The railroad connected the town to Richmond for shipping coal, and residents later used it to travel to the capital for work.

Greater profits proved elusive, however, due to eastern competition and limited transportation facilities such as a perennial shortage of railway cars to ship coal.

By 1888, the colliery was complete, and in July the Woodward began to ship coal.

The mining boom created the port of Duluth which continues to be important for shipping ore, coal, and agricultural products.

It became the first in the county to ship coal by rail-car.

At that time Riverton shipped coal mined locally by steamboat to California.

The quays were also used to ship coal from local collieries owned by the Priory.

However, he and others also realized that the new railroads for the first time offered a practical way to ship coal.

People jokingly told him to "ship coal to Newcastle".

The company was a canal boat operation that shipped coal between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.