Coal mine tours (Scranton, Hazleton: live, legal, park)

[DowntownHarrisburg]

As mentioned in the pizza thread, I'm bringing up a group (10-15) of friends for some coal mine tours throughout the anthracite region. I'm familiar with Lackawanna, Pioneer, and #9's mine tours. Are there any others in the region? We're also stopping to photograph the exterior of the Cannonball tunnel from the old W-B / Hazleton railway -- any other accessible disused tunnels we can access via public land?

Bear in mind we're doing about 5-6 hours of driving round-trip, so the Lackawanna coal tour is probably our absolute upper northern limit. Except for that coal-fired pizza, of course.

Thanks!

[thecoalman]

Not sure if they still do it but a tour from UGM is lot more than you'll get from the basic tourist stuff, all legal of course. A few of them do the mine tours, a group from my forum was able to get extended tour in two mines. In addition to the "tourist mines" they take you around to some surface sites and have some great knowledge on the topic. They do a fantastic job.


The last one thy have listed here was in 2010 but if you had a big enough group I'm sure they'd be able to set up something or point you in the right direction.

Tours

[DowntownHarrisburg]

I'll definitely send an email. Thanks for the tip!

[sheena12]

What is UGM? Several years ago we toured the Lackawana Coal mine, and we were very impressed! I thought it was well presented. Everyone in our party enjoyed the tour, it was historicly accurate, and our guide was a descendent of coal miner's.

Would be interested in other tours, though. We are having some visitors from out of state. Where are these other Coal Mines? how does the experience compare to Lackawana?

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Take a brief detour and stop off at Eckley Miners village. Next weekend is armed forces weekend at Eckley

http://www.eckleyminersvillagemuseum.com/

[Mammato2girls]

I am bringing my girls up next weekend for several days. Could we come on this tour? It would help us get a feel for the area.

Thank you in advance.

That Eckley place looks neat.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by sheena12

What is UGM? Several years ago we toured the Lackawana Coal mine, and we were very impressed! I thought it was well presented. Everyone in our party enjoyed the tour, it was historicly accurate, and our guide was a descendent of coal miner's.

UGM is short for Undergroundminers. The website I linked to is theirs. Click the "mine images" links. There is thousands of them, here's sample. This is from inside a mine:




Another... LOL:



The Underground Miners Website


It's a group that are coal mining enthusiasts. They explore abandoned mines which is illegal but they have made great efforts to document many things that are still around both underground and on the surface. There is lot of artifacts around, some people might have lived next to them for decades and not even know what they were.

I'll note they aren't a bunch of idiots, a few are active miners or were miners. At least two of them are active at the mining tours like the Lackawanna one. They have the proper training and equipment to do this as safely as it can be done.

[DavidWebb]

Originally Posted by floor9

Except for that coal-fired pizza, of course. Thanks!

where's the coal-fired pizza??

[johnqpublic]

Originally Posted by Mammato2girls

I am bringing my girls up next weekend for several days. Could we come on this tour? It would help us get a feel for the area.

Thank you in advance.

That Eckley place looks neat.

I suggest the McDade Park Mine Tour in Scranton.. but as for the "feel" mining has been a dead industry here for quite some time.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by johnqpublic

.....but as for the "feel" mining has been a dead industry here for quite some time.

It's a shadow of it's former self but the anthracite mining industry directly employs thousands throughout the NEPA area and helps support thousands of other jobs.