Touring the Coal Belt Railroad
Bill HendersonDescription
It is early morning in Pennsylvania as a locomotive on Bill Henderson’s Coal Belt model railroad leaves town. The 28-O camelback locomotive was built in 1905. The helper train number 341 was built in 1899. The rear train on the layout is a local passenger number 6. Number 168 moves past the engine house at the west end of town while the Number 153 on the turntable waits for its morning coal drag.
A tunnel takes the camelback locomotive under Walnut Gap and exits near one of the many streams on the layout. A steel deck truss bridge crosses over the Rich Mountain Creek. The first snowfall of the year covers up the grime of the town of Frank Ellison; named for a model railroading master. Most of the grime comes from the nearby metalworks.
A plate girder bridge takes the 168 over Lindsey Creek running above and behind Tresckova. The camelback train slows down on its approach on the Redding Bridge below Tresckova. The loco is working its way to the highest point on the railroad – Walnut Gap. Autumn Park coal dock marks the edge of a small town with a grocery company acting as one of the few main businesses. Ice storage houses along the track use sawdust to keep the ice from melting which is harvested from a local pond.
The upper line again goes over Rich Mountain Creek but this time on a beautiful stone arch bridge. Moving behind Frank Ellison, the train arrives in the lower level of the layout parallel to Lindsey Creek. Finally, the train passes a thaw shed where coal is unfrozen by steam before it is loaded onto freighters at Ontario Port.
It's early morning at Tresckova, Pennsylvania as the local leaves town. The 280 Camelback locomotive on the point was built in 1905. Tresckova serves double duty as the town of Mount Carbon. Helper number 341, another consolidation, was built in 1899. The train in back is local passenger number six. Number 168 eases by the engine house at the west end of town. The truss bridge above the train is owned and maintained by the Reading. Number 153 on the turntable waits for its morning assignment, a coal drag. A tunnel takes the Camelback under Walnut Gap. Cross Ridge Tunnel exits near one of the many streams on the railroad. The steel deck truss bridge crosses Rich Mountain Creek. The first snowfall of the year covers up the grime of Fank Ellison. Most of it caused by the Mantua Metalworks. The Winn and Walker salvage yards specializes in clean, used diesels. A plate girder bridge takes number 168 over Lindsey Creek. The railroad runs behind and above Tresckova. The Camelback slows down on the fill approach to the Reading Bridge. Below is Tresckova. The local is working its way toward the highest point on the railroad, Walnut Gap. Helper number 341 really gets to work now. The Autumn Park coal dock marks the edge of this small town. The McTye Grocery Company is one of the few businesses here. The ice storage house uses sawdust to keep the ice from melting. The ice is harvested from Doland Pond. The upper line goes over Rich Mountain Creek again. This time on a beautiful stone arch bridge. The train moves behind Fank Ellison. It arrives at the lower level that parallels Lindsey Creek. That's the thaw shed where coal is unfrozen by steam before it's loaded into freighters at Ontario Port.
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