Sun is limited in the confines of the Hickory Creek gorge, as Q539 bursts thru the darkness of Tunnel #1 and crosses the creek enroute to Chaska and the grade to Kilsyth.

Blowing dust from the highway crossing, an RJ Corman crew brings NS power south from Oneida on the 42 mile TN RR winding thru the towering Cumberland Mountains. In about four miles they'll reach t... (more)

Q539 has power to spare as it leaves Hickory Creek #1 tunnel and begins the grade up Duff Mountain. The helper won't be required on this colorful day.

Ever wonder how a coal hopper gets filled with 100-110 tons of black diamonds?

Backing all the way to Wharncliffe, NS worktrain 98J enters the west portal of Glen Alum tunnel. Spring has just begun in the hills along the Tug Fork valley.

Passing the historical Berwind church, pushers on the rear of NS 80A prepare to get down on their knees on the Dry Fork Branch. The move will soon reach a 1.5 percent grade on the way to Cedar Blu... (more)

N263 with mtys heads north down the grade, crossing Hickory Creek and entering the Hickory Creek #1 tunnel. Much needed recent rain has brought the water level up, though nowhere near what it shou... (more)

Push on the white square, pull on the white circle. There's coal to be loaded at the old Garcoal loadout, now operated by Mountainside Coal.

Used for tie storage, an ex Conrail that went to CSX after the merger wears New York Central reporting marks. A paintbrush and a bucket of white paint will do in a pinch.

An oddity on the KD, container train W827 makes its way north with a solo engine. A total of 5174 feet long.

On a cold and rainy January day, mine run SU24 crawls out of Glen Alum tunnel with just one motor. Having just come off the Gilbert Branch, the loads will be set off at Beech Creek before heading ... (more)

A coal move grinds uphill at Chaska, as the helper light is visible under the coaling tower as it heads to the tailend to shove. The helper shacks days are numbered, as a new one has been built at... (more)

Crossing the extremely rusty and rundown Hogcamp Branch trestle. Just to the right of the motor was were the Westbourne Branch turned off at one time when the coalfields were booming.

Having just exited Bandy Tunnel, the front half of 80A begins the descent to Cedar Bluff. Most of the unit train is still ascending a near 1.5 percent grade and hasn't entered the portal yet.

The uniformity of the floodloader coal is impressive.