What to Haul it in?

[inkaneer]

There were coke ovens around Connellsville, but I think these were served mostly by the P&LE.  There were eastbound coke moves, I'm assuming to Sparrows Point, I'm not sure if that facility had coke ovens in house.  From what I've read, these were moved in P&LE cars.  WM didn't have cars dedicated to coke service, but I'm sure hoppers were pressed into service on an as needed basis.

Lee

I don't recall any coke ovens around Connellsville unless you are talking of the old 'beehive ovens'.  These dotted the Western PA landscape in the early 20th century.  Most coking operations in recent time was/is done at Clairton, PA for US Steel and served by URR, PRR, PC, Conrail and NS and formerly P&LE.  Also at Monessen/ PA for Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel and served by P&LE and CSX.  These are large plants and coal is usually delivered in river barges while the coke is shipped mostly by RR. 

[wm3798]

I can only go by what I read... I'm not as familiar with the area as I would like to be.  In Western Maryland in the Diesel Era, it discusses coke movements from Dickerson Run to Pittsburgh over the P&LE.  I'll have to double check the source to see if I missed a detail or seven...

Lee

[inkaneer]

I can only go by what I read... I'm not as familiar with the area as I would like to be.  In Western Maryland in the Diesel Era, it discusses coke movements from Dickerson Run to Pittsburgh over the P&LE.  I'll have to double check the source to see if I missed a detail or seven...

Lee

The P&LE historical society may have some information on that but if there were coke ovens there they were the old brick ovens which could be found practically anywhere in W. PA.  If you look on a map and see a town that had '. . . Furnace' in its name like Lemont Furnace, PA  chances are that coke ovens were there.   Most, if not all, of these have since been demolished as they presented safety issues due to collapse.   Coke is now made in large facilities like Clairton works of US Steel.   One more coke plant existed but is no longer there and that was the J&L/ LTV Steel plant in the Hazelwood section of the City of Pittsburgh.  That plant was served by the B&O, CSX until it was razed along with the rest of the mill.  It also received coal by barge and shipped coke by rail.