Monday, May 22, 2023

Benwood, WV: Pennsy & B&O Railyard and Coaling Tower

(Satellite, all of the land has been repurposed. I could not find the coal tower.)

Charles Edwards posted
Benwood yard Benwood West Virginia 6-86.
Kyle McGrogan: Probably very little freight comes out of Wheeling on that line anymore, and the other half of the yard owned by the PRR/PC/CR is long gone also.
Ward Jeffery: Kyle McGrogan There are no active railroads in Wheeling anymore. What was the W&P sub through Wheeling to Pittsburgh is just a stub track that dead ends before the city line.

Charles Edwards posted
Coal tower and engine facility at Benwood yard 6-86.
Kyle McGrogan: I seem to remember either the PRR Wheeling Branch, or the B&O, had a loop at Benwood for turning locomotives, versus using a turntable like the B&O did! Apparently PRR also used one of the coal mine tipples for topping up the tenders, and one crew of a RR M1 went under the tipple forwards and broke off the locomotive's stack on the concrete supports for the said tipple. Normally they would back under, but not that crew!
Charles Edwards: There was a loop that allowed trains going/coming from the north to loop under the bridge to gain access to the bridge over the Ohio river. Might still be there.
David Orr: Charles Edwards loop is most definitely still there. I been on it in the last few years

EarthExplorer: May 11, 1972 @ 24,000; AR1VCYD00020205
Dennis DeBruler commented on Charles' post
It is interesting that it still had metal parts on it as late as the 1980s.
A structure that tall should show up on this 1972 aerial photo because of its shadow, but I couldn't find it.
https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/scene/metadata/full/5e83d8e4870f4473/AR1VCYD00020205/

I originally looked at this aerial. I thought it was east of the roundhouse. But then I couldn't find it on the 1972 aerial.
EarthExplorer: Sep 1, 1957 @ 31,000; AR1VRD000020065

Pennsy had their tracks by the river and the B&O had the ones we see today next to the road.
1956 Wheeling Quad @ 24,000


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