I just learned today, from my friend Terry, that Coal Creek is the correct spelling. I have thought my whole life that it was Cole Creek. Can't tell you why I thought that; now, knowing it is Coal Creek, it seems so intuitive. As I wrote, coal cars empty (and full), going by on the trains.
Live and learn! Keep breathing and keep your ears open, and you can't help but to keep learning. This makes what I have heard ring true that it's not what you don't know that gets you; it's the things you know for sure that aren't true that do you in. I regret that I can't edit my story to correct the spelling to Coal Creek.
Thanks Terry,
dwkehl