janfan

Can someone give me a comparison on two coal mine tours, Lackawanna near Scranton and Pioneer Tunnel near Ashland. we are planning to go to one of them and Scranton is a little out of the way but I was wondering if it is worth the trip. It seems to be a deep mine while the Pioneer is more of a lateral one. Has anyone been to both, or either for that matter? The weekend we are going is that of the Pocono 500! We are going to a show at Penns Peak and there is no where to stay there so we are branching out a little and trying to find something intersting to do on Sat. We could also go to Steamtown if we go to Scranton. Any advice would be appreaciated, thanks

nfahey

I've never been to Pioneer Tunnel, but Lackawanna is great. Don't forget to wear pants and if you have room for it bring a coat with you b/c it gets cold down there. If you can't fit the coat they do have loaners for you on site. Steamtown is definately a good choice of things to do while in the Scranton area.

Might I recommend some Old Forge pizza for lunch while you're in the area? If you're not from the area you will definately enjoy it!

LN

I have been to both Steamtown and to the McDad mine in scranton. The McDade mine is laid out as all anthracity mines were, and I believe, you go down a mine shaft for a few hundred feet and then you're on one of the mining levels. You're taken down in special cars that reminded me of a cog railroad type and then the tour guide (an ex-miner) gives a visual and verbal show of the hard coal mine. Our children all went with us and all told there were about 25 in our group.

Steamtown is a national park site and operated by the Interior Department. There's just about any steam engine ever made there, as well as a round house where the locomotives were repaired. Youngsters and hubbies seem to be quite taken with it. One of the locomotives is what they called an "accumulator" which was actually capable of turning on curves and it is not straight.

There's also a nice hotel right next to "Steamtown" that was once the train station in Scranton and has been revamped into quite a nice hotel. I've stayed there and been to Steamtown and found both quite enjoyable.

You can get quite an assortment of ethnic foods in scranton and some of the very best pizza ever made. Another local treasure would be "coney island weiners" and they are great at lunch time.

I hope you'll enjoy yourself and give us a trip report on your return.

LilyLace

If you are really interested in coal mining Ashland is very good. The whole area is really depressed with alot of poverty. Lot's of nice people though and ton's of history. If you decide on Ashland, make a side trip (only a few miles) to Centralia which is a small town with fires burning underneath in the old coal vanes. It's something very special to see, smoke coming up from underground - especially in the cemetary! Only a few families still live in the town, and scientists have said that they expect the fires to burn for 100 more years!

BTilke

I once asked my father about visiting "tourist" mines--I thought he might like visiting a mine museum here in Belgium where we live (we're Pennsylvania natives). He spent 40 years in the coal and steel (iron ore) industry and was a PA coal mine foreman for several years before being promoted to research and raw materials processing. I was surprised to hear him recommend against these visits. Mines are more unstable than you'd think, especially deep, non-working mines. His former steel/coal colleagues said pretty much the same thing. Of course, your chances of being in an accident on any given day are remote, but I found it interesting to hear mining professionals take a dubious view of these mining tours (as one said, "nobody has any business being in a mine unless they're paid to be there and even then, never let your guard down for a minute").

LilyLace

My great grandfather was a "rogue" miner, which basically means he worked for himself, normally 2 to 4 men would team up and mine together in a loose partnership. This was quite popular during the depression, when jobs were hard to come by. He died of Black Lung in 1963 and my grandmother has never been very keen on visiting mines either! I find the whole lifestyle interesting from a family history standpoint. It's a shame but the coal mining regions of Pennsylvania have never recovered and are still quite depressed. They are full of great history however and the various ethnic groups are still quite concentrated throughout.

janfan

I just want to say that I really appreciate all the responses. I want to visit the mine because my grandfather was a coal miner in the worst of times. He told me stories about the mines and I want to see it out of appreciation for all the men went through, not as a tourist attraction. My grandfather had Black Lung too and came from the "old country" when he was 17 years old to work in the mines. I live in WV so I know a lot of men who have mined and have much respect for them and also understand the economic issues associated with the mines closing. I think it is good that we have exibition mines so that we can develop a deeper appreciation for the miners. Thanks again for all the info.

