Bell's Gap Railroad
The Bell's Gap Railroad was a long standard gauge railroad in Pennsylvania. It was inaugurated in 1873 and consolidated in 1874. History. The Bell's Gap Railroad Company was incorporated under the general law of Pennsylvania on 11 May 1871, to construct a railway from Bell’s Mills, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, to Lloyds in Cambria County. The construction began in 1872, and the long line was put in operation in June 1873. The Pennsylvania & North Western Railroad Company became the successor by change of name of the Bell's Gap Railroad Company on 9  May 1874. Route and track. The grade was very heavy, the maximum of 158.4 feet to the mile (3.0 %) being continuous for . The sharpest curvature was 28° with a radius. There were ten of these curves on the maximum grade, two of which were long with a turning an angle of 168°. The weight of rail was 35 pounds to the yard (17.5 kg/m). Rolling stock. The weight of the engines was 15 tons. The following rolling stock was used in 1875: Operation. Operations for year ending 31 December 1875 were as follows: Bell's Gap Railroad