Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Vulcan Narrow Gauge Steam

Pioneer Tunnel coal mine and narrow gauge mine railroad showcases a 1927 Vulcan 0-4-0T narrow gauge steam engine named the Henry Clay. They claim this is the only operating narrow gauge Vulcan steamer in the world. You get to ride on the surface railroad out to part of the Mammoth vein then you can go inside the mine via an electric mine train. Real nice historical tour with great guides explaining the area history and mining history. Located in Ashland, Pa.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Vulcan
• steam
• pioneer
• narrow
• gauge
• railroad
• coal
• mine
• train
• ashland
• centralia
• mining

[bcschmerker]

What fuel does the 0-4-0st Vulcan burn? I saw neither hopper nor tank at the rear of the cab.

[rollinswitch]

@bcschmerker anthracite, doesn't need much

[WhyAyeMann]

The WW&F in maine operates a 1904 vulcan, #10. I know, Ive ridden in the cab.

[rollinswitch]

@WhyAyeMann Nice, thanks for the info. Is it narrow gauge?

[rgerhardtembarq]

How many engines do they have, because when i went there, that was not the engine i saw. It was a different steam loco.

[rollinswitch]

Not sure how many they have.

[bcschmerker]

@ashland714 The 300 gallons water I could reckon, given the depth of the saddle tank atop the boiler. The tank I originally referred to was for fuel, a non-issue for wood- and coal-burners; anthracite, nearly pure carbon, was factored into the engineering of some locomotives' fireboxes from the outset.

[ashland714]

@bcschmerker water is onboard, about 300 gallons for a full tank, the Anthracite coal it burns, you dont need a hopper for it, since it isnt making a very long trip each time it goes out, several scoops of Anthracite coal are tossed in for just about every trip and is enough for the round trip, sometimes more or less depending on the temp and humidity.

[ashland714]

@Matt3985 The mainline runs almost 3/4 of a mile out to the end of the mountain. That is where the old breaker building used to be set to process the coal in the day.

[ashland714]

@HobbyTeen15 No, it is not the ONLY OPERATING one,..That was a misunderstanding, this is one of the last ones that still burns Anthracite Coal, the rest are using Bituminous Coal.

[ashland714]

@SouthernCresent722 The passenger cars that we use are actually built on Coal Mine Car frames

[ashland714]

@rgerhardtembarq We have two engines, both Vulcan's. They are very similar in appearance.

[SouthernCresent722]

They need some Real Narrow gauge passenger cars!

[WhyAyeMann]

@WhyAyeMann Yes, she's a 2 footer to be exact. She was originally built for 30'' gauge on a louisiana sugar plantation 117 years ago. Now, she's pulling trains on the original right of way of the Wiscasset waterville and farmington line up in alna maine, and she's got everything the big engines got except for air brakes and external valve gear. She also has some of the best stack talk on any engine Ive ever heard. If you ever get a chance, come visit the railway.