A shuttlecar, depending on the model and size, can haul many tons of mined coal.	The author of this web site operating a shuttlecar, 1998.
Another view of a loaded shuttlecar and operator.	Shuttlecars come in different sizes and designs. The operator of this car has to sit in the middle instead of the end.

The days of the pick and shovel are long over. Mining has taken on a fully automated look with machines that can chew or "cut" through solid rock and coal as easy as scissors through paper. With mining machines such as the Joy Continuous Miner, it is not a tough task to cut down and load 16 tons or more onto a shuttlecar with-in a minute or less. The rotating cutting head holds many carbon tipped bits which can make short work of mining coal.