BUFFALO CREEK & GAULEY RR
BUFFALO CREEK & GAULEY RR
"Keeping the Memory Alive"
The BC&G was an 18.6 mile long coal-hauling shortline that operated in central West VIrginia from 1904 through 1965. It has been reincarnated on several occassions since. It was a fascinating railroad and an ideal railroad for modeling.
The information on this website will be of value to those with an interest in the BC&G, logging lines and Appalachian shortlines in general, but it's particularly aimed at those interested in modeling the BC&G and the logging railroad of the Elk River Coal & Lumber Company.
Over the past 30 years I have been collecting information about the BC&G and the logging line of its parent ERC&L Co. to assist me in creating a model railroad representing the lines as they appeared in the late 1950's. I have discovered that there are others, including other model railroaders, and former employees of the ERC&L Co. who are also in possession of historical information about the BC&G and who like me, are concerned that if it is not collected in one spot will soon be lost.
The purpose of this site is to create a single collection point for information about the BC&G and the ELR&C, particularly previously unpublished information. This site, in fact, contains a significant number of new photos, drawings and stories about the railroad that have not previously been in the public domain. Collectively the information presented here will allow modelers to construct and operate accurate layouts of this fascinating railroad. Some of the contributors are named below.
The site is a living document, so If you have comments, questions or information to add to this collection, please go to the CONTACT ME page. I'd love to hear from you!
Below are 5 ways that you can get involved in perpetuating the memory of the BC&G!
For information about a DVD of my "S" gauge layout of the BC&G click here
For information about how you can help with the restoration of BC&G #4 click here......................................................................................................
For information about how you can help create a tourist railroad on the former BC&G right-of-way, click here............................................................
If you have questions or comments about this site, or information or photos to add to it, I'd love to hear from you. Please click here..............................
WHAT'S NEW?
Click on highlighted words to go to recent additions to the site...then look
for the dated
CONTRIBUTORS
A very special "thank you" goes to the following individuals who have contributed historical information to this site. These folks lived the BC&G and ERC&L Co. story!
Roger Nutter - Roger is the founding President of the BC&G Co-Op and is a native of the Swandale area. He hosted the trip I took, along with several others, on the BC&G in June 2007 and many of the photos, facts and stories recorded on this site are direct result of Roger's sharing his intimate knowledge of the ERC&L with us.
Cody Burdette - Cody moved to Swandale in 1950 and worked on the ERC&L logging railroad until 1959. As a former employee, he has made innumerable contributions of information and photos about the logging activities as well as the BC&G coal-hauling operations. In addition, Cody's father, Theordore, was an engineer on Shay #19 for many years.
Patsy Spencer Baughman - Patsy lived in Swandale until age 8 when she moved to Dundon. She and her husband graduated from Clay County High School. Patsy worked in the company store at Dundon. She has provided information and photos about the Dundon and Swandale company stores as well as Starcher on the Lilly Fork.
Herald Baughman - Herald graduated from Clay County High School and in the spring of 1953 began working in the Dundon Office of the ERC&L Company as a general clerk, typing car reports, among other duties. His father, Newman Baughman was manager of the Dundon store. Herald later joined the accounting firm that audited the ERC&L Company books. As a result of the new job he and his wife, Patsy, moved to Charleston.
Hollie Workman - Hollie was born in 1924 between Robinson and Taylor Creeks. He worked in the Clay Farm Bureau Store for nearly 40 years and had many family members who worked on the railroads. Hollie has provided some interesting information about logging operations in the Robinson and Taylor Creek areas of the ERC&L property.
Kathy Gaskins - Kathy's grandparents lived in Swandale and she visited there many times. In 1998, Kathy wrote a brief history of Swandale and recorded her recollections of the town in "Reflections on Swandale".
Elvin Delnar Frame - Elvin's father started working in Swandale in 1925 and Elvin was "born and reared" there. He lived in Swandale until joining the Marine Corps. Elvin has prepared a written a history of Swandale from which some information has been taken and he has provided a number of photos which have been added to this site.
Judy Gregorich Hart - Judy was born in Swandale in 1942, the youngest of nine children. She lived next door to the community building until 1959 when she moved to Charleston where she currently lives. Judy's father imigrated from Yugoslavia when he was nine years old and spent his adult life in Swandale. He retired from the ERC&L company in 1961. Judy's four brothers all worked at the sawmill and one of her sisters worked at the Swandale store.
Jerrold Murphy - Jerrold was born in a company house in Swandale near the schoolhouse in 1938. His father was Colonel Murphy and Colonel was his real name. Colonel worked in the sawmill. The family left Swandale when Jerrold was 10 years old although he graduated from Clay County High School in 1955.
