Buried deep in the Cumberland Mountains in the western tip of Virginia is the Hagan Switchback. This area is a remote section of the CSXT Cumberland Valley Sub between Loyall and Big Stone Gap. He... (more)

Buried deep in the Cumberland Mountains in the western tip of Virginia is the Hagan Switchback. This area is a remote section of the CSXT Cumberland Valley Sub between Loyall and Big Stone Gap. He... (more)

CSXT 898 hooks up to its last cut of cars while negotiating the switchback without pushers.

The CSX southbound empty coal train backs around the 2 nd leg of the switchback and will be back for the remaining cars shortly, to my surprise CSXT 477 was in the lead and the designation painted... (more)

The CSX southbound empty coal train exits Hagan tunnel and passes the tunnel protection signal at Smiley, to my surprise CSXT 477 was in the lead and the designation painted on the side was C40-8W... (more)

CSX coal empty Loyall, Kentucky to St. Charles Virginia starts to negotiate the Hagan's Switchback in a heavy fog

C821-27 CSX 807 holds back the T795-26 with big mac 4808 leading down the grade into the tail track at Hagan as the 807 will become the head end of the train for the next movement thru the switchb... (more)

A rare sight. After working the only mainline switchback in America, two former Conrail Dash 8-40CW's scream as they get put into notch-7 and then 8, in order to get 15,000 + tons of coal movin... (more)

Four GE locomotives shove half of their train upgrade in torrential rains toward the power switch on Hagan's Switchback.

The weekly Martin, Ky to Eastman Chemical Co. coal train is ready to hit the 246.5 defect detector

CSXT 341 passes thru one of the deep cuts and at the same time crosses over highway 621 which is another aspect that makes this mainline switchback unique.

This is a Loyall to Benedict local empty unot coal train from here 799 will pull to the near the end of the track at the Scott Hollow Church the conductor will cut the cars and he will back them d... (more)

CSX 3057 brings its train and 2 in tow AC4400CWs into the Hagan yard limit.

Working the switch at Hagans Switchback, U016.18 prepares to put the two pieces back together before heading north under Cumberland Mountain and into Harlan County, KY. The brakeman had to follow ... (more)