Throwing sand on the iron, a 132 car long mixed train crawls up the grade at Oaks, with PPDs Habersham just around the corner.

Being called a beast by crew and trains on each siding, 132 car long Q539 rumbles south and gains speed for Duff Mountain. It will still need the helper crew, normally used for coal only.

On the fifth coal hopper and seventy three to go, the engineer eases along as coal pours thru the loadout chute.

Switching motors at Morco Junction on the TN RR, an RJ Corman crew pulls up to the Indian Fork spur. A long day awaits them just a mile away at the Baldwin coal prep plant on New River, loading a ... (more)

With the rocky peaks of Cumberland Mountain and Big Creek Gap looming to the rear, U150 coasts downhill to Lafollette and flat country.

A rare sight on the KD, engine 676 begins the assault on the grade over Duff Mountain. Moments later the second motor would fail though the crew would keep going south to Knoxville with one motor ... (more)

With a crewmember watching, a currently rare autorack train rolls downhill by coaldrag U150.

A welded rail train idles downhill to South Kilsyth, tying the whole KD up for the morning with trains in about every siding available between Jacksboro and Saxton.

Throwing sand and scratching at rail, coal drag U150 passes ballast train F041 on the way up Duff Mountain. Both a southbound rail train and the ballast train had the KD c-locked this morning.

A monstrosity of a machine, a Fairmont Tamper Ballast Cleaner idles away in the small Morley yard. Not sure of the age but possibly a leftover from a CSX predecessor.

Crawling out of the swag below the Duff Mountain grade, an engineer who's apparently extremely glad to see me works toward Lafollette and the end of the Cumberland Mountains.

On a warm winter day with remnants of snow on the ground, coal drag N226 grinds over Duff Mountain and Hogcamp trestle. A helper on the rear is easing things along thru the heart of the Cumberland... (more)

Threading the needle at Morley Tunnel, mty coal hoppers owned by Mitsui Rail Capital head north for more coal out of eastern Kentucky.

Something a little old, something a little new. Two methods used to keep ties from splitting due to the weather and heavy tonnage. Just around the corner in this remote corner of the Pokey sits a ... (more)

Derailment. Time for the torches.