Does Norfolk Southern haul any anthracite coal?

[Anonymous]

They do haul anthracite according to their information on their website:
http://www.nscorp.com, look under 'Coal', 'Mine Operations', 'Anthracite'. At least, subsidiaries of NS haul, such as the Susquehanna Valley, the Reading and Blue Mountain (nodding to Dougal).

[Anonymous]

First of all I live in eastern Pennsylvania and about forty five minutes from the nearest mines. Yes, there are around ten mines still left. Most (if not all) of these are served by the Reading & Northern (www.readingnorthern.com) a regional (which is operated by a railfan) which started as the Blue Mountain & Reading railroad in 1983. Thanks Mike for the pics! This secondary (I forgot the name) is the exact place I thought there would be a mine. I passed the yard this fall on the road that ran next to it.THANKS!!!

[ndbprr]

One of the hurricanes did extensive flooding of the anthracite areas in Pa years ago. It was kind of the coup de gras to an area that was barely hanging on at that time. As I recall there are still some mines that are still pumping out water in the hopes of restarting some day but don't ask me for specifics as I don't have any and could be wrong. .

[michaelstevens]

[8D]
Dougal,

I found a couple of websites OTS (of anthracite)

-- http://arhs.railfan.net/ -- even has a forum, whose members might be able to help

and

-- http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6444/ -- includes a photo of NS locos at

Hazleton -- there's probably nothing else in Hazleton but anthracite coal !! [:)]

Let us know what you find out.

[:D] Mike in Philly [:D]

[AltonFan]

I thought I had heard that Anthracite has been pretty much mined out, and is no longer generally available.

[Anonymous]

I'd almost be certain that they now haul anthracite over the lines in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, since they picked up Conrail's operations. But I haven't looked into this in any detail, to be honest.

[nfmisso]

Possibly on some of the ex-Conrail lines, but not previous to that.

[Anonymous]

Not that I've heard. Having lived in Norfolk (and Virginia Beach and environs) for about 15 years off and on, I'd say that they haul bituminous. I know there was a plan back in the 80's to run a pipeline from the coalfields to the Lambert Point docks in Norfolk, to pump a coal slurry. I don't know if the NS had anything to do with the failure of that pipeline to be built, but I do know they haul some pretty long drags of 100-ton coal hoppers behind their locos.

[Anonymous]

That doesn't include the Reading & Northern/QIT trains.[:)][:)][:)]