Great image, John. Did not know this was helper district. All trains or just...???
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Thanks for the comment David. This was not a helper district until about 2001 when CSX re-laid a second main track for the duration of the southbound climb over the grade (about seven or eight miles of track). Trains that are pushed have their own dedicated track and can meet or be run around by other trains without slowing them down, but there are also running meets between trains that are not pushed regularly. Most unit trains (coal, grain) and larger mixed freights are pushed; on any given day about one-half to two-thirds of southbounds appear to get the pusher. When lining them up through here, the dispatcher will ask southbound train crews if they need a push, and I've been told their answer depends on how well they pulled the hill at Ardmore, TN.
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