Dwarfed by a huge bluff of Cumberland Plateau sandstone, grain train G796 blasts out of Hickory Creek #2 tunnel. The crew has already called for the helper as it nears Duff Mountain.
Grain train G796 prepares to trip the Lafollette defect detector in sweet evening light. The move has traversed rough mountainous terrain before drifting down into the lowlands off the Cumberlan... (more)
Finding that one spot of sunlight, coal drag N220 picks up speed for what lies ahead, Duff Mountain.
In what has to be the ugliest color on any CSX motor today, best described as being pinkish orange, E231 glides off Duff Mountain at Habersham, TN.
Awaiting the thunder...
With the KD main to the bottom left, a KopperGlo coal train with power unusual for the Jellico Branch sits tied down on the south leg of the wye. The crew has just left by taxi and left the motor ... (more)
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.
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 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)
Having just cut off a coal drag while in motion behind the photographer, the helper motor immediately gets the green light to return north over Duff Mountain.
Red oak leaves, fresh oil stains from a recent standard cab, and wheat sprouting along the tracks. And yes, a shortage of soutbounds this frosty winter morning.
Remnants of fall.
Uh oh. Trouble on the Jellico Branch.
Tie her down.
The wheelsets are destined for the coal hopper in the background, where the brake was left tied down. Note they are marked Knoxville for the John Sevier Yard. Go to pic 262821 for that dreaded res... (more)
The ol' gal has broke down.
With the lattice of tracks and sumps, as Dave would say, the crew prepares to set out a bad motor before loading coal. Luckily six engines are used, mainly for braking down the steep branch.
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)
One of five coal hoppers that derailed and hit the ground, with a total of fourteen leaving the tracks loaded. RJ Corman had just finished loading a unit train at the National Coal loadout at Bald... (more)
Derailment. Time for the torches.
Threading the needle at Morley Tunnel, mty coal hoppers owned by Mitsui Rail Capital head north for more coal out of eastern Kentucky.
Southbound K803 heads up the beginning of the Duff Mountain grade and will not need a helper today.
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)
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.
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.
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 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.
With a crewmember watching, a currently rare autorack train rolls downhill by coaldrag U150.
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 the rocky peaks of Cumberland Mountain and Big Creek Gap looming to the rear, U150 coasts downhill to Lafollette and flat country.
