The Hanging Rock Coal Trestle

The Hanging Rock coal trestle functioned as a coal unloading facility, and was built by the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1943 from a standard plan used for this type of structure., At the turn of the century, most industries utilized a self-contained boiler plant that heated water for steam radiator systems and also provided hot water for hygiene and cooking. Coal was the essential fuel for such systems., In many cases, coal was delivered directly to the consumer by hopper carloads. The alternative to direct delivery was the transloading facility, of which the Hanging Rock coal trestle is an example. Here the coal was unloaded from the rail car to be trucked to the final destination., With the advent of oil and natural gas heating systems, coal is now used primarily for the generation of electric power. Most coal is handled in “unit trains” bound for a single destination. The days of single carload coal sales are practically gone due to the significantly higher costs of handling., The Hanging Rock coal trestle stands as a fine example of a rapidly disappearing piece of American history.