Coal Hill Coal Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Coal Hill Coal Railroad began as a coal mine on the north face of Mt. Washington, then known as "Coal Hill", begun by Jacob Beltzhoover
in 1825. This mine was operated by a series of persons, finally by James M. Bailey, who extened the mine completely though the hill to the south side of the hill in 1861. The mine was then sold to the Pittsburgh Coal Company
, and rails from the mine were extended an additional one half mile to a new coal mine on the south side of Saw Mill Run
. The rails were entended to a third mine, for a total length of one and one half miles. In spite of this short length, the railroad had 3 locomotives and 280 coal cars. The railroad delivered coal from these mines to South Pittsburgh via an inclined plane
., which ran from the northern end of the mine to Carson Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. The railroad was sold by the Pittsburgh Coal Company
to the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
in 1871. After this sale, the mine was enlarged to form the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel
, and the train tracks were extended to Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania
.
Jacob Beltzhoover
Jacob Beltzhoover was a pioneer of St. Clair Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He and his family received a land grant from the Penn family...
in 1825. This mine was operated by a series of persons, finally by James M. Bailey, who extened the mine completely though the hill to the south side of the hill in 1861. The mine was then sold to the Pittsburgh Coal Company
Pittsburgh Coal Company
The Pittsburgh Coal Company was a bituminous coal mining company, controlled by the Mellon family. It later merged with Consolidation Coal Company, controlled by the Rockefeller family.-Coal Mines:...
, and rails from the mine were extended an additional one half mile to a new coal mine on the south side of Saw Mill Run
Saw Mill Run
Saw Mill Run is a tributary of the Ohio River in Pennsylvania. It is an urban stream, and lies entirely within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The stream enters the Ohio just downstream from the Forks of the Ohio in Pittsburgh, at a place originally founded as the town of Temperanceville in the...
. The rails were entended to a third mine, for a total length of one and one half miles. In spite of this short length, the railroad had 3 locomotives and 280 coal cars. The railroad delivered coal from these mines to South Pittsburgh via an inclined plane
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Plane
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Plane was an incline that ran from the northern end of the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel to Carson Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally built to carry coal from the Jacob Beltzhoover mine, it was sold by the Pittsburgh Coal Company to the Pittsburgh...
., which ran from the northern end of the mine to Carson Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The railroad was sold by the Pittsburgh Coal Company
Pittsburgh Coal Company
The Pittsburgh Coal Company was a bituminous coal mining company, controlled by the Mellon family. It later merged with Consolidation Coal Company, controlled by the Rockefeller family.-Coal Mines:...
to the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Originally built in 1871, it may have been the first American common carrier narrow gauge railroad. It purchased a rail line called the Coal Hill Coal Railroad from the Pittsburgh Coal...
in 1871. After this sale, the mine was enlarged to form the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel
The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel, also known as the Mount Washington Coal Tunnel, was a narrow gauge railway tunnel under Mt. Washington.-History:It was originally begun as a coal mine in 1825 by Jacob Beltzhoover....
, and the train tracks were extended to Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania
Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania
Castle Shannon is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 8,316 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.