A Canadian Gypsum Mine (CGC) donates Atlas Mine Locomotive

  The Canadian Gyypsum Company (A USG company) is one of North America's largest producers of drywall. What makes this operation even more unique that it has an underground mining operation supplying the manufacturing facility with the gypsum.  We stopped by this facility on a return trip from the nickel mines in Sudbury, Ontario in 2007.  One of the last underground gypsum mines in Canada.  Gypsum is primarily used in the manufacturing of drywall. 

   In November of 2008 (2) of our members were able to go underground and witness this first class mining operation.  The miners & management team were very accomodating and helpful.  The mining operation is very unique.  The gysum is approximately a 3ft thick seem.  There is no way to sort the gysum from the overburden so the drill and blast method is used to just mine the gypsum. The pictures below help capture this method of mining.  On the underground tour the miner had shown our group a disused Atlas locomotive sitting on a side track underground.  Upon our return Ray had researched that the unit had originally operated in New Philadelphia, Ohio. 

  The history of this locomotive with its decades of service in Canada & in Ohio inspired us to attempt to save the locomotive for preservation.  Discussions were made and CGC decided to donate the locomotive to Ohio Vintage Coal Co.  This project was very exciting for our group.  The first international move plus the locomotive was still underground in an active mine. We received a call on a Monday that the unit will be removed from the mine that very same week and needed to be picked up by Friday.  Pete had to be early at the mine site Friday morning at 6:30 am.  The miners had it ready to load & back to Ohio until we had a short delay crossing the border.  Bringing a locomotive into the states caught the eye of customs officers.  The unit had the proper documentation so we made it back but it was nerve racking for a few moments. We have a SPECIAL THANKS to Kyle Kennedy (Mill, Mine Manager), without his efforts to help preserve this piece of history this project would have never happened. We also thank all the miners that helped bring the locomotive to the surface and for the assistance in the loading process. 

 Thanks You ! CGC for the donated Atlas Mine Locomotive

Project Date March 27th 2009