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{{distinguish|Black Diamond (train)}}
{{distinguish|Black Diamond (train)}}


The '''Black Diamond Coal Mining Railroad''' (also known as the "Black Diamond Coal Railroad"<ref>Third Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of California for the Years ending December 31, 1880-81-82, pages 345-348</ref> and the "Black Diamond Railroad"<ref>Gilbert H. Kneiss, Locomotives of The Union Iron Works, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 68, November, 1946</ref>) was six miles long and ran from Black Diamond Landing, California, to [[Nortonville, California]]. It was built by [[California Gold Rush|Gold Rush]]-era civil engineer and artist [[Sherman Day]], and opened for service in 1868 primarily to serve the Black Diamond Coal Mine at Nortonville. At the town of [[Cornwall, California]] the railroad crossed the tracks of the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] using an overhead tressle.<ref>The Pacific Tourist, J. R. Bowman, Publisher, 1882, p. 335</ref> It was mostly standard gauge, however there was a small segment that was narrow gauge from the mine portals to coal bunkers.<ref name="ReferenceA">B. H. Ward, Mt. Diablo Coal Mine Railroads, The Western Railroader, Booklet 370-E.</ref>
The '''Black Diamond Coal Mining Railroad''' (also known as the "Black Diamond Coal Railroad"<ref>Third Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of California for the Years ending December 31, 1880-81-82, pages 345-348</ref> and the "Black Diamond Railroad"<ref>Gilbert H. Kneiss, Locomotives of The Union Iron Works, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 68, November, 1946</ref>) was six miles long and ran from Black Diamond Landing, California, to [[Nortonville, California]]. It was built by [[California Gold Rush|Gold Rush]]-era civil engineer and artist [[Sherman Day]], and opened for service in 1868 primarily to serve the Black Diamond Coal Mine at Nortonville. At the town of [[Cornwall, California]] the railroad crossed the tracks of the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] using an overhead tressle.<ref>The Pacific Tourist, J. R. Bowman, Publisher, 1882, p. 335</ref> It was mostly standard gauge, however there was a small segment that was narrow gauge from the mine portals to coal bunkers.<ref name="ReferenceA">B. H. Ward, Mt. Diablo Coal Mine Railroads, The Western Railroader, Booklet 370-E.</ref> The railroad was owned and operated by the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company.<ref name="SLC">[http://www.southport-land.com/history.html "History; The Company"], southport-land.com/history. Retrieved 2011-02-02.</ref>


The railroad had four locomotives, two of which were built in San Francisco by H. J. Booth at the Union Iron Works. Three locomotives had names: The "D. O. Mills" (named after [[Darius Ogden Mills]]), the "Hayward" (named after [[Alvinza Hayward]]), and the "Black Diamond". One locomotive was a narrow-gauge engine that was used to bring mine cars from the mine portals to the bunkers.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
The railroad had four locomotives, two of which were built in San Francisco by H. J. Booth at the Union Iron Works. Three locomotives had names: The "D. O. Mills" (named after [[Darius Ogden Mills]]), the "Hayward" (named after [[Alvinza Hayward]]), and the "Black Diamond". One locomotive was a narrow-gauge engine that was used to bring mine cars from the mine portals to the bunkers.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
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Trains ran by gravity from Nortonville to Black Diamond Landing because it was all downhill.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
Trains ran by gravity from Nortonville to Black Diamond Landing because it was all downhill.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>


The railroad was abandoned in about 1885 when the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company closed its mine at Nortonville and moved all of its employees to [[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]], [[Washington Territory]].<ref>The move of coal miners from Nortonville, California to Black Diamond, Washington Territory, 1885 by Jacqueline Byer Dial, self published, 1980</ref>
The railroad was abandoned in about 1885 when the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company closed its mine at Nortonville and moved all of its employees to another of the Company's mines at [[Black Diamond, Washington|Black Diamond]], [[Washington Territory]].<ref name="SLC"/><ref>The move of coal miners from Nortonville, California to Black Diamond, Washington Territory, 1885 by Jacqueline Byer Dial, self published, 1980</ref>


In 1888, two of its locomotives, the "D. O. Mills" and the "Black Diamond" were transferred to the [[Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad]] ("BB&BC") in the state of Washington.<ref>Fred Jukes, Philip Van Wyck and Bruce B. Cheever, The Bellinham Bay & British Columbia Railroad Company, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 84, October, 1951</ref> The BB&BC was a company that had strong ties to the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company because many of the Directors and stockholders of the coal mining company were also Directors and stockholders of the BB&BC. The fourth locomotive, the "Hayward" was sold for scrap.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
In 1888, two of its locomotives, the "D. O. Mills" and the "Black Diamond" were transferred to the [[Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad]] ("BB&BC") in the state of Washington.<ref>Fred Jukes, Philip Van Wyck and Bruce B. Cheever, The Bellinham Bay & British Columbia Railroad Company, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 84, October, 1951</ref> The BB&BC was a company that had strong ties to the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company because many of the Directors and stockholders of the coal mining company were also Directors and stockholders of the BB&BC. The fourth locomotive, the "Hayward" was sold for scrap.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>


