DateTime
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Author
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Posting
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04/08/2003 5:53
PM |
Bill Kuebler |
Train 124 normally
departed Fargo on the Eastward main track. The only times I saw it leave on
the westward main track were in 1969--which is when that photo in Sander's
book was taken. The reason for the 1969 exceptions was the NP installed
welded rail in the eastward main track between 4th. St. and 8th St.
(including the track in front of the depot) in May-June 1969--plus there was
some work done down at 2nd St., about four blocks east of the Depot, where
they installed a new underpass. The underpass installation involved a shoofly
in the eastward main, and later in both mains, and this caused a few reverse
direction movements during the changeover. But the most likely cause for the
124 operation you see in the page 37 photo is the welded rail job. If that
was really taken in May--and it looks like it was, judging from no track work
in front of the depot--then the welded rail work was probably further east. I recall one day when the welded rail
work was being done just east of Broadway. This was in late May 1969. Anyway,
train No. 2 arrived on the eastward main as usual, did its station work, then
backed clear up to the crossovers over 10th St., then crossed over and
proceeded through town on the westward main. As for Manitoba Jct., standard operation was for 124 to use
the eastward main all the way from Fargo to Manitoba Jct. In about 1963, the
connecting point with train 1 was changed from there to Hawley, where 124 and
1 often met--so 124 would have to be on the eastward main if No. 1 were on
the westward main. The Hawley depot sat on the north side of the tracks.
Sidings at Hawley were not too useful for any other arrangement between 124
and 1. Also, in case anyone is curious, No. 123 and 124 normally operated
with the RDC's A-end leading; ormally, the RDCs ran backwards only between
the Fargo depot and Dilworth roundhouse before and after runs. These were
yard limit moves to position equipment and not 123/124 movements. At Manitoba Jct., arriving 124's
equipment would proceed east of the depot, then back through a x-over and
continue westward on the westward main to clear the west leg switch, then
enter the west leg of the wye. Usually it would proceed around that leg and
then back down the east leg for the station work, when the connection was at
Manitoba Jct. There was a wooden depot platform on the east leg as well as on
the two mains. The operation was much the same in the pre-1962 days when
124/13 were equipped with locomotive and cars (before the RDCs). I have a
color slide showing 124/13's train having just backed down the east leg for
station work, with train No. 1 arriving on the westward main in the
background. NP was not too fond of
facing point crossovers in places other than yards, although there were a few
exceptions--and I've been told that these exceptions were installed
relatively late in the game. RDC,
RDCs, Train 123, Train 124
Compiler C Frissell |