Steam Locomotive Terminals Operations

[dave1905]

There are lots of variations on how engine terminals were laid out, mostly determined by the size of the facility, normally the inputs water, coal/oil, sand were in that order because that's the order they are on the locomotive, but that's not written in stone.  The ash pit was a bit more flexible and might even be another track.  You can find all sorts of arrangements.  Typically coal and sand are together, water can be more flexible since it can be piped.  It also may be in places that are more accessible since an engine will need to be watered more than it will need to be fueled than it will need to be sanded.

For example here is the DRGW service area at Chama, NM.  Note the water tower is quite a was away from the coaling tower and the sand house is next to the coaling tower, the ash pit is on the back side of the coaling tower.