Today, part of the old roadbed can still be seen along Nortonville Road between [[Pittsburg, California]] and Nortonville. The terminus at Nortonville is now a historic preserve managed by the East Bay Regional Park District.<ref>Traci Parent and Karen Terhune, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Arcadia Publishing, 2009, pages 115-126</ref>
Today, part of the old roadbed can still be seen along Nortonville Road between [[Pittsburg, California]] and Nortonville. The terminus at Nortonville is now a historic preserve managed by the East Bay Regional Park District.<ref name="SLC"/><ref>Traci Parent and Karen Terhune, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Arcadia Publishing, 2009, pages 115-126</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
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* [http://web.mac.com/vtlyon/iWeb/The%20Lyon/Union%20Iron%20Works%20History.html Locomotives of the Union Iron Works]
* [http://web.mac.com/vtlyon/iWeb/The%20Lyon/Union%20Iron%20Works%20History.html Locomotives of the Union Iron Works]
* [http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve], part of the East Bay Regional Park District
* [http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve], part of the East Bay Regional Park District
* [http://www.southport-land.com/history.html "History; The Company"] (history of the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company). Retrieved 2011-02-02.



[[Category:Defunct railroads]]
[[Category:Defunct railroads]]

Revision as of 06:03, 3 February 2011

For Black Diamond Railroad (in the Ohio River Valley), see Black Diamond Railroad.
Not to be confused with Black Diamond (train).

The Black Diamond Coal Mining Railroad (also known as the "Black Diamond Coal Railroad"[1] and the "Black Diamond Railroad"[2]) was six miles long and ran from Black Diamond Landing, California, to Nortonville, California. It was built by Gold Rush-era civil engineer and artist Sherman Day, and opened for service in 1868 primarily to serve the Black Diamond Coal Mine at Nortonville. At the town of Cornwall, California the railroad crossed the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad using an overhead tressle.[3] It was mostly standard gauge, however there was a small segment that was narrow gauge from the mine portals to coal bunkers.[4] The railroad was owned and operated by the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company.[5]

The railroad had four locomotives, two of which were built in San Francisco by H. J. Booth at the Union Iron Works. Three locomotives had names: The "D. O. Mills" (named after Darius Ogden Mills), the "Hayward" (named after Alvinza Hayward), and the "Black Diamond". One locomotive was a narrow-gauge engine that was used to bring mine cars from the mine portals to the bunkers.[4]

Trains ran by gravity from Nortonville to Black Diamond Landing because it was all downhill.[4]

The railroad was abandoned in about 1885 when the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company closed its mine at Nortonville and moved all of its employees to another of the Company's mines at Black Diamond, Washington Territory.[5][6]

In 1888, two of its locomotives, the "D. O. Mills" and the "Black Diamond" were transferred to the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad ("BB&BC") in the state of Washington.[7] The BB&BC was a company that had strong ties to the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company because many of the Directors and stockholders of the coal mining company were also Directors and stockholders of the BB&BC. The fourth locomotive, the "Hayward" was sold for scrap.[4]

Today, part of the old roadbed can still be seen along Nortonville Road between Pittsburg, California and Nortonville. The terminus at Nortonville is now a historic preserve managed by the East Bay Regional Park District.[5][8]

References

  1. ^ Third Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of California for the Years ending December 31, 1880-81-82, pages 345-348
  2. ^ Gilbert H. Kneiss, Locomotives of The Union Iron Works, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 68, November, 1946
  3. ^ The Pacific Tourist, J. R. Bowman, Publisher, 1882, p. 335
  4. ^ a b c d B. H. Ward, Mt. Diablo Coal Mine Railroads, The Western Railroader, Booklet 370-E.
  5. ^ a b c "History; The Company", southport-land.com/history. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  6. ^ The move of coal miners from Nortonville, California to Black Diamond, Washington Territory, 1885 by Jacqueline Byer Dial, self published, 1980
  7. ^ Fred Jukes, Philip Van Wyck and Bruce B. Cheever, The Bellinham Bay & British Columbia Railroad Company, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 84, October, 1951
  8. ^ Traci Parent and Karen Terhune, Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Arcadia Publishing, 2009, pages 115-126
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