Emptying the ash pits.

[Xengeance]

So lately I've been looking for reference material for a branch line engine yard I'm building on my route. A problem I've run across is that any info I've ran across in terms of ash pits is very vague on what methods were employed to clean the pits out of ash other than a cinder conveyor tower.

I've seen a couple variations with either a concrete ramp going into the pit adjacent to the track, or a siding set at a grade into the bottom of the pit, but no sort of lifting/scooping device employed. Did they sometimes just shovel into a hopper or someone's pickup? It's seems a little high for workers to reach the top of a hopper without spilling half the shovel load all over themselves - and then the all-to-present danger of a locomotive driving through in the middle of it all, spewing hot ash and toxic fumes down into the pit. And if anyone can think of any other methods aside from those two, feel free the chime in.

 

[DeRiCo]

G'day from Down Under.

During my time as a cleaner we used to use a long handle shovel to put it into a wheel barrow then shovel it into a 4 wheel wagon for disposal.

No such fancy things as conveyors out here.

The worst part of it was when you miss-judged the distance up to the wheel barrow above the pit and got a collar full of ash.

Dennis

 

[jadebullet]

The Model Railroaders guide to steam and diesel facilities(I think that it is called that) has quite a bit on it.

Usually, they were shoveled out by hand. Low sided gondolas would be set down a ramp into the pit, and a worker would load them with a shovel.

There were also ash conveyers, as you mentioned.

The Reading would use moving clam buckets to empty them. From what I can tell, there was the usual clam bucket technique, but also a pit that appeared to be lined at the bottom with detachable buckets that would be filled when the locomotive dumped, and attatched to a hook for unloading.