01-24-2014, 10:24 AM
Both the N&W and Virginian had similar cars. Their purpose was to move coal from dumpers to more elevated coal piers, from which the coal could be dumped by gravity into oceangoing ships for export or barges for transfer up to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and New England. They were similar on both the VGN and N&W, similar appearance, capacity, and power:
Most other coal and ore piers either dumped from railcars directly into bunkers on the pier, as on the Great Lakes, or dumped directly from a dumper into the vessel, as in many other places like coastal New Jersey or Lorain, OH. The N&W and VGN cases are the only ones I'm aware of where this type of transfer car was used. I remember seeing the VGN transfer cars in use at Sewells Point from the water about 1960. In later years, they were replaced by conveyor belt loading.
Most other coal and ore piers either dumped from railcars directly into bunkers on the pier, as on the Great Lakes, or dumped directly from a dumper into the vessel, as in many other places like coastal New Jersey or Lorain, OH. The N&W and VGN cases are the only ones I'm aware of where this type of transfer car was used. I remember seeing the VGN transfer cars in use at Sewells Point from the water about 1960. In later years, they were replaced by conveyor belt loading.