This coal company is mining #9 Bituminous coal. The coal is brought from the mine on the conveyor - washed, sized and then dropped into coal hoppers though the tipple. The coal hoppers at that time were most likely 33' two bay fifty-ton hoppers.Beech Creek Coal Co.
Beech Creek, KentuckyCirca: 1958
The BCC Co. #1 Switcher (EMD SW 9) then placed the hoppers on the siding track so the L&N Coal train could pick them up.
Beech Creek Coal Company was located at the Beech
Creek Junction of the
Owensboro & Nashville, which was part of the
L&N Railroad.
In 1958 this coal would go to supply Louisville Gas & Electric power company via O&N to Owensboro, KY and LH&StL to Louisville.
More of this coal would go south to Russellville,
KY on the O&N and then through
Bowling Green and Guthrie to other points. Most
were single car shipments. At that time, some homes
were still using coal for heating, therefore shipments
went to many local coal retailers.
The L&N Coal trains had EMD F7A and B locomotives painted in the black and cream livery of L&N or the "Black Beasts" painted all black with the L&N herald in a round emblem on the front.
The hill on the left of the module is Tristan Hill
_______________________________
This module is dedicated to:
my grandfather Elgan Estill Tunstill, a #9 coal miner,
and
his great-great-grandson Tristan Anthony Lindsey