An eastbound CSX train exits Maryland and enters West Virginia as it crosses the Potomac River.

A rare sight to see, NS's "cat fish" visits CSX's Mountain Sub

Big power almost fills Piedmont as they move Q 317 west, passing one of the few CPLs left on the mountain sub. I used to watch EM-1's pass this very signal a long time ago!

These two ES44AH engines and plow SC701 are crewed and waiting orders to move by the dispatcher. They will travel to Bayard, WVA, and plow from there to the Mt Storm Power plant, almost 30" of sno... (more)

If you look closely, you can see all seven engines on today's daily manifest. The old clapboard building in front of 267's nose is what is left of the old Cumberland and Pennsylvania Depot, and wa... (more)

5006 and 122 are at track speed here, on the low grade of 17 mile. In a few miles, they will be at half of the fourty five the're doing now! Note the string of new black aluminum hoppers in the t... (more)

The two tracks in front of our train here are the mains leading to and from 17 Mile Grade. It's on an interchange track which will lead it and it's eighty or so loads of coal up the old Western Ma... (more)

Just west of Piedmont on 17 Mile Grade, a "newer" 7605 wears the same number as one of the famous B&O EM-1's which could have been seen at this very spot 66 years ago, operating on the grade they ... (more)

The signature of 17 Mile Grade..big diesel muscle, empty hoppers, steep grade, water and limestone. It's all in this one. The faded nose of 310 belies the power she still has.

This Harsco machinery leaves Piedmont in a cloud of dust as it -pardon the pun- grinds its way past a pair of AC44's waiting to do helper service later in the day on 17 Mile Grade.

This rail grinder must be GPS controlled, the main grinders pulled up before this crossing, then this trailing unit dropped it's ginders down and did the rail at the crossing...awesome to watch. F... (more)

Looking up at a B&O CPL that still survives at Piedmont, governing movements on the CSX Mountain Sub.

Even on a dark and dreary November day, the Chessie paint scheme brightens the landscape considerably. A trio of SD50s have just brought a drag down legendary Seventeen Mile Grade and a touch of ... (more)

The grade is only about .5% in Piedmont, but in another few miles it will more than quadruple as 317 ascends 17 Mile Grade.

N741 takes a stop and proceed at Piedmont.