Northbound CSX manifest R548 drops down Duff Mountain grade and across a rail swollen Hickory Creek north of Chaska, TN on October 23, 1990, led by "stealth" SD40-2 No. 8338.
Southbound K803 heads up the beginning of the Duff Mountain grade and will not need a helper today.
A freshly painted and yet battered SD40-2 smokes southbound out of the Hickory Creek #2 tunnel.
Relief is finally in sight for L&N's motive power shortage, fueled by booming coal traffic in Eastern Kentucky. On May 16, 1979, three new units, two SD40-2s and a C30-7, head a northbound empty ... (more)
With nearly a foot of new snow on the ground, three motors take mtys back to the coalfields of Harlan County.
With not enough power for Q539 to make it over the hill, the crew has hooked up a long hood forward helper unit normally reserved for coal drags. Q699 and others await the fix.
Heading north to refuel from a tanker at Morley, helper engine C212 glides silently thru Hickory Creek tunnel.
2 prior loads had 4 and 3 U30Cs respectively, and then a quartet of C30-7s; I was having a good day then! The sound was astounding coming up the valley.
With one of the SDs cutting out, coal drag N294 does it's dangest to clear Chaska at the tailend, allowing the helper engine to go north on the main, then come south to hook up for the shove over ... (more)
Grain train G796 needs no help today with three motors for the Duff Mountain grade. Good thing as the helper crew has just turned their motor and the helper equipment isn't cooperating.
With a splash of fall foliage thrown in, the CSX hill helper idles away at Chaska, awaiting another coal or grain drag for the mountain.
Ex SBD, original Clinchfield SD45-2 awaits the next call to shove loaded coal trains over Duff Mountain.
Grinding uphill on Duff Mountain
Uphill at Duff Mountain, 2 C30-7s shoving hard on rear. Sounded like a herd of helicopters coming up the valley.
Bursting out into the last light of day, Q539 snakes thru the many rock cuts in the Hickory Creek gorge. Rockslide detector fences line the cuts to warn of slides throughout the area.
