The Region's Mine Switchers

One of the least known or appreciated factors - outside of railfan circles - in coal mining are the mine switchers. These dedicated units are usually second or third hand downs - sometimes even more - from a previous owner, many still wearing their original paint scheme. At the current time, only two mines in northern West Virginia still use switchers to shift hoppers. With the rest of the area's mines going "high tech" and / or CSX taking responsibility for loadout movements, the once abundant coal mine switchers are gradually becoming extinct. On this page we will show the current switchers, in addition to photos of no longer active ones.

Active Mine Switchers
Sentinel Mine - Philippi, WV	GE 110 Ton
Sawmill Run Mine - Sago, WV	CF7

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A 110-ton General Electric switcher is moving hoppers through the Sentinel Mine loader near Berryburg, WV. This switcher is remote controlled from the loading booth.

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Photo by Ron Stafford. Spring Ridge Coal Company's Alco S2 #1005, The Big Red One, at Bolair, WV, October 18th, 1990. This unit was shipped out of Bolair in the fall of 1998 bound for the Chattahoocee Locomotive Co. in Easley, SC.

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Photo by Ron Stafford. Cheyenne Sales Company, Incorporated's out of service BLW VO1000 #RT-10 at Teter, WV, October 5, 1993.

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Photo by Chris Strogen. Another angle of the #RT-10 at Teter, WV, this time taken in March of 1998, almost five years after the previous photo; the time shows on the unit.

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Photo by Ron Stafford. Carter Roag Coal Company S4 #115 at Star Bridge, WV, on October 17, 1990. Interestingly, the unit was nicknamed "Bears Blue Ox".

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The S2 F&M coal switcher at Caddell, WV, in November of 1985. The switcher worked the nearby Karen Mine tipple on the CSX Kingwood subdivision until being moved to the Spring Ridge Coal Company's Bolair operation in the 1990s.

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Former Sawmill Run Mine Switcher LTEX #16 is sitting in front of the loadout on August 3rd, 1999. This switcher was replaced by the former Julianna Mine's CF7 switcher during the summer of 2000.

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Photo by Jerry Doyle. The former SW-7 switcher, ex Conemaugh and Black Lick, and slug at the Century 102 Mine near Century, West Virginia. This switcher set was one of two on the property until both were sold in the mid 1990s.

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A former Santa Fe CF7 is awaiting shipment to the Julianna Mine near Erbacon, West Virginia, at the yard in Fairmont, West Virginia, during the winter of 1985. The switched remained in the Sante Fe paint scheme until the mid 90s, when it was repainted into a more bland one color scheme.

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Photo by Alex Laughton. The Mettiki Coal Company's new switcher is posing beside the mine's loadout shortly after delivery during the summer of 1978.

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Large Photo by Alex Laughton, Insert Photo by Jerry Doyle. A few hours after the first photo was taken, Mettiki's switcher lost its air brakes and turned into an unmanned runaway. Unfortunately this incident resulted in a fatality when the switcher encountered a MofW crew welding rail, before overturning near Bayard.

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Mastellar Coal Company's remote controlled cabless RS3. As apparent from the photo, the unit is being cannibalized for parts.