This is the cable spool that is used to raise/lower the buckets. This is a balanced bucket system which means that one bucket would be at the top of the tower while the other is at the bottom in one of the loading pits. The cable from one bucket enters the wall and wraps around the spool three or four times and then heads back out the shed to connect with the other bucket. Photo by Dave Dye on May 17, 1992.


Another shot of the cable spool and associated gears. The cable spool is to the right and a reduction gear is in the foreground. One of the flywheels of the hoist engine is just visible in the upper left corner. Photo by Dave Dye on May 17, 1992.


This shot provides a view of the hoist engine and flywheels towards the west side of the shed. Note the diagonal pipe used to carry the exhaust out to the north side of the shed. Photo by Dave Dye on July 2, 2000.


This shot provides a view of the drive shaft and what appears to be some sort of clutch mechanism. Maybe someone out there can provide more details on how this operates. Photo by Dave Dye on May 17, 1992.


This shot provides a view of one of the coal gate lift handles. This attaches to a rod and pulley mechanism to raise/lower the coal gates used to fill the buckets. To the lower right is the window that would be used to monitor the filling of the coal bucket. Photo by Dave Dye on  May 17, 1992.