My pre-dawn departure from Durham was looking more and more like waste of time as I drove past Greensboro, Statesville, then Hickory in a constant drizzle under overcast skies. As I neared Old Fort the scanner mercifully came to life - a westbound chip train was nearby. Well, at least I'd have something to chase. As I drove up the steep grade on I-40 toward the continental divide, without warning I was suddenly above the clouds in brilliant sunshine. It was a short wait until 66E came into view, locomotives in notch 8 pulling the heavy loads of water-logged woodchips through the forest of springtime colors toward Swannanoa Tunnel and Asheville to the west. For more on the Southern Loops and NS's Asheville operations, check out the 2011 issue of Kalmbach's "Locomotive" magazine.
