Bluefield, home to the Norfolk and Western railroad is the headquarters of its once mighty Pocahontas Division, which has moved coal for over 100 years. The Pocahontas Coal Field streached from Virginia to Central West Virginia with the first mine opened in1882 and was worked out in 1955.Where once the yard was coal cars as far as the eye could see, today the yard is a bit smaller and shares the rails with freight and auto trains that keep this city alive.
This replica of the Bramwell train station serves as the Coal Heritage Interpretive Center. Bramwell was once considered as the home of more millionaires as anywhere in the country. In it's hayday as many as fourteen trains would stop here daily. Many of the fine homes of these wealthy mining and railroad families have been restored to their former beauty.
All that remains of the coke ovens that were used to burn off the volatile matter in the coal such as tar, oils and gases in the coal, leaving mainly fixed carbon. This carbon or coke was used mainly in blast furnaces in the making of steel. Lcated on Rt.52 outside of Bramwell, WV.
Norfolk Southern 8872 exits the tunnel in Welch, WV.
This photo shows the West Vivian tunnel in Kimball, WV. Many of the tunnels along the route were later notched as shown in this picture to allow passage of the newer double stacked shipping containers.
Norfolk Southern 9050 pulls a double stacker through the tunnel at Kimball, WV.
Much of the track on this section is at a slight grade. When pulling a 80 to 100 car unit pushers are sometimes added in the rear to help up the grade. These units stay in this area and go back and forth to help up the grade. Here you see the pushers at the back of this coal train as it goes by the Elkhorn Inn, a favorite place for railfans to stay, in Landgraff, WV.
A Bluestone washing and processing plant in Keystone, WV is still in operation today. The plant, the Bluestone mines and at one time the town of Keystone were all owned by Russian owned Mechel Bluestone Mining Company. Today all but the town are still owned by this Russian Company that exports most of its coal to overseas markets.
The rails while still transporting coal, shares the iron with other freight. Here an intermodel unit made up of auto haulers to truck trailers. Rail use is still a fast reliable way to transport goods.
