In a heavy downpour, unit train 77G has just loaded the first cut of coal and is headed to the weigh in motion scales. NS always used six engines coming from John Sevier yard, loading and taking b... (more)

With a group of company execs looking on, an NS crew prepares to begin loading black diamonds at the National Coal Turley loadout.

Leading the way with three motors, NS 606 slowly idles a string of mtys under the busy frontend loaders.

A frontend loader gets down as it loads a Top Gon. Not seen very often, this style of loading coal in Appalachia is very expensive due to fuel costs though is a necessity when there are no loadout... (more)

Rusting quickly after being delivered from the Knoxville shop, NS will be replace a couple of wheelsets after leaving a brake on from John Sevier to Turley. The small shed in the rear houses the e... (more)

Loading coal the hard way with frontend loaders. The old loadout has fallen into disrepair behind the stockpile and beltlines.

Seen many of these? Built in Aug. of 1934 and with two axles and weighing 80,000 lbs, this ancient scale test car still plies the rails in coal country. Amazing. It'll be used next week by the USD... (more)

Crawling out of a sump, the first half of 77G prepares to weigh in motion at the scalehouse and then smoke it downhill for 47 miles to John Sevier yard with 52 loaded coal hoppers. Power for the s... (more)

With power for the second cut idling in the middle siding, the first half creeps forward as wheel loaders do their job to the rear.

How to thaw out a frozen switch in nine degree weather, Take three fusees, a five gallon bucket of diesel, old shop rags, and....dedicated hard workers to say the least.

With a trackmobile and five coal hoppers behind, the crew uses plenty of diesel and fusees to unthaw a frozen switch in extremely cold temperatures.

Loading with a wheel loader, three at a time, generally takes six hours. The unit train is cut into two halves with three motors for each half.

A venerable SD70 waits its turn for the second cut of coal at Turley. NS uses six engines from Sevier Yard and three back in each half, mainly for braking.

Sandwiched between mtys and an SD70, the first cut of 77G is being loaded by wheel loaders at Turley.

With a slight dusting of snow on the trees, NS 77G pulls another seven cars forward for the team of three wheel loaders working on the coal stockpile. The orange railed contraption on the upper tr... (more)