Re: Rotary car dumper - Salida?

CharlieMcCandless Wrote:
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> Speaking of the barrel transfer, as I understand
> it narrow gauge cars were dumped one car at a
> time. Since narrow gauge did not have rotary
> couplers, they had to be uncoupled and recoupled
> after the dump. Is this correct?


Charlie, I was reading tonight the Trails Along the Columbine book on Monarch and there is a whole segment on the Rotary Barrel Transfer. You are correct...one car at a time, and had to be uncoupled. SG cars were below, and it basically took two NG cars to fill a SG one. There was a small shanty where 1 man operated the transfer unit, while brakeman rolled the cars into place and so forth. This was east of Salida yard at what was called Barrel(really east end of Salida yard). Coal from the Marshall Pass lines was transferred here, as well as Limestone from Monarch Pass. I haven't finished the chapter yet!! Interesting stuff.
Greg