On Feb 1, 2006, at 10:43 AM, Tim Gilbert wrote:

I doubt that a N&W Hopper would "stray" westbound over Sherman Hill.
Rather it was "tethered to" mines on the N&W because of Car Service Rule
C-411 requiring empty hoppers of the N&W, VGN, C&O and L&N to be
returned home directly.

I like the way you guys are always referring to the car service rules as if they were chiseled in stone. They really meant nothing if you needed a car. On the RRs I worked for if we needed that empty that was moving home we grabbed it and it went where ever it was loaded to. Even the other direction. So to say a N&W hopper would never go west loaded is pure speculation on your part as the Men in the field did what was needed to keep things moving.
I wonder how many conductors were working that part of the UPRR.? Maybe 50 plus the extra board? How many trains were moving a day? 25 each way? So you have one book out of 50 which would 1/50 of cars moved. Of course this does not mean one did go over but you and I do not know and we probably never will know.
May I ask if this conductor recorded his dead head moves in his book? All of then I knew in Kansas did so.
Any way the next time I let a genie out of a bottle I will use one of my wishes for a N&W hopper over Sherman Hill. Big grin.
Thank you
Larry Jackman
ljack70117@...