglected to turn the tag around.  This happened about three times, by which time he was starting to 'rough handle' the train.  The Conductor came up to remonstrate with the Engineer about it, and they got in a fist fight, that's where the 'party' came in.  The Master Mechanic allowed as how the Engineer had been severely provoked by other people failing to comply with the tag instructions, however, that was no excuse for beating up on the Conductor.  I don't remember the Discipline Assessed, but I suspect it was a number of 'Demerits, or 'Brownies'.

Mike.

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