Eastern Railroad Discussion > High Point Restaurant, Coal Center, PA.

Hello, I was told about a restaurant called the High Point located on a hill in Coal Center, PA. with a nice view of Newell, Pa. and part of California, Pa. . Newell is where CSXT has a yard for coal train traffic into and out of the former MGA district. Also some of NS's Mon line can be seen where NS runs its coal train traffic into and out of the former MGA district. I was told the food and prices were reasonable too. I was told to try the hot sausage. This past Friday the wife and I visited the High Point and sat on the outside deck and the view was very nice from this lofty vantage point. They were out of the hot sausage at the time we were there. I did manage to take some shots of Newell and California on this beautiful afternoon. After we ate I decided to go back to the ex-train depot in California were I have been trying to get a late afternoon shot of a loaded train headed to Shire Oaks. Due to the trees and other obstacles, I had what I think is one decent spot to get as much of the station as I could in the shot. There is a small window for good late afternoon light. At first I wanted to get something special leading but after 11 prior visits and coming up empty handed I was ready to settle for anything. Well this day I got my chance. I was able to catch N23 with NS#9665 on point. Nothing special but it was a train.
On Saturday we decided to return and try some of the hot sausage and I thought it was good. I was able to get a few pictures of N74 easing into Newell and another N23 going through Coal Center from the back deck. Saturday was a beautiful day also. Please visit ( http://www.pbase.com/jmbreitigan/coal_center_pa ) to see these and few more pictures I took plus bigger images of the shots from the deck. You can see more detail. Hope you all enjoy my effort.
John

1. The community of Newell, PA. This is where the Monongahela river makes a big horseshoe turn around Newell. Part of California & California University is to the right.

2. Close up of the entrance to CSXT's Newell yard. You can see an empty pointed southbound.

3. To the left is part of the Mon line. The small community up the line above Newell would be Elco, PA.

More....................



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/13 12:00 by jmbreitigan.

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again ... very nice John

4. N23 heads northbound past the ex-train depot at California with 118 loaded cars from Bailey mine. You may think I should be on the other side of the track but there is a old four foot high fence between the track and the station. And you are below the track and that fence ruins the shot. I used a graduated neutral density filter on this shot so I could bring out the details in the shadow of the train without blowing out the sky.

5. A cloud of coal dust surrounds the rear of N23 as it heads towards Shire Oaks. Another reason you won't see too much light on this side of the track is all those big trees that run the length of the track. I took it as a challenge to see what I could do.

6. Saturday afternoon we see N73 easing into Newell at Miller street with 130 cars from Bailey mine while a truck waits at the crossing.

More...................

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Thanks! That's some great material! That area is one I've bypassed too many times on trips to the east. Gotta get it on the list. Especially with coal's uncertain future!

7. On Saturday afternoon N23 with 89 loaded cars eases through Coal Center.

8. Same N23 headed northbound towards Elco, PA.

9. Zoom shot of another train with 89 loaded cars headed to Shire Oaks. This train happened to be tied down at West Brownsville, PA. I did not catch the symbol for this train.

Thanks for looking, John

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Thank you OOS and Gateway97.
John

Great photos!!
Looks just like a model railroad with a
peninsula in the middle with tracks on both sides
of the aisle(river)!!!!!
Mike

Pictures five and six really stand out...picture five epitomizes what a lazy summer/fall day is like with the rays of light. Picture number six looks like something off of the cover of Model Railroader.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/13 12:16 by Forever-Railfan-45.

Thank you Mike and Carl. Can't beat sipping a beer and watching it all unfold down there.
John

Very nice John. Most of my extended family is from that area, so I spent a lot of time in "Little California" as a kid. That's as good a shot of the depot and a train as I've seen. You are right, its difficult to get a good shot with a train. I have some from last year I may tag onto your thread later if you don't mind.

I have stood up there and when the light is right you can see huge channel catfish in the river.

Great photos, thanks for sharing them. All that, and a place to have a beer. That's really living...

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Great photos, thanks for sharing them. All that,
> and a place to have a beer. That's really
> living...

Now you did it!

Budweiser: "Railfans: for all you do, this Bud's for you."

Miller: "If you've got the trains, we've got the beer."

Old Milwaukee: "It doesn't get any better than watching trains"

St. Pauli Girl: "You never forget your first Heritage unit"

Schaefer: "The beer to have when you're seeing more than one train"

Duquesne Beer: "Enjoy the foam from the "The Prince of Pilsener" while foaming."

Heisler Gold Ale: Sorry, buddy, if you want a Heisler, you have to go Cass, West Virginia.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/13 18:32 by RuleG.

Here's to Dortmunder Gold, Old Gold and Blue & Gold (CSX)!

Great shots! I especially like #5. Hot Sausage and Beer Bac kbefor my operation I would have had it with you. now i can only do the Beer
thanks for posting.
Jim

PittsburghMike Wrote:
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> Very nice John. Most of my extended family is from
> that area, so I spent a lot of time in "Little
> California" as a kid. That's as good a shot of the
> depot and a train as I've seen. You are right, its
> difficult to get a good shot with a train. I have
> some from last year I may tag onto your thread
> later if you don't mind.


Mike, thank you. Feel free to post away.
John

Thanks all for the kind words. RuleG can you add something for Yuengling beer?
John

jmbreitigan Wrote:
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> Thanks all for the kind words. RuleG can you add
> something for Yuengling beer?
> John

John:

How about this:

Yuengling: "America's Oldest Brewery, making beer since the beginning of American railroading."

jmbreitigan Wrote:
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> Thanks all for the kind words. RuleG can you add
> something for Yuengling beer?
> John


He always keeps says Sammy Weller a case of Yuengling in the cellar!and After weary days employment drink Yuengling beer for your enjoyment!
Jim

3 more from California PA:
1. A view from the parking lot side of the station.
2. Someone maintains the station board with train times from a bygone era.
3. A modern day NS hopper train rolls south past the station.

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