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Mine Train
The locomotive hauled the miners to and from the working areas in the mine cars that were made from old ore cars. The rest of the shift, the locomotive hauled the ore cans to and from the shaft.The locomotive ran in the Blackstone Mine until the 1950s. By then health and safety regulations no longer permitted the use of gasoline-powered equipment.
The Vinegar Hill Zinc Co. operated the Blackstone Mine near Shullsburg, Wisconsin. This mine was large, and eventually had over seven miles of underground passageways. Vinegar Hill purchased a locomotive to increase its efficiency at hauling ore and rock.The company bought a 5-ton locomotive manufactured in 1931 by the George D. Whitcomb Company of Rochelle, Illinois. The company delivered the locomotive to the the mine site, but because of its weight, it could not be lowered into the mine in one piece. It was taken apart, pieces were lowered down the shaft, and the locomotive was reassembled underground. The locomotive ran on 20-pound rail that was twenty-four inches apart.
Andy Banfield, son of a zinc miner, bought the train, two man cars and some track. In 1974 he sold the train to the Mining Museum with funding arranged through the Platteville Optimist Club.
Locomotive and man cars in 1974
At the Museum
The original four cylinder Waukesha engine was replaced with a six cylinder Chevrolet truck engine. This would make future repairs easier. The change in engine made it necessary to make changes in the clutch linkage and throttle mechanism.
Laying Track
The roadbed was laid out in 1976, and track was laid through the spring of 1978. By May of 1978 the train was ready to carry museum visitors.
The museum dedicated the train on June 6, 1978. Since that time over 225,000 visitors have ridden the mine train.
The cars were made from modified ore cars.
The museum re-created the cab structure using illustrations of original locomotives.