LN

Hi again

I just found and looked at the Ashland site and I think I'd probably vote for that since it's closer for you. It appears to offer a bit more than the Scranton mine tour. I don't know how deep it goes but I would imagine that just being inside as we were is enough to imagine how our grandfathers had it (yes mine was a miner too). Just thought I'd pass that on.

Enjoy your visit...

artstuff

I've never been on the Lackawanna Coal Mine tour, but I have done Pioneer Tunnel in Ashland, and I would recommend it. You ride in a little wagon-like car on rails deep into the mine - be sure to wear a sweater or coat - then you get out and they walk you through various areas and they explain the history and hazards of coal mining. It was very informative and very well presented.

After the coal mine ride, you can take a narrow-gauge steam locomotive ride along the side of the mountain that you were just deep inside. The train ride is part of Pioneer Tunnel, however, it might cost extra to take the train.

I agree with LilyLace, if you do go to Pioneer Village, you must also visit Centralia (Route 42-North from Ashland, 2 miles away), which has had an underground mine fire burning for about 40 years now (I just went through there on Tuesday). Once a thriving little community, there are only a handful of stubborn residents left. They live with carbon monoxide detectors in their house and steam rising from holes scattered all over what's left of the town. It's all pretty eerie, and amazing that no one has yet fallen into one of the holes and died.

Since you will be so close, I would also highly recommend visiting Knoebels Grove in Elysburg. It has to be THE most delightful amusement park in the world (IMO). It doesn't cost anything to park or to enter, you can buy tickets for the rides you want to go on. They have two wooden roller coasters - one of them, the Phoenix, is on the top 5 list in the world. And they have a great haunted house, voted #1 by dark-ride enthusiasts. You can check out more info on Knoebels at:

www.knoebels.com

By the way, Knoebels is pronounced with a hard "k". And if you do a search on Fodors for Knoebels, you will find at least one thread about the park. There is also a coal mine museum at Knoebels that you can visit, which wouldn't cost you a penny to go see (except the gas).

And, if you want even more history and information on coal mining, you can visit the Eckley Miner's Village outside of Hazleton, which is an actual village, or "coal patch" with many of the buildings remaining that you can wander through. Information about Eckley Miner's Village can be found at:

www.eckleyminers.org

Enjoy your visit to NorthEastern Pennsylvania. Peace.

Robyn

LilyLace

I smile at Robyn's suggestion to visit Knoebels! We locals make at least one trip a year there and most of the local company picnics are held there! It is a wonderful park, owned by the Knoebel family. Originally just a "grove" with a brook running thru where travelers stopped to rest and picnic. Eventually the Knoebel family (owners of the property) set up picnic tables and a "Merry Go Round", selling light refreshments. As a 40 year old I have watched the place grow over the years into a first rate amusement park, where you can still get in for free and bring your own picnic if you want! Have fun whatever you decide Jan!

artstuff

LilyLace -

I see you're a local. I'm from Bloomsburg - where do you live?

Peace, Robyn

LilyLace

Hi Robyn- we live in Elimsport (a little area about 15 miles north of Lewisburg and 15 miles west of Turbotville). Our daughter goes to Bloom so we know it well. Were you born there?

artstuff

LilyLace - No, I was born in Philadelphia, raised in Hatboro and moved to the Bloomsburg area in 1978 after I got married, to escape the urban sprawl. Now it's beginning to encroach on my little homestead. We live three miles from I-80 and the Columbia Mall, which use to be farm fields and a truck stop with a stop sign when we first moved here. Oh well, I guess that's progress. It's nice to have a "neighbor" in Fodorland.

Robyn