With clear boards, Norfolk Southern SD70ACC #1804 begins the hard climb east out of Farm, WV to Bluefield with a loaded coal train bound for export. This train will eventually be dispatched to the... (more)

Farm, West Virginia: West of the coal mining town of Welch, WV, Farm is the control point for pushers, sent from Bluefield, to rendezvous with their manifest or coal train heading East. Given this... (more)

After the shot at Coopers Trestle, NS 9555 got well ahead of me along US Route 52 and I turned my attention instead to the coal dock at Elkhorn, WV. Even with severe downturns in an area known for... (more)

Rain is steadily falling outside of Bluefield, WV while standing on the US 460 overpass as Norfolk Southern #9555 continues her journey west into Pocahontas coal country.

The Approach to Bluefield: Norfolk Southern #9555 is now on the home stretch of the Christiansburg Division outside of Bluefield, WV on May 23, 2020. This is taken from the U.S. 460 overpass headi... (more)

We catch Norfolk Southern 9555 again grinding upgrade to Bluefield, WV among spring foliage on the Christiansburg Division on the morning of May 23, 2020 outside of Hardy, WV along Ingleside Road.... (more)

Dense fog hugs the mountains lining the New River near Rich Creek, VA as Norfolk Southern 9555 heads west to Bluefield, WV with an intermodal train on the morning of May 23, 2020. For the past wee... (more)

Clouds roll over the mountains at Shawsville, Virginia on the damp morning of May 22, 2020 as an early morning grain train climbs Christiansburg Mountain on the former Norfolk & Western.

"Mountain Sunset": The last evening daylight train west out of Roanoke is slowly climbing up Christiansburg Mountain on May 16, 2020. Taken from the best viewpoint in Shawsville, VA, you... (more)

"Appalachian Railroading": To some, including myself, Shawsville, Virginia exemplifies some of the best features of Appalachian railroading: big mountain scenery and big tonnage trains. ... (more)

A second empty coal train lugs its way up Christiansburg Mountain about 1 hour after NS #8152 and #4074. This one lead by NS #4021 and #7634 is caught on the porch of the classic farm house at the... (more)

The John Farm in Shawsville, Virginia provides an excellent setting for watching trains as Norfolk Southern #8152 and #4074 haul empty coal hoppers on May 2, 2020 up-grade on the Christiansburg Di... (more)

Norfolk Southern AC44C6M #4093 along with three other units blast their exhaust through Shawsville, Virginia as seen from the John Farm cemetery on May 2, 2020.

Norfolk Southern #4173, hauling intermodals bound for Bluefield WV and all points west, climbs the Christiansburg Mountain grade near Shawsville, VA on May 2, 2020 on NS' Christiansburg Division.

Norfolk Southern #4173 grinds up-grade at Shawsville, Virginia on May 2, 2020. NS #4173 is an AC44C6M. AC44C6Ms were developed by rebuilding former NS Dash 9-40C units with AC traction motors and ... (more)