Exploring America State by State

Category Archives: Railroad

The Thurmond Depot

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The Thurmond Train Depot stands as a testament to the vital role railroads played in shaping West Virginia’s history. Located in the heart of the New River Gorge, this historic structure served as a bustling hub for both passengers and freight during the coal mining boom of the early 20th century. The depot itself, a charming wooden building constructed in 1905, offers a glimpse into a bygone era, with its elegant architecture and nostalgic atmosphere.

Today, the Thurmond Train Depot has been thoughtfully restored and transformed into a museum, inviting visitors to step back in time and experience the vibrant past of this once-thriving coal town. Exhibits showcase the depot’s original features, while informative displays delve into the history of railroading in the region, including the stories of the miners and their families who relied on the trains for transportation and livelihood. A visit to the Thurmond Train Depot offers a unique opportunity to connect with West Virginia’s rich industrial heritage and appreciate the enduring legacy of this remarkable transportation landmark.

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The Queen of the Railroad

Posted on by Posted in Minnesota, Railroad Leave a comment

During my travels across the United States, I’ve encountered many old steam locomotives on display. However, the 225 in Proctor, Minnesota, southwest of Duluth, is undoubtedly the most impressive I’ve seen. The 225 had a the nickname of “The Queen” and I am sure people marvled as it rolled by like royalty.

This magnificent locomotive was manufactured by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1941 for the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range (DM&IR) railroad. Designed to transport vast quantities of iron ore the DM&IR ordered eight of these powerful machines initially, and then subsequently ten more. The 225 has two leading wheels, two sets of eight driving wheels, and a four-wheel trailing truck. The type was generally named the “Yellowstone”, a name given it by the first owner, the Northern Pacific Railway, whose lines ran near Yellowstone National Park.

For nearly two decades, these behemoths tirelessly hauled iron ore to fuel the steel mills. However, the advent of more efficient diesel locomotives eventually led to the retirement of these steam giants. In 1963, the 225 was retired and generously donated to the city of Proctor, where it now stands proudly on display, serving as a powerful reminder of the era of the mighty steam locomotives.

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The Black Beetle

Posted on by Posted in Ohio, Railroad Leave a comment

The town of Bryan Ohio is located in the northwest corner of the Buckeye state. It has a small train depot that still operates as an Amtrak station. In the parking lot is a historical marker that recalls the fastest train in America. The sixty-seven miles of railroad track from Toledo, Ohio to Butler, Indiana is the longest multiple track straight railroad line in the world. It was on this stretch of track that the New York Central Railroad Company tested the feasibility of operating high-speed passenger service.

In 1966, the New York Central Railroad modified a passenger rail car. They added an aerodynamic cowling around the bottom and on the top two jet engines for power. The engines were second-hand General Electric J47-19 jet engines, originally used as boosters for the Convair B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental bomber. The railcar M-497 was nicknamed the Black Beetle by the press and tested on July 23, 1966. The railcar with the jet engines strapped to the roof reached a maximum speed of 183.68 mph, an American rail speed record that still stands today.

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Fenelon Place Elevator

Posted on by Posted in Iowa, Railroad Leave a comment

West of downtown Dubuque Iowa is a large bluff. Odd looking white and green cable cars move up and down the hill on railroad tracks. They are part of the Fenelon Place Elevator Company that transport riders up and down the hill. It is more of a novelty now but before the automobile it transported residents to their homes and down to the city.

The first elevator was built by J. K. Graves, a former mayor, former State Senator, and banker who lived on top of the bluffs. Back then Dubuque shut down for an hour and a half every day for lunch. Mr. Graves wanted to go home for lunch but it took him an hour and a half to take a buggy to his home and back. He came up with an ingenious plan to build a cable car like he had seen in the Alps. He hired local engineer John Bell to build it. Bell used a wood fired steam engine to raise and lower an car using rope. Now Graves had time to eat his lunch and take a nap.

Many of the neighbors also rode the elevator and when it burned down in 1894 they banned together to form the Fenelon Place Elevator Company and constructed a new one. The group traveled to the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, to look for new ideas. They brought back a streetcar motor to run the elevator, and cables to hoist it up and down. The also added a second car so the system is counter balanced.  The elevator still operates today and transports passengers for $2 per person from April to November.

