Illuminated by a rising full moon, a BNSF mixed freight for Mojave ascends Southern Pacific's Tehachapi Pass through the famous loops. The low humidity of the desert landscape and brightness of Ju... (more)
A trio of UP widecabs led by SD70ACe No. 8687 descend Tehachapi Pass in the late afternoon sun. After negotiating the famous Tehachapi loops, a series of several tunnels, s curves and more, the tr... (more)
A slightly different perspective of the Bob Julian Roundhouse shows an assortment of fourteen cab units surrounding the turntable during the morning of day three at Streamliners at Spencer.... (more)
Sub-lettered for the Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad, former Southern Railway highood GP38-2 No. 5130 sits unassigned in the yard at Nitro during a severe thunderstorm.
A clean addition to the Union Pacific roster from General Electric leads an eastbound stack train from Global III in Rochelle towards Chicago on UP's Geneva Subdivision mainline.
Positioned in the center of the town's modern day commercial district, the 1906 built Chesapeake & Ohio St. Albans Depot watches over the double track mainline as it has over for a century. An ori... (more)
Returning to the roundhouse, SOO Line FP7(A) No. 2500 from the North Shore Scenic Railroad and Lake Superior Railroad Museum takes a spin on the turntable during the Streamliners at Spencer... (more)
Surrounded by an assortment of Norfolk Southern predecessor roads, Union Pacific's executive E9(A) No. 949 basks in the late evening light, posed outside of the Bob Julian Roundhouse. This was one... (more)
As the sun emerges from behind a layer of intimidating storm clouds, an assortment of streamliners surrounding the turntable are illuminated by the late evening sun. From left to right: NKP Alco P... (more)
Mid 20th Century or 2014? With ditch lights absent and very little modern day infrastructure visible, Electro-Motive Division FT Demonstrator No. 103 sits alongside an original Clinchfield ... (more)
Gathered around the turntable, a small sampling of the featured equipment at Streamliners at Spencer idles outside of the roundhouse in the late afternoon sun. Seeing a variety of preserved... (more)
Streamliners at Spencer... Displaying a variety of diverse paint schemes of fallen railroads, current Class I's, and short-line equipment, 15 cab-units idle outside of the Bob Julian Roundh... (more)
"Fire up 611!" As Streamliner fans gather around the Bob Julian Roundhouse, Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman speaks on behalf of the pending restoration of historic J-Class 4-8-4... (more)
Idling outside of the Bob Julian Roundhouse, Norfolk Southern's executive F9(A) No. 4271 sits alongside two Norfolk Southern predecessors, resembling a scene somewhat comparable to the gath... (more)
Last, but certainly not the least... The final locomotive to be added to the Streamliners at Spencer lineup (a phenomenal total of 26 total locomotives) basks in the morning sun on t... (more)
Easing onto museum rails, Juanita Terminal owned Pennsy E8(A)'s No. 5809 and 5711 lead a passenger train into Spencer in preparation of the much anticipated Streamliners at Spencer festivit... (more)
Northbound through the farmlands of central Illinois, former British Columbus Railway C44-9W No. 4654 leads a CN manifest on the Chicago Sub. mainline to Gilman, Kankakee, and onto Chicago.
Catching the late afternoon sun on CN's former Illinois Central mainline, a former Electro-Motive Demonstrator SD70ACe leads a former UP C40-8 on the head end of a southbound manifest to Champaign... (more)
A former Electro-Motive SD70ACe Demonstrator, now owned and renumbered by Canadian National leads a southbound manifest through the small farming town of Buckley, enroute to Champaign from Chicago... (more)
Watching history unfold again... Norfolk Southern's 30th Anniversary celebration at the NCTM in 2012 brought together hundreds of enthusiasts for the unique gathering of their 20 specially ... (more)
Isolated in the bottom of the New River Gorge just east of Gauley Bridge, westbound coal empties illuminate the C&O intermediate cantilever signal at Blue Hole in the final minutes of complete dar... (more)
Framed by blooming trees, the Ashkum grain elevator towers over downtown as southbound freight rolls along the IC main to Gilman.
Northbound on the old Illinois Central main, a trio of Electro-Motive products lead a manifest toward Chicago from Gilman. Third out, Canadian National's executive E9(A) No. 103 is seen dead in to... (more)
After holding on double track for Amtrak's northbound Saluki, IC sublettered C44-9W No. 2697 leads a southbound manifest past the towering grain elevators of downtown Ashkum. The former IC ... (more)
Northbound on CN's Chicago Subdivision, a pair of NS units hustle northbound coal loads toward Chicago from the coalfields of southern Illinois.
