Re: EBT - Re: what gauge were Uintah mine trams ?

dougvv Wrote:
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> As I recall, there mines on the EBT used 36" gauge
> mine cars. The EBT got the idea - why don't we
> take the 36" gauge mine cars directly to Mount
> Union?
>
> I can not find my EBT book by Rainey and Kyper but
> I think there is a photo of the experiment of the
> mine cars in Orbisonia.

Hi Doug,

The photo you're referring to is on page 135 of the Rainey and Kyper book, and shows EBT 4-6-0 2nd No. 4 with a long string of little four-wheel mine cars in the Mount Union yard, circa 1925. It's so funny and awkward looking it makes me smile every time I open the book to that page! The authors say it was an experiment during a period of excess coal traffic when the railroad had a shortage of hoppers. As might be expected, the low-sided mine cars tended to spill their coal along the ROW, and also derailed frequently, so the decision was made just to build some additional hoppers.

-Philip Marshall