Friday, January 1, 2021

Cleveland, OH: Erie's Iron Ore Unloader & Coal Loading Docks

Iron ore unloading: (Satellite, there were three Huletts along the east bank of the Old River)
Coal loading: (Satellite)

The Hulett history that used to be in these notes has been moved to the Hulett notes.

Michael Dye shared his post of twenty images with the comment: "Erie Lackawanna Hulett Loaders - Cleveland 1974.  Built and used in the days before the Lake Ore Boats were capable of self-loading/unloading.  Photo credit - Unknown."
1
Michael Dye posted
Dale Pohto: The three huletts at the Erie RR facility were not erected at the same time so there are slight variations to each.
Are you aware that Erie loaded coal into ships on the Cuyahoga River? I'd have to research when it was built but it was dismantled in the late 50s. Unfortunately, there are very few pics of it... I have the dock specs for it and the ore dock if you ever find the need...

Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's share
So Cleveland had at least eleven Huletts. Eight on Whiskey Island and these three. Whiskey Island had four on the north (lake) side that I think were shared by NYC and B&O. And Pennsy had four on the south (river) side. On this 1953 Cleveland South Quadrangle @ 1:24,000, yellow marks the location of the ore unloading dock and blue marks the coal loading dock.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's post
I was not even aware Erie came to Cleveland. I see it branched off the mainline at Leavittsburg. And that NS owned the remnant between their NKP route in Cleveland and Mantua. But now this remnant is cut back to Nestle Souffer's.
Michael Dye: For quite awhile, at least after the Erie being taken over by the Van Swerigan;s, the Erie was headquartered in Cleveland.

This photo has been moved to the NYC Coal Loading Dock.

BGSU
Erie Coal Dock, Cuyahoga River JAMES P. WALSH

This photo is what allowed me to identify the correct location.
BGSU
Erie Dock JAMES P. WALSH

BGSU
Erie R.R.

Tom Krejny posted
Taken in early 60's along Cuyahoga River. Maybe someone can identify where this is.
Ford Brockman: NYPANO dock cleveland. Shut her down when Conrail merged its need out. [Conrail chose to use the Pennsy ore dock.]
Michael Kennard: Mike Delaney "Nypano" stands for?
Mike Delaney: Michael Kennard New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad. We knew it as the "Erie Dock Company"

Dennis DeBruler commented on Tom's post
On this 1953 Cleveland South Quadrangle @ 1:24,000, yellow marks the location of the Erie ore unloading dock and blue marks the coal loading dock.
 
Mike Delaney commented on Tom's post

Mike Delaney commented on Tom's post
Wilson's James Macnaughton unloading at the Nypano Erie Dock. 3 17 ton Hullett unloaders.
 
Comments on Tom's post

Erin O'Brien posted
Defunct stonework infrastructure under the Veterans Memorial Bridge near the intersection of Old Detroit and West 24th--on the west side of Irishtown Bend.
Those tunnels are blocked off a few feet in. Maybe this was the bridge for Old Detroit?
[Judging by another photo posted in the comments, the tunnel goes under Old Detroit.]
Neal Novak
On the other side of those tunnels was an iron ore unloading operation run by the Erie Lackawanna. The yard was known as the Riverbed to E-L personnel. It was in use only when the ore boats were running.
Boats operated by
Pickands Mather would unload there using Huletts that have since been dismantled. They docked at the Nypano dock which dated back to at least 1912.
Since there was no storage there, the ore had to be loaded into hopper cars and then hauled to the E-L yard in North Randall. From there, the cargo went to the mills in Youngstown/Warren.
Contrail shut the operation down when they took over in 1976 because it was inefficient.
I went through those tunnels many times as I worked for the railroad during college. It subsequently became my first career as I moved into management but that was a lifetime ago. I left the railroad industry in the early ‘80’s and never looked back.
[Some comments indicate that the tunnels used to be much deeper. People wanted to make it a trail, but the RoW on the other side and the tunnel were filled in so that someone could make a parking lot.]

Thomas Wentzel shared
[Thomas copied the non-personal part of Neal's comment without attribution.]

