traffic from the New Ken and Burrel area use it as a short cut to Pittsburgh as it brings you down to Oakmont via cox Comb Hill instead of having to go thru New Kensington .
Recently Penn Dot had to close down the road to repair it where Logans turns into Coxcomb as road started to collapse and Penn dot found the road was a viaduct built over an abandoned railroad spur to nowhere.
Well I have the answer I believe where the spur went and its purpose.
which was scuttled in 1920 or 30s
Long ago there was the Logans Ferry Coal Mine this mine produced excellent steam coal which was sold to the West Penn Power Station across the Allegheny River.
One problem thou was getting coal across the frozen river in winter when tugs and barges could not operate.
The solution was ingenuous they built 2 tunnels under the river from the mine to the power plant which went under the river in late 1800's tunnel 1# was used to haul coal cars filled with coal to the plant and Tunnel 2# was used to haul the empty cars back and what Penn Dot found seems to be the old mine workings supply spur . With so much passing of time any one who knew about this is long gone and now there is just some old pictures here and there and paper work sure would love to find pictures of the actual tunnels in use other than the one image shown.
Almost 99% of the coal went under the river to the power plant. The mine was owned by West Penn Power, which bought 4,000 acres of coal on the east bank of the river.
ReplyDeleteAlmost 99% of the coal went under the river to the power plant. The mine was owned by West Penn Power, which bought 4,000 acres of coal on the east bank of the river.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to search the area to see if the tunnel entrances are visible in any manner. If I find anything, I will share. Your picture is the first I have seen. Thank you..
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