Got a call last night from a friend who said there was a CSX train sitting on the S&C Branch in Rockwood ¶ with a string of new FreightCar America (former Johnstown America) narrow gauge hoppers. This is at least the second batch of narrow gauge hoppers shipped from FreightCar America by CSX within the last 2 weeks.
Just thought I’d pass this along.
…Good news Brian…Hope they can find more freight down there to haul up that line making it useful still…
Item: Brian…Received my latest copy of the STOYSTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY this week and it contained an article of the old “bucket mine” that used to provide coal to be hauled on the S&C. It’s location was just north of the 218 bridge on that branch and that location is about 1 1/2 miles south of Kantner. The mine was about a half mile off the railroad and they had a system of a cable arrangement on supported pulleys and that held large “buckets” that were filled with coal from that mine. That system deposited that coal at a “tipple” along a siding off the railroad and then into the railroad hopper cars and hence they would be picked up via the S&C coal train and hauled to market. Time frame: 1920 to some time in the 40’s.
Side bar: I remember seeing the remnants of that tipple and siding in the late 40’s when as a teen along with friends would walk up that ROW to get to our swimming hole at the 218 bridge.