No depot remained when we were there. I'm not sure what might have once existed beyond the tower, but Grafton (a major terminal to the west) and Tunnelton (to the east) are each only ten miles away and may have served Hardman's needs.
OK. Needed to know for certain, as sometimes there was a depot and a tower. Sometimes both copied orders. For example, the depot might be read as "Hardman" and the tower copied as "Q Tower". Or there might be both building, and only one or the order as train order office. The tower could then be "Hardman". But to confuse things, the depot sign showing "Hardman, and the tower displaying Q. Figuring out these things from afar, and without a sufficient employee timetable collection can bring up a few questions. US railroads had so many variations on how they ran their own shows... So am always hoping to find someone who was there.
Yours is an interesting aspect of our hobby BoxcabE50. I wonder if paper train orders and forms are used in this era? I used to find old train orders laying along roadbeds, but haven't seen such in years.
Most railroads were dropping use of train orders by 1986-1988. For example, BN copied their very last order ever on January 16, 1988. Several of my BN employee friends sent me copies of that one. It was a photocopy style, which they were using most of the time, by then. Rules for using train orders were in the first complete GCOR, and dropped in the next, with track warrants, manual block clearances, etc, in their many styles in full use. The only revenue railroad which continued using train order forms was the Long Island Railroad. However, as far as I was made aware, all of those were crew copied, not by lineside operators, etc. As the newer methods do not interest me, I have not sought or come across any LIRR example in some time, so perhaps they've also quit that use. A couple of tourist railroads were using them into the 1990's. I have examples such as from the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR, dated 1995. Take a look on my web site, in the "Tour..." section. You'll see all kinds of them. Some are pristine office copies, others from floors of engines, cabooses or found in the rain along tracks. There are only a few of us who seriously have ever collected these items. And mine is the only web site of it's kind, with such a quantity to browse.
Ken, I've enjoyed locating local information to add "color" to many of your orders. I'm surprised how many locations no longer exist on current local maps. That research has brought back fond memories, many I'm sure the B&M Ops Dept. did not appreciate when the crews made their reports. Thanks for the opportunity. I hope others also have in the past, and continue to help you, having the same enjoyment.
Went out this morning to find a spot with CSX Q464 adjacent to one of the rapidly-disappearing SAL doll mast signals. Came home with this, but hope to do better at another location if the SAL signal still remains intact. No. 7676 needs a bath.
Is it just me, or have I not seen enough pictures of really dirty CSX power? Seems as though most I see in photos is fairly clean.
Sure enough, CSX is installing new signals on the former SAL much faster than I can photograph. Took these overcast skies today and got soaked in a downpour at one spot. I think the "G" on the old signal in the top photo might indicate "Grade" and that a train can pass a stop indication there because it might be difficult to start a heavy train if it were to stop. I'm assuming that there must be a signal beyond that would protect this movement.
And from the history files, early Amtrak power on the East bound Sunset Limited at Tower 17 in Rosenberg, Texas.
A fine coaling tower and depot survive at Social Circle, GA on the former Georgia Railroad, now CSX. The mainline runs under the coaling tower! I waited briefly for a train, but fortune didn't smile.
More former Georgia Railroad structures, with a depot and coaling tower at Camak, GA. I didn't want to trespass in the yard to get a closer shot of the coaling tower here.
I've tried many times for a photo here, but have never been lucky. Amazingly, there's enough clearance under the coaling tower for stacks, so it continues to stand in the 21st Century.