Peter and Liesel Silitch - Liesel is the granddaughter of JG Bradley. She and Peter now live in Braxton County WV.
Nelson Spencer - Nelson was born in Swandale and lived there until 1943. He has provided some details about how the log pond was formed and operated. Nelson, by the way, is the brother of Patsy Baughman.
Loretta Johnson Samples - Loretta (through her cousin Roger Johnson who initially contacted me) has provided a large collection of photos collected by her husband Jerry, and his relatives. Loretta's father, James Dencie "Dink" Johnson started working in the Widen mines around 1930, was injured in a mine accident about 10 years later, but continued working around the mine until it closed.
Naomi Ashley - Naomi grew up in Taylor that was outside of Widen near Robinson. Carsel Hamrick was Naomi's uncle, and her grandfather was Benjamin Randolph Hamrick, a foreman on the railroad maintenance crew. Along with her cousin Ben Connor, Naomi hopes to provide some material about the community of Taylor.
Theodore Griffith - Theodore was born in Dille, and except for the years he left to attend college, has lived there his entire life. His grandfather was one of the first two men J.G. Bradley transferred from the Dundon operation to Widen where he oversaw the completion of the Rich Run Mine. During his career, Theodore served as the principal of Dille Elementary school.
John Beam - John was born in Swandale in 1925 and lived there until late 1943. John's dad, T.I. Beam was a saw filer and relief sawyer at the mill.
Roland Coluzzi, Jr. - John's mother was born and raised in Widen and while he didn't live there, John Jr spent many summers in Widen with his cousin Michael Hammrick. His father who was from Washington, DC took a number of photos which Roland has shared.
Bill Price Photo, 1960
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For information about audio CD's of sounds of the BC&G click here.............
Connie Acree has identified the crewmemembers in the original photo (above left) taken on February 27,1965, the last day of operations.
L to R: Ralph Acree (Connie's dad), Jobe Young, Ab Wilson (Connie's great uncle), Carsel Hamrick, Moon Mullins and Sammy Burkhammer. The fellow on the far right is unknown.
I hope you enjoy this website showcasing the history of the BC&G and ERC&L Company and featuring model railroads that depict this fascinating coal-hauling shortline
and the associated logging operation!
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND SIGN THE GUEST BOOK BY CLICKING THE 'SIGN IN' BUTTON! IF YOU WANT ME TO GET BACK TO YOU, BE SURE AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, OR CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL.
Brooks Stover 6/30/09
BC&G #13 below Widen - David Marquis
Visitors
Sign and View GUEST BOOK Here !
On November 4, 1995 an event was held at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC commorating the 30th anniversary of BC&G Engine #4's final run from Swandale (photo near right). Engine #4 was at the NCTM in tourist service lettered as Southern #604. For the reunion, she was restored to her BC&G livery and several hundred BC&G faithful enjoyed seeing the engine in service again. The photo on the right was taken that weekend with members of the organizing effort poised to duplicate the famous photo on the left taken 30 years earlier. Amazingly, both photos were taken by the same photographer, Larry Fellure. In the reproduction photo, Bob Withers is second from left, Frank Criswell third from left and Brooks Stover is at the far right. It was a weekend all in attendance will long remember!
MODEL RAILROADS
PROTOTYPE INFORMATION
Sometime around 1958, several of the Clark side-dump gondolas that had been in service hauling gob at the Rich Run mine were refurbished for Mantenance of Way service on the BC&G. Through the Magic of Model Railroading, gondolas #202 and #203 are in service once again. This photo was taken on the "S" gauge layout of Brooks Stover. For information on the construction of these models, click here. More photos of this layout and the others being built can be found on the MODEL RAILROADS pages of this site. If you are modeling the BC&G, or a free-lanced railroad based on it, we'd love to hear from you and include photos of your modeling on the site!
6/30 - Added a unique color photo of the South mine head provided by Roland Coluzzi, Jr. and taken by his dad.
6/24 - Posted two great photos of the Rich Run Mine provided by Roland Coluzzi (two locations on the page) and a key fob owned by Frank Criswell.
6/18 - Posted three color pictures of the gob pile activities and a great 'word picture' of what it was like by Roland Coluzzi, Jr. (see "CONTRIBUTORS" below right).
6/15 - At last I've gotten around to posting an article by Barbara Young Workman about her life with the BC&G.
6/4 - I've posted three photos by John Phillips of the rebuilding of the Clark gons and a rare color photo of one of the Clark cars in gob service.
