XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: jclarkeusenet@cox.net   
      
   In article , gossg@gossg.org says...   
   >   
   > "J. Clarke"  wrote:   
   >   
   > >Lots of towns came into existence because of the railroad.  Steam trains   
   > >needed watering stops every so many miles and there was a station with a   
   > >water tower at each of those locations.  The people who worked there   
   > >brought their families and there had to be services sufficient to   
   > >provide for their needs so towns grew up.  But few of them became large.   
   > >The railroads weren't built to service them, they were built to service   
   > >the railroads.   
   >   
   > How much staff does it take to service a watering stop?   
      
   Not sure, wouldn't expect a lot.   
      
   > One of BC's major freeways is across the coast range along the   
   > Coquihalla River.  The freeway was built along the path of a   
   > now-defunct former steam train line.   
   >   
   > There are "station names" announced along the highway, with various   
   > shakespearean names.  I presume that these were water stops.  As a   
   > very steep run, I expect that the Kettle Valley Railway over this   
   > route needed a LOT of water, and I presume that these names reflect   
   > former watering stops.   
      
   Water makes up losses in the boiler.  If it's a steep run sand stops   
   would be more likely.   
      
   > But there is no sign of a town or former town.   
   > Would these stops need ANY staff, or would someone just have to come   
   > by and check the water feed into the tanks every couple of weeks?   
      
   There would be staff.  Remember that these wouldn't have modern electric   
   pumps connected to the power grid--if pumps were used they'd be steam-   
   powered and hand-stoked or driven by windmills that need some tending.   
      
   As for "no sign of a town", if you want a spooky experience, visit   
   Gagnon.  You're riding down this gravel highway for miles and miles and   
   miles, and then you come to this stretch where it's paved and there are   
   driveway turnouts every so many yards.  But stop and walk around and you   
   don't find anything resembling a town.  In the 1970s Gagnon had 4000   
   residents.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)