Don't know how to tell if they ran on 2300 or 4100. Would probably take more snooping than the care-taker would be comfortable with. Looks like they used a motor off the mains (not sure where the transformer is) to turn a generator and create DC for the actual hoist motor. I assume this was for speed control. By my reckoning, the slanted opening in the wall (like this: /-\ ) implies that there was once a tapered drum hoist installed. The curator (actually Painesdale Mine and Hoist board member) claims this was the original hoist for the shaft, but she also admits that her knowledge is limited. To me, this thing is way undersized to hoist full skips from 4000' below - both in power and the lacking amount of cable. I bet it was used for something else and after the "real" hoist was sold or scrapped, they moved this one in to move people and equipment up and down to support the water works. This mine supplied water to many local communities for decades after it was done hauling ore.
This shaft-house was built in 1902, too early for an all electric hoist. I need to do more research...