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Thurmond

Posted on by Posted in Ghost Towns, Railroad, West Virginia Leave a comment

The town of Thurmond, West Virginia sits along the track that travel next to the New River. I would call it a ghost town but according to the last census it still has five residents that call it home. The town was incorporated in 1900 and named after Captain W. D. Thurmond, who settled in the region after he was given the 73 acre site as payment for a surveying job.

The town of Thurmond grew rapidly as coal trains passed through the town. Many railroad workers and miners lived in the town or at least visited it and spent their hard earned money. Thurmond’s banks were the richest in the state for a short time. After the mines closed and the steam locomotives gave way to diesel the population of the town dwindled. With most of its citizens gone, the post office closed in 1995.

Most of the town is now owned by the National Park Service and is part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The old train depot is now a visitors center.

Trains still pass through the historic town and the depot is a stop for Amtrak. It is a beautiful drive to get to Thurmond and is one of my favorite places I have visited since I started this website. If you get a chance to visit it, I highly recommend it.

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The Rock Cut

Posted on by Posted in Michigan, Nature, Railroad Leave a comment

Deep in the forests of the Huron Mountains, in the northwest Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is a huge gash in the solid rock terrain. It was created in the 1890s to run the Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad from Champion to an ore dock near Skanee. A group of investors in the Detroit area thought they could make a fortune on hauling iron ore by train from a mine near champion.

They spent about two million dollars and employed 1500 men building a railroad and ore dock. By the time it was completed the mine had stopped producing iron ore and the railroad was no longer needed. Shortly after the railroad was sold for about $100,000 and the tracks were removed and used downstate.

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The Haunted Moonville Tunnel

Posted on by Posted in Haunted, Ohio, Railroad Leave a comment

In southeastern Ohio, deep in the Zaleski State Forest, the Moonville Tunnel cuts through a steep hill.  In 1856, Samuel Coe owned the property where the tunnel now stands. He gave the Marietta and Cincinnati (M&C) Railroad permission to run a railroad line across his property. The village of Moonville sprang up near the tunnel. One theory of the name is that a Mr. Moon owned the local general store, and the town was named for it. But it is only a theory because it has never been confirmed in the census that a person by the last name lived in Moonville. The town slowly grew to about one hundred people by the late 1800s. Most of the residents worked in the nearby coal mine. When it closed in the early 1900s most of the people in Moonville moved away. The last family moved away in 194, and all that remains of the community are the tunnel, cemetery and the foundation of the old schoolhouse.

The tunnel and surrounding area is said to be one of the most haunted places in Ohio. There are several theories and legends as to why. In 1859, local newspapers reported that a brakeman fell from the train as it was passing through the tunnel. When he hit the ground his leg was crushed by the steel wheels of the train. Another theory is that the town was plagued by an epidemic of smallpox and several people died. Some say the ghost of a railroad worker haunts the tunnel and the light from a lantern he carries can be seen at night.

Since the tunnel was built, four confirmed deaths have occurred in the underground structure. People would hike through the tunnel because it is much easier to walk through the hill than go over it. The tunnel is narrow and when a train passes through it would be easy for a hiker to get pulled into the passing train. In later years, before the train tracks were removed, engineers have claimed to see many people waving down passing trains on the tracks ahead, and then disappear when they got to their location. This sight was so common that the railroad company issued orders to the engineers not to stop for people in the Moonville Tunnel area.

Getting to the tunnel is an adventure. Miles from any large city it is a long winding and hilly drive to the secluded area. I recommend driving to it from Route 278 past Lake Hope State Park. My GPS took me in from the south and the roads were narrow gravel roads that were cut into the side of the hills. If you do not like driving with steep drop offs and no guard trails I would avoid this route. The old railroad tracks that went through the tunnel are gone, and the former rail line is now the Moonville Rail Trail. Parking can be found on state road 18 (Hope-Moonville Road) at the Moonville Tunnel Trailhead.

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