Another interesting thing about the low-grade system lines is they were purpose-built in the Twentieth Century, using advanced design and construction methods, and so went straight through the hills, not around, using cuts and fills the size of which were unimaginable when the mainlines were laid. In fact, they were built to minimize helper districts and avoid interaction with public and places, so no wonder they remained little known or seen carrying heavy traffic, workmanlike, for decades and but for electrification, operated continuously, as designed until fading away, no longer needed. Helpers were another interesting part of railroading not often needed on the low-grade lines. Out of sight, out of mind to the public, contemporaries, and historians alike, the low-grade was almost all through freight traffic so no locals, switching, online customers and rarely a grade crossing. Also, while the mainlines traversed high profile city terminals, towns and stations, and folks could ride passenger trains thereon, the low-grade lines were deliberately remote, grade separated, and rarely saw passenger service. Well short of six tracks even counting the crossover!Īmong the things so interesting to me about PRR's low-grade system lines is they arrived late and were mostly retired early so were neither part of the romance of PRR history, nor the contemporary railroading scene we can go out and see in action today. Based on Bruce Smith's comment this would be post-electrification and after the water and ash station was closed. Thank you, Bob Hess, for sharing this interesting drawing. Owen Thorne PRRTHS, Phila and NE Chapters Cecil County MD USA owen at udel dot edu 1-41 I imagined there was apparatus inside needed for signaling and maybe as a way station or supply house for a section crew or signal maintainers. I knew the tower survived decades after electrification made a manned interlocking at Smith extraneous, but I did not know that it was used as a Block Station during maintenance. Has anyone seen track charts that support this claim? Or is the author counting a siding for ash hoppers and a helper pocket with the mains three tracks wide westward toward Martic Forge? And which of these were retained after electrification? If there was an ash pit, was there a hoist? How about a coaling station? It may not matter to us as you will be modeling the 1940's and I, the 1950's, but I can't help wonder. By 1941, the average Enola Low-Grade freight length peaked at 89 cars or 3,500 to 4,000 feet long." Wow! Six tracks wide are tough to envision from the r-o-w today. This made it possible to move an entire train out of dedicated east and westbound traffic. At its peak, six tracks stretched west of Smith Tower, with three of them extending for nearly two miles. Formerly known as “SF” for Shenks Ferry, it was wedged between the tracks and a rock face. From the article: "At this location, they built Smith Tower. Little did I know the reservoir and gatehouse survived above my head! As it is winter now, I will head out there and look for it from the trail and adjacent street. Were the water and ash stations at Smith removed then or after WWII? While I have walked the line, noted the wider r-o-w and located the bricks marking the tower location - and a pipe in the ground - I could see no other artifacts of the water station along the trail. How late beyond electrification in 1938 did steam or steam helpers remain in use and need service there or anywhere along the Enola Low-grade? I imagined an all electric locomotive operation was the goal once all the wire was up on all the low-grade lines, and enough electric motors were in service. Do you know of a PRR Low Grade Facebook group or other online gathering? I thought of you after noting the article included several pictures I had not seen including the one of the pre-electrification Smith water and ash station from track level. Bruce, Thanks, so much, for this additional information on one of my favourite lines.
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