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Logging RailroadAt the turn of the century, hundreds of logging railroads criss-crossed the mountains of Pennsylvania. Most came into existence to supply the many coal mines within Pennsylvania with wooden props. Adam J. Gotshall of Shamokin, PA, was one such supplier, and as such, operated several logging operations within Pennsylvania.Gotshall's last operation was on property east of Yeagertown. It was on May 3, 1917 when he purchased the 1,234 acres (4 993 821 square meters) of timberland from the Logan Iron & Steel Company. He then built a narrow-gauge 42" railroad from a siding along the PRR Milroy branch in Yeagertown up to his timberlands, a distance of four to five miles (6-8 kilometers). The track had a heavy grade estimated to be about 10% and included a switchback and a safety switch. At Yeagertown, a small sawmill, prop transfer facilities, company houses and an enginehouse for a small Shay engine were built. The locomotive was a two truck class "A" Shay, construction #965, originally built in 1904, and weighed 15 tons (13 608 kilograms). It, along with a number of log cars, was transferred from another Gotshall operation in East Renovo, Clinton County. The Yeagertown job was not a good example of correct prop operation. The timber consisted of only small hardwoods, the engine was old, worn out and too light for the job, and there were less than 20 employees. Train conduct was haphazard at best and during Gotshall's rule, there were three runaway trains. One of the runaways resulted in fatally injuring a man when the engine overturned at a small trestle. There had been a safety switch, but the trainmen had been too lazy to drop off and set it correctly so when the switch was needed, it had been set in the wrong direction. In 1928, Adam Gotshall was getting on in years, and wanting out of the timber business, sold the Yeagertown business to a Lewistown lumberman named C. P. (Commodore Perry) Wrey. "Perry" owned additional lumber further east along the ridge, and used the railroad to haul his timber to Yeagertown. Eventually, however, the automobile became too attractive an alternative. In 1935, Wray closed the railroad, sold the rails, scrapped the engine, and continued cutting and hauling props to the mine - using his motor truck - until his death in 1945. This ended the last logging railroad in the Snyder, Union and Mifflin County area. |
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