No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum
No 9 Mine train
For railfans, the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum offers a rare chance to experience the kind of narrow-gauge industrial rail operation that once powered the anthracite region. Opened in 1855 and operated continuously until 1972, No. 9 was one of the world’s oldest deep anthracite mines. Today, visitors board a mine train pulled by a vintage electric mine motor and travel 1,600 feet into the mountain—following a route once used to move miners, equipment, and coal through the workings. It is a memorable contrast to a mainline rail excursion: intimate, underground, and directly connected to the industry that generated so much railroad traffic across northeastern Pennsylvania.
After the rail ride, a guide leads a 600-foot walk through original mine passages, including the historic mule-way, the 700-foot-deep shaft and elevator cages, a miner’s hospital carved into solid rock, and authentic equipment such as the “Go Devil” mining machine. Above ground, the Wash Shanty Museum expands the story with the area’s largest collection of mining artifacts and a documentary on the Anthracite Era and Industrial Revolution. Restored by the Panther Creek Valley Foundation beginning in 1995 and reopened for tours in 2002, No. 9 is an essential stop for railfans interested in the coal-mining infrastructure behind the region’s railroads.
5 miles from Bischoff Inn
9 Dock St, Lansford, PA, 18232
(570) 645-7074
Seasonally from April 1 – November 30, Friday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm
Tour Begins Every Hour 11 AM – 3 PM, rain or shine