Stretched over the hump as the sun sets in the west, the ever present coal drag waits along with a grain train for the journey east.

What keeps the trains running. Ribbon rail has just been layed between Wharncliffe and Cedar, with many welds inbetween the long slivers of new rail and hours of grinding having been completed.

A mixed freight crosses Hickory Creek enroute to Corbin Yard after being held up for hours by three southbounds.

Pusher set SJ50 drifts west after pushing a coal drag over the Elkhorn Grade and thru the tunnel. The set will continue it's day picking up another at Farm and repeating the shove.

With a friendly wave from the crew, Q542 and it's hodgepodge of freight cars heads north after passing a coal drag at Chaska. Q542 will pass Kopper Glo minerun U466 at Savoy before reaching Corbin... (more)

Mty coal gondolas pulled by lead engine 645 head north, back to the coalfields of KY. The gons have alot of reinforcing ribs, something not visible from ground level.

Watco power sits on the NCRR, just off the NS main at Oneida on this bright winter day. The 42 mile line runs from Oneida to the National Coal prep plant at Devonia, TN.

Tied down in a snowstorm, a unit train dwarfs a huge Cat truck used in the stripmines above.

Emerging from Hickory Creek #1 tunnel into a sea of Fall foliage, this mixed freight begins it's assault over a tough grade below Jellico. The colors are still clinging to the sandstone bluffs alo... (more)

Westbound with DPUs still attached, NS 891 streaks thru Glen Alum tunnel. Dogwoods provide a touch of white above the portal along this remote and underestimated stretch of the Pokey.

Having just left a little slice of Pike County, KY, fast freight 18M hits WV soil again and the first rays of early morning sun in the Tug Fork Valley.

Leading the way with three motors, NS 606 slowly idles a string of mtys under the busy frontend loaders.

A coal drag heading east exits Glen Alum tunnel, enroute to Iaeger Yard and more service up a remote branchline.

Worktrain W772 is returning light to Corbin after dropping off mty tie gons at the Lafollette Yard. Mother slug 2216 up front carries the crew toward Morley tunnel on this blustery, snowy day.

After pushing one up the Grade, this pusher set heads back to Farm to repeat the job all over again.