Barton, MD: Tri Star Mining/Beener Coal and 2 B-E 295B-II Rope Shovels

(Satellite)

Lucibello Heavy Equipment photography posted two photos with the comment: "Bucyrus Erie 295B-II diesel powered rope shovel. This machine along with its sister is used to strip coal at a mine in western Maryland."

Anthony Lucibello shared

Mark Hardwick: Flywheel to help ride through loads.

Harley D. Stone: Think one of those had a high wall failure and lost a couple of men back 2005 to 2010 years. I was on the 7820 at the time Anthony Lucibello.

Jay Wilson: Harley D. Stone Nope. Was a hydraulic shovel and end loader.

1
Jadon Cramer: This looks like the first one, is it?
Carl Gilmore: Jadon Cramer I believe it is the first of B-E diesel electric gen set machines we delivered. Based on the mine name Beener Coal. Originally it was working at Beener in West Virginia.
Jadon Cramer: Carl Gilmore yes. Onboard with AC motors too. My pap George Cramer was an original operator. I loved going to see this one. In the 80’s

2
Jim Barker: What type coal seam is stripped in Maryland ?
John Cook II: Jim Barker seams we strip on that particular job are Washington, Waynesburg, Sewickly(Tyson), 1and 2 Redstone, Pittsburgh (Big Vein), Morantown (Big Inch) , little Inch, Little Pittsburgh and on the outskirts we prospected Franklin.
Richard Haines: Fiat Alis FR35

1 of 7 photos posted by Lucibello Heavy Equipment photography of the D575A-3
Komatsu D575A-3 SD used by TRI Star mining along with a D575A-2 SD to uncover coal in Maryland. To my knowledge these two 575s are the only active machines left in North America.
Lovers of Trucks & Heavy Equipment shared
Beener Coal/Tri Star Mining. Barton Md.

According to Google Earth, Google Maps is currently (Jan 2023) displaying a Nov 2016 satellite image. In this excerpt, you can see a shovel in both of the lower corners.

Satellite

I couldn't find either of them in later images. In this image, one is in the upper-right corner and the other is near the middle almost hidden in a high-wall shadow.

Global Earth, Dec 2015

Here one is in the lower-right while the other is in the upper-left.

Google Earth, Sep 2013

A high-wall collapse happened on Apr 17, 2007. The families of the two workers that were buried under 93,000 tons of rubble filed a lawsuit for $8m. MSHA had fined the company $105,000 for six violations.“MSHA determined that inadequate inspection by the Tri-Star employees above and on the highwall took place that morning, previous underground mining that was abandoned decades ago and was known to weaken the geological structures was ignored and four straight days of rain coming right after the spring thaw caused highly dangerous conditions. [times-news]

“Large cracks in the geology at the top of the wall were seen but overlooked. A dangerously steep spoil bank at the bottom of the pit was created and rocks had been falling into the pit the morning of the tragedy. 

“Despite these obvious danger signs, Tri-Star employees assured Mike Wilt and Dale Jones that working at the bottom of the highwall would be safe that fatal morning,” read the news release. [times-news]

"The estimated size of the highwall that collapsed was 150 to 170 feet high by 100 to 150 feet long and approximately 50 feet thick.  The highwall had been examined just prior to the collapse." [usminedisasters, this article describes how one of the shovels was used to dig out the victims. "Haul trucks with a 100 ton capacity were loaded at a rate of 25 to 35 trucks per hour." the article also references a Powerpoint presentation.]

MSHA Final Investigation Report, p3

MSHA Final Investigation Report, p9
Previous underground mining caused the subsidence damage.

They were digging down through already mined seams (Sewickley and Pittsburgh).

MSHA Final Investigation Report, p22

TheDailyRecord
This was the progress of the rescue attempt about a day later. Because it had been raining, it took a while to tram the shovel from where it had been digging.

They plant American chestnut trees on the reclaimed land to help restore those trees to the Appalachian region. [mde]

Satellite