ABCs of Coal
by Dan Bourque
Coal, or “black diamonds,” has been an integral part of railroad operations for well over a century, and if you intend to model an Appalachian railroad, chances are you’ll be modeling a lot of coal! Learning some simple facts about coal goes a long way towards helping you model it.
In simple terms, coal is formed from dead vegetation pressurized under layers of rock and dirt over thousands of years. Coal comes in many different forms including lignite, bituminous, and anthracite. The form that coal takes is based on the length of time the coal has been forming and the amount of pressure applied during formation. The different forms have many different properties.
Types of … Read more
Norton, VA was an important interchange point between three railroads: the L&N, the N&W, and the Interstate (Southern). The large yard was maintained by the N&W, but operated by both the N&W and L&N. Between two and four merchandise trains were exchanged daily between the two, while the rest of the traffic was coal. Until 1973, the L&N interchanged its Clinchfield-bound coal to the Interstate RR at Dorchester Jct (just west of Norton), and the Interstate hauled it to the Clinchfield at Miller Yard. Between 1973 … 
Hagans Switchback is located on the L&N in between Loyall, KY and Appalachia, VA. The original Cumberland Valley Division mainline ran up the poor valley from Cumberland Gap to Appalachia. A major branchline was constructed to Loyall, KY and beyond soon after. With the goal of reaching the Clinchfield RR, the the L&N stretched the Martin’s Fork branch southward from Loyall through the 6,244 foot long Hagans Tunnel. The tunnel exits directly beneath the original CV main, but abruptly ends because of the lack of funds to complete the project. To … 
Elkhorn City was the Northernmost point on the Clinchfield RR and was an important interchange point between the CRR and C&O. Both merchandise and coal trains were exchanged daily with the majority of the coal moving south from the C&O to the CRR. In addition to a modest engine servicing facility, Elkhorn City was home to several truck-dump coal loaders located alongside the yard tracks.
Read more