Bell's Gap Railroad
{{Short description|Railroad in Pennsylvania}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{infobox rail line
| name = Bell's Gap Railroad
| logo =
| logo_width =
| image = Bell's Gap Railroad, Collier Trestle 02 (cropped).jpg
| image_width = 275px
| caption = Bell's Gap Railroad, Collier Trestle
| gauge = {{track gauge|standard}}
| old_gauge = {{track gauge|36in}}
| linelength = {{convert|8+1/2|mile|sigfig=1}}
| map = {{maplink-road|from=Bell's Gap Railroad.map}}
}}
The Bell's Gap Railroad was a {{convert|8+1/2|mile}} long railroad in Pennsylvania. It was inaugurated in 1873 and consolidated in 1874. The original construction was narrow-gauge.
History
The Bell's Gap Railroad Company was incorporated under the general law of Pennsylvania on 11 May 1871, to construct a railway from Bell’s Mills, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, to Lloyds in Cambria County. The construction began in 1872, and the {{convert|8+1/2|mile}} long line was put in operation in June 1873.Howard Fleming: [https://archive.org/details/narrowgaugerailw00flem/page/60 Narrow gauge railways in America. A sketch of their rise, progress and success: valuable statistics as to grades, curves, weight of rail, locomotives, cars, etc.] 1876. Page 60-61. {{PD-notice}}H.V. & H.W. Poor: [https://books.google.com/books?id=agL_E5V0AoAC&pg=RA2-PA112 Poor's Manual of Railroads.] 1887.
The Pennsylvania & North Western Railroad Company became the successor by change of name of the Bell's Gap Railroad Company on 9 May 1874.United States. Interstate Commerce Commission, U.S. Government Printing Office: [https://books.google.com/books?id=muOir0QIBegC&pg=PA665 Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States.] Valuation reports, Vol 22, 1929. p. 665.
In 1883 and 1884, the Pennsylvania & North Western Railroad Company (under control of the Pennsylvania Railroad) converted the original 3 foot gauge trackage to standard gauge.{{Cite web |title=The Pennsylvania Railroad Company: The Corporate, Financial and Construction History of Lines Owned, Operated and Controlled To December 31, 1945, Volume I The Pennsylvania Railroad Proper {{!}} Hagley Digital Archives |url=https://digital.hagley.org/islandora/object/islandora:2386735#page/429/mode/1up |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=digital.hagley.org}}
Route and track
The grade was very heavy, the maximum of 158.4 feet to the mile (3.0 %) being continuous for {{convert|6+3/4|mile|sigfig=1}}.
The sharpest curvature was 28° with a {{convert|206|feet}} radius. There were ten of these curves on the maximum grade, two of which were {{convert|600|feet}} long with a turning an angle of 168°.
Rolling stock
Operation
External links
- [http://www.bellwoodantis.net/bellsgaprr.html Narrow gauge railway]
- [http://www.bellwoodantis.net/pcrailroad.html Bellwood-Antis Historic Railroad Postcard Scans]
References
{{Commonscat}}
{{Coord|40.6377778|-78.3858333|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bells Gap Railroad}}
Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States
Category:Railway companies established in 1871
Category:Defunct companies based in Pennsylvania