A miner looks on as the longwall shear cuts along the coal face. Longwalls are the most productive machines in underground mining. An empty shuttle car pulls up behind the continuous miner to take on a new load of coal. Upon receiving a full load, the shuttle car operator will turn around in his cab and move the vehicle in the opposite direction to transport coal to a central loading point for removal from the mine. Even though many aspects of mining haven't changed over the years, new technologies have entered the coal mines.
Miners travel in the mines on electric jeeps or personnel carriers commonly known as mantrips.
The rails that they run on can weigh up to 100 pounds per foot.