Deep in the heart of Central Appalachia Coal Basin a NS loader crew U54 is busy slow loading a coal train on the Levisa Branch at Big Rock, VA. The crew is loading the train at the Wellmore Coal Corporation Plant #8 around the corner. The Levisa Branch is near the Kentucky/Virginia state line and is a 11 mile dead-end branch off the Buchanan Branch at Thomas Wye near Weller Yard. The crew uses a caboose to shove back to the Buchanan Branch once the train is loaded. Train will be bound for Lambert Point, VA, once loaded.
Wellmore Plant #7, seen in the photo, looks like it is no longer in use. United Coal Co. was started in the early 1970's during the energy crunch. In 2006 United Coal Co. was reborn, using the Wellmore Energy name.
