Can someone explain the trackage in this photo from Shorpy’s?
from left to right:
the track at the very front enters a tunnel at the left edge of the photo (from other photos, i think there are two tunnel entrances, the 2nd not shown in the photo)
“team track”(?) for freight
track looping around a building toward a turntable?
track more clearly entering a turntable
relatively short siding, but what purpose?
main and passing siding, but are is the length typical of the times (1900)
questions
why a turntable here?
could there really be two tracks leading to the turntable?
could the short siding be just for an engine?
where can i get model freight cars of those in this photo?
New Jersey circa 1900. “West end of tunnel, Manunka Chunk.” 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company.
I don’t think there are 2 tunnel portals. This is a junction between a line that runs along a river (seen in hte background) and another line that crosses through the mountain into another valley.
Don’t think that’s a "team track, there is no way to get a “team” in to where the cars are. Its probably more of freight transfer or freight house.
Looks like two turntable leads.
Its a runaround, for short moves (a caboose, a couple passenger cars). Regardless of whether they are “typical”, that’s what was there.
Probably to turn the engine coming of the branch.
Sure there could be two tracks leading to the turntable. Why not?
The short siding is for anything they want to use it for.
Silver Crash models, LaBelle, Art Griffin Decals and several more. Roundhouse has newer 36 ft cars RTR. All other
Suggestion: This type of question might be more appropriate on the “Prototype Information for the Modeler” section of the Forum.
I “pulled down” the Shorpy photo and found a small map. The tunnel at left appears to be a diverging line. A train coming into this area from “behind the camera” could go either off in to the distance down the valley, OR take a diverging right to the left through the tunnel.
The track that goes off into the ndistance seems to be the main route, and probably there is a good grade coming up to this point. Could this be a point where a short rain from one route leaves cars to be added to the train running on the longer route? That is, a point where a branch meets a main line. If that is the case, would you not want to have a way to turn the branch line locomotive to go back the direction from whence it came?
I don’t think the track that “curves around toward the turntqble” actually goes to the turntable. It goes behind a little shed. Perhaps that is a small coaling shed for refueling just one locomotive…the one that runs on the branch.
The short passing siding could be a sidetrack where up to a dozen cars from the branchline are left for the mainline train and vice versa.
Just my guess, based on trying to figure out operations on model railroads.
This is a junction of two mainlines but same railroad. Not talking branchlines here. There are indeed two tunnels to the left for that was a double-track mainline going there, but one tunnel is out of view. There was a passenger platform between the two tracks just before the tunnel portals. Perhaps the turntable was for reversing locomotives for trains coming from the double-tracked line to ascend on the river-route mainline and vice versa. From the tracks’ angles, it’s obvious only one track serves the turntable. The junction was protected by a tower.
The line coming out of the tunnel is the Lackawanna main from Hoboken, NJ. It crossed the Delaware River at Delaware, NJ just north of where the pic was taken(behind photographer). The line on the right is Bel-Del (PRR) from Trenton NJ.