Tom Horsman commented on Erin's post
They were old railway tunnels that connected to the right of way that is now home to the Lake Link Trail

Tom Horsman commented on Erin's post
This Cleveland Memory Project pic from 2002 shows that they were still open at that point

Toni Geib commented on Erin's post
circa 1910-1920 of that area

Toni Geib commented on Erin's post
Circa 1901 Cleveland flats

Thomas Wentzel commented on his share
NYPANO DOCK HULETTS

This clamshell unloader would have been before the Huletts were installed.
 Pinterest

I believe this is a photo of the Erie clamshell unloaders. But the Pennsy ore dock also used the same brand of unloaders before they also switched to Hulett unloaders.
Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted
An image from a dry plate negative of the freighter G. Watson French being unloaded by a Hoover & Mason clam shell bucket hoist in Cleveland, Ohio circa 1900-1906 (Image Source: Library of Congress – Detroit Publishing Co. Collection).
[The description continues with a history of the freighter.]

Clamshell unloaders were also used by some of the docks in Duluth to unload Anthracite coal.
Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted via Dennis DeBruler

Mark Duplaga posted eight images with the comment: "The Erie Railroad in the Cleveland Flats. The yard was along the Cuyahoga River by the Cargill salt mine. The pictures with the track layout of the yard with the dot are from Rail Guide. The dot is where I was standing when I took the pictures."
Peter KZ: Also, here are some pictures of those lines when they were active
http://www.twinplanets.com/.../R_EL_OH.CL__71.03.26.02_R... [Click the previous arrow for more photos.]
1
The site of the Erie yard is now Ontario Stone.

2
The dot is where I was standing in the previous picture.

3
Erie line coming into the yard.

4
The dot is where I was standing in the previous picture.

5

6

7
A bridge over the Erie.

8
The dot is where I was standing in the previous picture.


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Thursday, December 31, 2020

Hopkins C: Madisonville (Nebo), KY: Cardinal Mine of Warrior Coal

(Satellite)

Warrior Coal is a subsidiary of Alliance Resource Partners. This high-sulfur, underground mine was opened in 1985 and uses room-and-pillar mining with continuous mining units. The preparation plant has a capacity of 1,200 tons of raw coal per hour. It loop loadout track is connected to both CSX/L&N and P&L/IC. [gem] It produced 5.1 "M tons" of clean coal in 2014 [MiningDataOnline] and 3.7 million tons in 2019 [arlp].

Jim Pearson Photography posted
Paducah & Louisville PRX1 departs Warrior Coal, Nebo, Ky
The late afternoon light plays across the marshland as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 begin to pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020 as they head south to Calvert City Terminal at Calvert City, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

While looking for this mine, I noticed the "tattoos" of a lot of surface mining in this area. For a photo of a surface mine, search Kentucky Coal Mining for "Colonial Mine."
Satellite

I've been passing up Jim's recent photos, but this one helps put it all in context. 
Jim Pearson Photography posted
Paducah and Louisville (PAL) 2013 and 4505, on far right, pull through the loading facility at Warrior Coal mine on a snowy cold morning as they begin to load their empty coal train on January 15th, 2024, between Madisonville and Nebo, Kentucky. Once loaded this train will move north on the PAL to deliver their load to Louisville Gas and Electric power plant, outside of Louisville, Ky. PAL 2013 is painted in the University of Louisville colors to honor their different NCAA wins.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
Dennis DeBruler: Thanks for the overview. It helps put your other photos in context.
Jim Pearson Photography: Dennis DeBruler You're welcome Dennis!

Jim Pearson Photography posted
PAL Blue picking up black coal!
Paducah and Louisville Railway University of Kentucky (Wildcats) locomotives 4522 and 2012 lead a empty coal under the beltline against the setting sun as they arrive at Warrior Coal Loop in Nebo, Kentucky for another load of black coal on January 23rd, 2021.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm DX Lens @15mm f/4, 1/1000, ISO 180.

Jim Pearson Photography posted
On National Train Day PAL 2013 and 4518 Load at Warrior Coal, Nebo, KY
Paducah and Louisville Railway 2013 (University of Louisville Unit) and 4518 lead the Louisville Gas and Electric (LG1) as it snakes its way out of the Warrior Coal loadout on May 8th, 2021 at Nebo, Kentucky on the 2021 National Train Day.
According to the Web: National Train Day is a holiday that’s honors the history of the train in the U.S and promotes rail travel for all Americans. It’s observed annually on the Saturday closest to the 10th of May every year and is an opportunity for everyone to learn about how trains have revolutionized civilization and united a country at the same time.
National Train Day was invented in May of 2008 by Amtrak. They wanted a way to promote rail travel, to spread information about trains to the public, and to reiterate the history of trains, so they invented this holiday. In 2011, Amtrak used the holiday as a part of its 40th-anniversary celebration. Amtrak discontinued National Train Day in 2015 to replace it with Amtrak Train Days, but people all over the world continue to celebrate this holiday as it was originally imagined.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.
Jim Pearson Photography
Jim Pearson Photography shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Jim's share
I did not realize how tall their tailings pile was until I saw this photo.
37°19'58.9"N 87°34'50.9"W
37.333022, -87.580818
(Facebook has been deleting most of my comments that contain a Google Maps URL. It declares them a violation of Community Standards. So now you have to copy&paste the GPS coordinates into the search field of Google Maps.)

