Pretty image! Interesting that there appears to be no crossover near the dock; did they have to back up all the way around the curve to alternate loads on each side?
|
Man that is just too cool Bill...thanks for digging out this fascinating bit of history to share with us.
|
| Posted by Andrew on November 14, 2012 | |
This is a great photograph. Full of unanswered questions. What happened in bad weather? How much of a problem was uneven weight on the barge, (Heavy loco on one side, empty car on the other)? How did they manage to line up the track with enough accuracy for the rolling stock? An even more pressing problem is :- How do I model that on our Canadian outline model railway?
Fascinating aspect of "Railroading"
|
Andrew...Answer some of your questions..Re Weather, Lake so deep and large never freezes in winter except around shallow shoreline that can be easily broken by barge. Plow was kept at Rosebery if line to Nakusp required plowing. High winds rare as narrow north south valley. Re docking Pile bumper posts, and lake level adjustable slip dock helped tug navigate in. Rails would be locked with angle plates similiar to moveable bridge. Usually enough empties going as train only operated when enough traffic to balance barge...maybe at times would taking extra unrequired empty along.
Bill Hooper
|
I can answer some of these questions...
J, there wasn't a crossover, the siding ended just around the corner. The yard is out of the photo to the left. That leads me into Andrew's question. You didn't have to alternate loading, the barges they used were sturdy enough that you did one side at a time. Even a locomotive wouldn't unbalance it severely.
For modeling, check this out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUHCx-Gkdbg
|
Slo can go!
|
Amazing shot! It is really wonderful to see such a rare view nowdays. In Bulgaria we have only one train ferry service that shuttles across the Black Sea to Port Kavkaz in Russia and Ilychevsk in Ukraine and carries broad gauge wagons.
|