The original coal pier at North Fair Haven, NY, belonging to the LV RR, had two distinct types of coal pockets. Those on the right side of the photo have one long chute per pocket (resembling an iron ore design), while the pockets on the left are not as deep and appear to share move-able chutes.
Perhaps those on the left are a later addition? All theories are welcome!
Here's the link to the photo, click or scroll on the pic to zoom in:
https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/37487/william-h-rau-coal-piers-at-north-fair-haven-lvrr-american-1895-1899/?dz=0.2732,0.2732,0.38
Jim
Jim,
It appears the section on the left is an addition to the original, on the right. The spacing of the trestle bents appears to change.
For the left, it really does look like the 4 metal chutes are repositionable. Since I don't see a mechanism on the dock, I believe that a crane was rolled up on the tracks to do the job. It could be suggested that the remaining metal chutes have not yet been installed.
I see a stick positioned at each bunker. They are of varying heights above the deck railing. I believe those are height indicators for each bunker. You drop a stick into the bunker, let it hit bottom, and attach a clamp to it. Then you remove the assemble and hang it on the outside of the dock, using the clamp. I don't see the same thing on the older section, but maybe it's harder to see.
Ed
Could one set of chutes be for loading lake ships and the other for barges?
Fair Haven is close to Sodus Point, on Lake Ontario between Syracuse and Rochester. It might pay to examine the industries and markets that could effectively be served by LV in that era, possibly involving industrial products like metallurgical coal as well as commercial grades of anthracite.
Overmod Fair Haven is close to Sodus Point, on Lake Ontario between Syracuse and Rochester. It might pay to examine the industries and markets that could effectively be served by LV in that era, possibly involving industrial products like metallurgical coal as well as commercial grades of anthracite.
But the loads are outbound. The market being served is wherever the ships/barges dock to unload.
7j43kBut the loads are outbound. The market being served is wherever the ships/barges dock to unload.
I suspect there is historic material about what went profitably through the facility at different times, and who the customers were. We might be able to conclude or deduce why they elected to use LV (in a then-regulated context, assumably, so other than dollar-related) from that information.
7j43k I see a stick positioned at each bunker. They are of varying heights above the deck railing. I believe those are height indicators for each bunker. You drop a stick into the bunker, let it hit bottom, and attach a clamp to it. Then you remove the assemble and hang it on the outside of the dock, using the clamp. I don't see the same thing on the older section, but maybe it's harder to see. Ed
After viewing the left side of the photo at full zoom plus magnification, I can see that those sticks continue down the face of the bunkers, so apparently they are the linkage for opening and closing the bunker chute door from the top deck level.
What still eludes me is how a chute would be moved from bunker to bunker, and how would it be lowered and raised. I would think that using a crane on the top deck would be time consuming and interfere with coal car switching.
The fixed chutes at the right side of the photo appear to have a typical winch and counter weight arrangement.
The army Corp of engineers used to make maps (plates) of every harbor in the us. They also listed who, what, where, of all the docks. That should be helpful. Also sanborn and heximere fire insurance maps might help.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space