Description

1917 photo of the Texas & Pacific Coaling Station at Toyah, Texas. This coaling station was used to refuel locomotives at Toyah in the days before the T&P converted to oil. The coal chute contained 12 pockets for coal and had a sand bin at the far end. Coal cars were moved up a 220 ft. incline which raised the car 15 feet after which there was a 126 ft. long level trestle section. Apparently, coal had to be shoveled by hand from the coal car into the 12 pockets. Locomotives were positioned at ground level on the track in front of the bins. The above information is from the ICC files in the National Archives from material that the T&P submitted in 1917.

Toyah was a crew change point, so that there wasn't a train order signal at the station as all trains had to stop. Later there was even a crew dormitory at Toyah with a restaurant. Probably on a small scale similar to railroad YMCAs. My information is that this situation existed until at least 1960 and probably remained until the T&P was merged into the MoPac in 1976.

Gene Pofahl Collection
National Archives at College Park, Maryland
ICC Bureau of Valuation Records, Texas & Pacific Railway