Followers of such things know that this year has been particularly unkind to certain kinds of old machines and industrial sites. Alco RS1 locomotives, large power plants and anthracite coal collieries have taken quite a hit in 2014.


Demolition of the last great citadel of anthracite mining is gaining momentum; the Reading Coal Co's St. Nicholas colliery will soon join all the other great Pennsylvania collieries in the realm of memories. The sad images popping up online confirm the extent of the destruction.

St Nick never really stood a chance to survive. It was too big and too intact. Preservation would have been daunting, but it lingered for five decades after shutting down, tempting one to think "what if?" It was a central colliery, which meant the railroad brought mine run coal to St Nick from around the Shenandoah, PA area for processing.

Much of the railroad and mining infrastructure survived. The standard gauge car dumping shed for mine run coal (two tracks side by side, one with a rotary dumper and one designed for hopper door dumping) survived. The multi-tracked thawing shed survived, too. The breaker survived, as did its loading apparatus for hoppers and boxcars. It all survived into this decade. To save it was too big a dream.

St. Nick's middle anthracite field neighbor, the giant Locust Summit breaker, made it into the early 2000's. The Huber Colliery in Ashley came down within the past year. It was almost as intact as St Nick. They were the last 3 big collieries , out of a group of 5 that made it to the 1990's.

In the 1960's the Marvine Colliery north of Scranton was considered for preservation. Even then, saving a colliery was too big an idea. A valiant effort was made to the save the Huber, but funding did not materialize.

A handful of small modern operations still exist in the A-coal fields, but when the last beams of St Nick fall, it will mark the end of an era.

Many curious folks found their way through St Nick in its abandoned state. From coal historians, to railfans to urban explorers the site drew a steady stream of interest that kept nearby residents, town police and coal company folks busy policing the property. It was a beacon to me most of my life. I am glad I was able to visit the entire complex during the last "visit with permission" conducted by a group of mining historians several years ago. The place was magic. It was a time machine.

I am writing this while riding a commuter train headed west on the old New York & Long Branch Railroad. In a few minutes we will pass the remaining wall of the Art Deco gem E. H. Werner Power Station. On this morning's ride, a chunk of the north side was still standing. Water cannons were being used to douse the dust as the reaper continued his work. I expect to see a little bit of that wall still hanging on tonight.

Demolition is coming faster and faster. Our abandoned gems are going away.

For those with no idea what we're discussing:

http://opacity.us/site89_old_saint_nich ... reaker.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUrF0ZAeE_8

Update:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/massive-c ... 00966.html