Jim Pearson Photography posted
CSX J801-06 loads at Warrior Coal Mine Loop, Nebo, Kentucky
CSXT 3322 and 322 lead as CSX J801-06 creeps along as it starts to load at the Warrior Coal mine loop, just outside of Nebo, Kentucky on June 7th, 2021 under stormy skies.
This train comes out of CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky where it will return to after loading and be combined with another loaded coal train of similar length before heading south on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Jim Pearson Photography posted
CSX J801-06 travels the Warrior Coal Mine Loop, Nebo, Kentucky
CSXT 3322 and 322 lead as CSX J801-06 creeps along as it begins loading at the Warrior Coal mine loop, just outside of Nebo, Kentucky on June 7th, 2021 under stormy skies. This train comes out of CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky where it will return to after loading and be combined with another loaded coal train of similar length before heading south on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Jim Pearson Photography posted
CSX J801-06 loads at Warrior Coal Mine Loop, Nebo, Kentucky
CSXT 3322 and 322 lead as CSX J801-06 creeps along as it starts to load at the Warrior Coal mine loop, just outside of Nebo, Kentucky on June 7th, 2021 under stormy skies. This train comes out of CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, KY where it will return to after loading and be combined with another loaded coal train of similar length before heading south on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.
Jim Pearson Photography

https://youtu.be/bdLcipx37b8

Jim Pearson Photography posted
Paducah and Louisville Railway’s 4516 and 4503 pull their empty coal train under the coaling temple at the Warrior Coal Mine loop, outside of Nebo, Kentucky as they prepare to load another train bound for the Louisville Gas & Electric power plant, outside of Louisville, Ky on January 12th, 2023.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/60, ISO 100, -.7 stop.
Rob Thomas: From an engineers standpoint loading and unloading coal was the most boring and tedious job I had . Particularly in the middle of the nite !!

Jim Pearson Photography posted
Several firsts for me in this latest drone image from June 24th, 2022, at Warrior Coal Loop outside Nebo, Kentucky! On this Norfolk Southern coal train, we find NS Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit 1072 leading with Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotive, 4522 trailing, as they prepare to load an empty coal drag, with NS Southern Heritage Unit 8114 bringing up the rear as the DPU.
This was my first time catching a coal train with a heritage unit leading and as a DPU on the rear, plus doing so on the Paducah and Louisville Railway with one of the University of Kentucky units in the consist! Pretty cool!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
Jim Pearson Photography
Pete Zoeller: I believe that it's the other way around. 8114 is the lead unit with a handful of hoppers already loaded. The other two are the DPUs.
Jim Pearson Photography: Pete Zoeller Actually, when this image was made the two units were pulling the empty train through the loop till 8114 was under the coaling tower. The train then stopped and the engineer walked to 8114 and they started loading. There are no cars loaded at this point.
Pete Zoeller: Jim Pearson Photography OK, when I zoomed in on the image, it appeared that the handful of cars behind the 8114 may be loaded. I couldn't zoom in far enough to tell for sure.

Jim Pearson Photography posted
Several firsts for me in this drone image from June 24th, 2022, showing the whole loop at Warrior Coal outside Nebo, Kentucky! On this Norfolk Southern coal train, we find NS Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit 1072 leading with Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotive, 4522 trailing, as they prepare to load an empty coal drag, with Norfolk Southern Heritage Unit (the original NS) 8114 bringing up the rear.
This was my first time catching a coal train with a heritage unit leading and as a DPU on the rear, plus doing so on the Paducah and Louisville Railway with one of the University of Kentucky units in the consist was pretty cool!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1500, ISO 130.
Jim Pearson Photography: buy photo
Matt Murphy: Wish NS would change 1072 out on that train for another heritage unit. It has been on that same train bringing coal over here to the TVA plant now for months.