Originally constructed to facilitate the development of coal mines and resorts atop the Allegheny Plateau, it became involved in a complicated and ultimately unsuccessful scheme to break the Pennsylvania Railroad's control over the Clearfield Coalfield.

By the time the first annual meeting of the stockholders was held on January 13, 1891, 5 miles (8.0 km) of the road had been completed as a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge line.

An extension to Dougherty, 5 miles (8.0 km) beyond Wopsononock, was begun on September 31, in order to serve mines of the newly formed Richland Coal Company, headed by Shellenberger.

[2] Patterson wished to extend the line to Dougherty, and a further 12 miles (19 km) to Coalport on Clearfield Creek.

[2] To finance the extension, the shareholders, in November 1891, authorized a $60,000 mortgage on the property, and allowed Patterson to issue himself 600 additional shares of stock.

[3] Patterson and Langdon both claimed to control a majority of the company's stock, and in February 1893, rival boards of directors were elected by stockholders loyal to those two figures.

He was responsible for having wyes installed at Wopsononock and Juniata in late 1894 so that the railroad's engines did not have to back down the mountain.

In exchange for his dropping the suit, they agreed to lease the Altoona and Beech Creek to the Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Ebensburg and Eastern Railroad, a holding company formed by Langdon, on highly favorable terms.

The new company was to operate the Altoona & Philipsburg Connecting, planning to convert to standard gauge and extend the two railroads to a junction at East Frugality, near Dougherty.

Through appeals and legal maneuvers, Langdon was able to hold out until December 27, 1901, when the Sheriff of Blair County ejected the PJE&E employees and returned the Altoona and Beech Creek to its stockholders.

[4] The Altoona and Beech Creek reported itself in the Official Guide of 1903 as having been extended to Fallentimber, 5 miles (8.0 km) beyond Dougherty.

A major forest fire destroyed both the Wopsononock Hotel and the coal tipple at Dougherty on April 30, 1903.

[10] Andrew Kepple, one of the original Altoona & Wopsononock directors, was elected president of the newly organized company.

Samuel Langdon forestalled legal proceedings by having the locomotive transferred to his United Collieries Co., which paid Baldwin in coal.

The Altoona & Beech Creek bought #5 and #6, both Baldwin 2-6-0s, in 1901, while still under Pittsburg, Johnstown, Ebensburg & Eastern control.

Contemporary photographs show that the railroad built some of its own open-air cars for excursion service.

[15] Given that the mine's gauge was the same that of the railroad, and was accessible by a horizontal adit, it is possible that they shared trackage or equipment, although likely only for short distances.