5/25 - I found an interesting photo of Climax #3 that shows the 'cannonball' logo quite clearly
5/21 - I added yet another of John Phillips' fine photos, this one showing some interesting details at Swandale.
5/16 - John Phillips has shared some great photos of the Swandale engine house, Climax #2, and the logging flats.
5/15 - Posted a color photo of the logging caboose in the Georgia Pacific livery.
5/14 - John Phillips captured the top of the tender of #4, a perfect view for the modeler. Also posted a second view of #14 departing Widen.
5/14 - Check out the rare color photos of the log pond and the interior of the Dundon Shop by John Phillips.
5/13 - I've posted great color photos of #14 at the Rich Run Mine and of the Swandale Community Bldg from John Phillips.
5/8 - John Phillips, a new contributor has submitted more than 20 great photos. Here are ones showing the Dundon Station, the interior of Motor 'B' , Motor 'B" in the woods, and one of the Swandale store. More will follow.
5/1 - Theodore Griffith has sent along an AMAZING photo showing a piece of equipment that I never knew existed on the ERC&L!
4/28 - John Beam has provided some additional details about the Swandale company houses.
4/27 - Theodore Griffith has provided two photos of the Widen airstrip!
4/27 - New contributor John Beam (see CONTRIBUTORS below right) has provided a unique photo of a load of logs and the sawmill machine shop.
4/22 - Ned Harris, VP of Eng'g for TERRI has provided data on the TERRI engines.
4/22 - Theodore Griffith has provided a great new photo of the Rich Run mine.
4/20 - Posted a map of the B&O Monongah Division showing the location of the BC&G
4/19 - Discovered I had a couple of photos from David Marquis of houses at Swandale.
4/18 - Added a great detail photo by David Marquis of one of the Clark gons showing the former ERC&L lettering.
4/18 - Theodore Griffith has shared some more information about Dille
4/17 - Cody Burdette has provided photos of some night watchman items in his memoriblia collection while Naomi and Mike Ashley share a hat pin and key fob.
4/13 - I've added two great new color photos, one of the Dundon store and one of the Cressmont dairy.
4/5 - Thanks to new contributor, Theodore Griffith of Dille, WV (see CONTRIBUTORS, below right) I've posted a photo of a derailment, a photo of the Dille store sign, a mural that was painted in Widen (bottom of page) and a ELRICO baseball jersey!
3/15 - Posted a photo from Cody Burdette of a Swandale water pump, a good photo of one of the BC&G phone boxes, and a great story about log pond turtles from Judy Hart. Also added a new available BC&G audio recording.
3/13 - Check out the "Magic of Model Railroading" story of a summer romance at the Dundon store (2/3 down the page).
3/12 - I have posted new photos of my models of the Rich Run Mine, the Widen Bank and Darrell Wood's Piper Tri-Pacer (three locations on same page)
3/12 - Elvin Frame provided a photo of the carriage of the sawmill (bottom of page) and some additional information about Captain John Swan.
3/5 - Cody has shared a VERY unique Plymouth Locomotive watch fob presented to his father. Also check out Cody's collection of BC&G whistles just below on the same page.
3/5 - I've posted several photos of my just-completed model of the Dundon Company Store and the adjacent feed building.
3/1 - Posted a "Magic of Model Railroading" picture involving Darrell Woods Piper Tri-Pacer.
2/25 - Posted info on a DVD I'd not seen before with both ERC&L and limited BC&G footage.
2/25 - Added information about B&O passenger service to Dundon.
2/25 - Added a fascinating account of Swandale by Landis Jarvis and clarified a statement about house size in Swandale (two separate places same page).
2/24 - Posted a photo of a Piper Tri-Pacer (bottom of page) owned by the Mine General Foreman provided by Naomi Ashley.
2/24 - Naomi Ashley has provided 3 ads from Widen News and 3 photos of Swandale in 1973 taken by Mike Ashley.
LISTEN to #4 at Widen in April 1962! Turn up the volume on your computer and click here!!
The MAGIC OF MODEL RAILROADING
BC&G #4 under steam November 4, 1995 at Spencer, NC
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPH - Roland Coluzzi took this rare photo of the back of the Rich Run Mine sometime around 1959. It shows clearly the 'tail tracks' that stretched for up to a half mile behind the tipple. Empty hoppers waited here to be rolled by gravity under the tipple for loading. Three of the Clark side-dump gondolas are visible in the photo.
For the names of the many railfans who have contributed photos to the site, see the ABOUT THIS SITE page.
For information about the effort to reopen the BC&G for tourists, click here
John Phillips Photo - 1958
