Gob piles and company houses remaining from the Pittsburgh Coal Company's coal mining operations at Moon Run, Robinson Township, Penna. This scene, which appears to be rural Appalachia, is actually about 10 miles from downtown Pittsburgh.
Abandoned barge loading facility on the Monongahela River at Naomi. Moving coal by barge is the most economical way of shipment.
Coal barges are moved down the Monongahela River through a system of locks, such as this one - Lock No. 4. In the background is the city of Charleroi, PA.
Some of the many company-built houses in Arnold City patch. The Pittsburgh Coal Company built Arnold City in or around 1900, and the mine there closed in 1942. The company-built housing may have also been associated with Hillman Coal and Coke Company's Naomi Mine.
This is the Maple Creek Preparation Plant, built in 1959 by U.S. Steel, at New Eagle, PA. Bob Murray purchased the operation in 1995, and it now operates as Maple Creek Mining, Inc. That small white cylindrical bin next to the plant stores the sand media.
The Maple Creek Prep Plant is the last one in Pennsylvania still using Deister Tables like this one. There are 24 of them.
A photo of one of the Deister Tables at the Maple Creek plant when they were new. (From a private collection, used with permission)
I have been told that the Maple Creek plant is the only plant left in North America using a Chance sand cone like this one. This is a type of washer introduced from Europe during World War I that uses a sand and water medium. It has been displaced by magnetite and water "heavy media."
The blending bins at the Maple Creek coal processing area. The plant is rated at 915 TPH.
Diagram of the Maple Creek coal preparation complex from the original dedication pamphlet (from a private collection, with permission)
Unfortunately in 2009 the 50 year old Maple Creek preparation plant was dismantled.
The Maple Creek mine was using this shaft head frame until a couple of years ago. The historic structure was originally located at Leisenring No. 2 in Fayette County, and, after that mine was abandoned in 1957, U.S. Steel relocated it here.
The Smithdale patch, on the banks of the Youghiogheny River in southern Allegheny County. With it's Pennsylvania duplex housing, slate dump, and "Honor Roll," it looks like most other patches.
The Pittsburgh Coal Company built these houses on the edge of Smithton Boro.
These crumbling coke ovens in the Youghiogheny Gorge are near Smithton, PA.
Unusual yellow brick cottages built by the American Reduction Company for the workers of the Reduction mine are perched on a cliff overlooking the Youghiogheny River gorge.
Company store at Van Meter, PA, along the Youghiogheny River. Most of the patch housing is still there. You will see it if you ride your bike along the Yough River Trail.
This huge slate dump contains the refuse of the Pittsburgh Coal Company's Banning No. 3 mine.
Abandoned preparation plant and a really huge refuse pile were part of Pittsburgh Coal Company's Banning No. 4 mine near West Newton, PA. (Courtesy Coal and Coke Heritage Center, Penn State Fayette)
This is how the Banning No. 4 site looked in April 2002. Bankrupt LTV Steel (ISG now, I guess) has been in charge of the site.
"Train Man" writes, "I see you have visited the Banning 4 complex near West Newton. My wife being from that area and naturally my interest in coal mining has brought me to that site many of times after its closure and before the trail. I hope you don't mind me sharing a few paragraphs with you about Banning No. 4. My first visit was in 1981, which was a drive-by and quick turn around. I was met by a polite security guard who let me take a quick look before he sent me on my way. What I remember the most was all the mining equipment outside the mine near the slope entrance. Frequent visits by walking in came in the early 90's. It was naturally an open invite at that time. It looked like Republic Steel just walked away. Miners records, blue prints, maps, reports and so on were scattered about the different buildings. The shower house with the hanging baskets still had shampoo, soap containers and shower slippers in them. The slope was sealed. However, a crushing wheel and dump station was built in the slope location. I understand it was never used. I've retained blue print drawings of the slope entrance with its combination track and conveyor system. Also the blue prints show the dump station within the mine. I would have to dig them out, but I believe they were dated 1960 or 61. The most interesting blue print is the mines proposed surface arrangement, dated 15 Feb 1961. I also came across safety inspection reports that were dated 28 & 29 May 1975 which revealed alot of information about the mines activities and workings. Here is some of the information:
Mine: Banning No. 4
Company: Republic Steel Corp
Location: West Newton, Westmoreland County, PA
Daily Production: 3,000 tons
Surface Employment: 59
Underground Employment: 253
No. of active sections: 6
Type of Mine: 1 Slope, 3 Shafts
Name of Coalbed: Pittsburgh
Thickness of Coalbed: 84 inches
No. of Production Shifts: 3
Slate dump on the edge of McDonald, PA.
Company duplexes in the Duck Hollow section of Imperial, PA in western Allegheny County.
There is nothing left of the Pittsburgh Coal Company's Montour No. 9 mine except for these patch houses.
Detail of original slate roof on a patch house in Manifold, PA. This coal patch in South Strabane Twp. was once operated by the Youghiogheny & Ohio Coal Company. The mine has been closed for years and the patch is now surrounded by sleek modern suburbs.
Sealed mine portal in Essen, PA, near the intersection of Painters Run Road and Bower Hill Road.
One of the last houses built by the Pittsburgh Coal Co. in Essen, PA.
A scene from long ago in the Pittsburgh Terminal Railroad & Coal Company's No. 5 patch town at Curry, PA. The
patch houses still exist along Brownsville Road near South Park. (Picture courtesy of Ron Franko)
The patch houses from Curry No. 5 mine still exist today. One of them is even a law firm's office. They have been enveloped by the subburbs of Pittsburgh.
The coal refuse pile, or "slate dump," remains from the Reissing Mine that used to be in Cecil Township, Washington County.
Ron Franko sent in this photo of a sealed mine portal near Bower Hill Road. Note the sign that reads, "Caution Mine Opening."
This coke plant in Monessen was originally part of Pittsburgh Steel Company, then later
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, and in the 1990s until 2008 Koppers, and finally Arcelor-Mittal.
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