The previous set of photos by Gene Austin showed the extremely short leg of the Old Fort wye. Because the leg is so short,
turning the engines for the return trip to Asheville was very complex and took a full hour to accomplish.
This sequence of photos shows the entire process.
The photos were taken from inside one of the coaches through very dirty windows. As a result, the photos are not of as good a quality
as might be desired.
Train waits on Track 1 for the locos to be reversed.
There are three tracks, two plus the one the train is waiting on.
The pair of Geeps backs onto the wye and waits
The pair of Geeps backs onto the wye and waits
Geeps waiting on the wye
SR 630 backs onto Track 3 with the water car
SR 630 backs onto Track 3 with the water car
SR 630 backs onto Track 3 with the water car
SR 630 waiting on Track 3
The Geeps leave the wye and go onto Track 3
The water car is uncoupled from SR 630
SR 630 pulls forward on Track 3 leaving the water car behind
SR 630 backs onto the wye to complete its turn
SR 630 backs on the wye to complete its turn
The Geeps return to Track 3
The Geeps couple to the water car and proceed forward
to couple to SR 630 when it completes its turn and reenters Track 3
After completion of the turning process, SR 630, the water car, and the two Geeps continue about one mile west to Old Fort.
They then cross from Track 3 to Track 1 and back to where the train is waiting to pick it up for the return trip to Asheville.
