The Bell's Gap Railroad was a 8+1⁄2 miles (13.7 km) 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 8+1⁄2 miles (13.7 km) long line was put in operation in June 1873.[1][2]
The Pennsylvania & North Western Railroad Company became the successor by change of name of the Bell's Gap Railroad Company on 9 May 1874.[3]
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.[4]
Route and track
The grade was very heavy, the maximum of 158.4 feet to the mile (3.0 %) being continuous for 6+3⁄4 miles (10 km).
The sharpest curvature was 28° with a 206 feet (63 m) radius. There were ten of these curves on the maximum grade, two of which were 600 feet (180 m) long with a turning an angle of 168°.
The weight of rail was 35 pounds to the yard (17.5 kg/m).[1]
Rolling stock
The weight of the engines was 15 tons. The following rolling stock was used in 1875:
.jpg)
