N&WHS Beckley Convention - Sophia Laundromat Unofficial Museum
The collection of coal artifacts and photographs at the Sophia Laundromat was advertised strictly by word of mouth. Suddenly on a Saturday morning the business was inundated with railroad historians and modelers.
1. Chris Dalton and Zack Scellato have just enjoyed the history preserved within the Sophia Laundromat.
2. Inside the Sophia Laundromat.
3. Panoramic view of Sophia in 1949. The VGN depot is on the left of the track in the center of the photograph. The tunnel is on the right out of view. Sophia Laundromat.
4. NS 8673-8716 on U93, the “Piney Turn”, take two loads of ammonium nitrate to an explosives dealer at Sullivan on 10-29-1995.
5. View of Glen White circa 1920s or 1930s. Glen White is on WV 54 between Sophia and Lester. E. E. White Coal Co. owned mines #1 and 2 seen on the right. These were shaft mines reaching down to the 63” Beckley Seam. The tipples produced run-of-mine with a capacity of 1,800 tons per day. Sophia Laundromat.
6. VGN hoppers and gons prominent in this enlargement. VGN’s 2.8 mi. Shockley Branch reached the community from Glen White Jct. which is just west of Surveyor on the main line. The 1945 employee timetables lists the Shockley Branch but not the 1955. The mine was joint with the C&O. Sophia Laundromat.
7. USGS Mullens quad, 1927, 1:62,500 scale. Mullens, WV, 1:62,500 quad, 1927, USGS.
8. USGS Eccles quad, 1914 revised 1926, 1:62,500 scale showing Glen White Jct. between Surveyor and Eccles. Eccles, WV, 1:62,500 quad, 1914, USGS.
9. C&O-VGN joint territory. Shockley.
10. C&O joint mines. New River 1929.
11. C&O joint mines. New River 1929.View 2.
12. Vintage pictures of Fireco, Sophia, Glen White, Stotesbury and Helen. Sophia Laundromat.
13. Pemberton and East Gulf. Sophia Laundromat.
14. View of Pemberton looking north (railroad east) on the C&O with a VGN locomotive at the far right. Sophia Laundromat.
15. C&O 2-6-6-2 with train of loads off the Winding Gulf. Interchange track with VGN and empty supply tracks to Ragland Coal Co. tipple in background. Presumably the VGN Winding Gulf Br. crosses the C&O behind the large building. In 1924 VGN had passenger service to Fireco as well as Beckley over the C&O. Sophia Laundromat.
16. This Pemberton view shows a VGN locomotive and a huge “battleship” gondola on the left. Ragland Coal Company’s slope mine reached into the 48” Beckley Seam. The tipple shopped only run-of-mine coal and its capacity was 600 tons per day in 1926. Sophia Laundromat.
17. Looking north (railroad east) on the Raleigh Southwestern & Winding Gulf SD. Section tool house and old trail order signal on right. NS trains had to come to a stop per the sign on the left. 01-14-1985. C&O Pemberton WV.
18. NS Winding Gulf Branch looking east (railroad west) toward Bowyer. C&O Pemberton WV. 01-14-1985.
19. C&O looking south (railroad west) toward Affinity and the Winding Gulf. Connection to the N&W on right. 08-19-1973. C&O RSW & WG Pemberton.
20. Young adults rush to beat the train as the brakeman alights from “Gulf Man” 4250 (6 lite engines) to gather NS empties to shuttle to Stone Coal Jct. NS had a fire at Amigo Tunnel which temporarily isolated the Stone Coal Br. 09-28-1985. C&O RSW & WG Pemberton.
21. Pusher 4120 pulls onto NS to get the empties. N&W based a crew here at one time in the metal building. C&O Pemberton WV.
22. A N&W crew used this ex-VGN V-30S cab in 1974. Note the lamp in the window. N&W cab 530344. Pemberton WV. 11-29-1975.
23. NS “piney Turn” with 8673-8716 U93 heads to Sullivan. The interchange sidings are on the right. 10-26-1995. NS Pemberton.
24. NS 8673-8715 U93 switching at Sullivan. 10-26-1995.
25. Passing Pemberton with one empty covered hopper. NS 8716-8673 U93. 10-26-1995.
26. U93 will stop at Affinity to pick up 40 loads and one empty. NS 8716-8673. Pemberton.
We will look at vintage Fireco, Stotesbury and Helen next.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young