Southbound on the old Illinois Central mainline, Amtrak's Saluki glides by the Manteno grain elevators at track speed. The train will soon observe a near on time arrival in downtown Kankake... (more)
Representing three Class One railroads and two countries, NS 217 highballs west near Naugatuck passing the Mountain View Memorial Gardens cemetery.
Passing under Prichard's iconic N&W coaling tower, a pair of run-through Canadian Pacific units lead mixed freight, NS 188 east on the Kenova District to Williamson. Work on the new intermodal tra... (more)
Enroute to TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant, a BNSF run-through coal train originating from the Powder River Basin performs a reverse move through Harriman Junction. The unit train, featuring both head... (more)
Approaching the end of the mainline at Greenwood, a pair of SD70MAC's and a string of empties ease across the coal truck entrance at Patriot's Lick mine. Coal is moved in many formats in the rural... (more)
A pair of Canadian Pacific visitors lead mixed freight, NS 188 east along NS' Kenova District near Prichard. Colurful consists have introduced a variety of motive power lashups to CSX and NS train... (more)
A unique and unexpected CSX and BC Rail duo provide a colorful head end consist for eastbound rack train, NS 272. The train has nearly completed its run on NS' ex- Norfolk & Western Kenova Distric... (more)
As the vibrant green foliage of a much welcomed Spring is illuminated in the valley below Old Spruce, Western Maryland Shay No. 6 leads a work train toward Bald Knob from Whittaker. An MSR&LHA eve... (more)
Situated along C&O's Alleghany grade, an eastbound heavy tonnage coal drag illuminates the intermediate cantilever style signals at secluded Sugar Camp, between White Sulphur Springs and Tuckahoe.
After serving a lumber yard and picking up a few outbound crosstie gons, a pair of freshly painted boxcar logo standard cabs reverse onto the L&N main at Dossett and will soon return south to Knox... (more)
After a quick recrew at Burnside, NS 295 continues south on the CNO&TP 2nd District with a pair of Canadian Pacific GE's.
Spotting empties for loading at Wells Preparation Plant, a pair of EMD SD70MAC's ease east along CSX's ex- C&O Pond Fork branch at Greenwood. In late April, Patriot Coal announced the potential fo... (more)
With a severe thunderstorm lingering over the mountains, NS 295 rolls across the Cumberland River with a pair of contrasty Canadian Pacific widecabs. Spring is in bloom along the old CNO&TP, but w... (more)
Crossing the Elk River into downtown Charleston, BNSF SD40-2 No. 1967 leads the NS 380 along the former NYC WV Secondary.
As the RBBB Red Unit rolls northbound towards Charleston for its upcoming performances, the conductor of BNSF powered NS 380 performs a roll-by inspection from the siding at Levi.
Spring is here! Southbound along NS' West Virginia Secondary, a genuine SD40-2 leads the NS 380 south through the community of Nitro, enroute to Dickinson from Hobson. As foreign power and ... (more)
On its annual commute from Fairfax, VA to Charleston, the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Red Unit Circus Train traces the former NYC West Virginia Secondary along the Kanawha River south of Char... (more)
Coupling onto Atlantic Coast Line E3(A) No. 501, former Duke Power GE 25-ton switcher No. 5951 prepares to spot this rare ACL gem outside of the Bob Julian Roundhouse for an upcoming night photo s... (more)
Positioned outside of the Bob Julian Roundhouse, Atlantic Coast Line E3 No. 501, Norfolk & Western GP9 No. 620, Southern Railway GP30 No. 2601, and Southern Railway No. FP-7 No. 6133 represent thr... (more)
Ascending Scary Hill, a former Santa Fe SD75M leads westbound crude oil empties across the former C&O mainline near St. Albans. The resurrection of these former EMD wide noses have found themselve... (more)
Working a yard assignment in East Charlotte, a former N&W SD40-2 is silhouetted against the skyline of downtown Charlotte along NS' former Southern Railway mainline.
Departing Bluefield with a fresh redrew for Roanoke, NS 272 descends East River Mountain near R.D. with a Union Pacific leader.
Returning to Grundy on its second excursion of the weekend, Southern No. 630 approaches the summit of the Buchanan Branch grade at Raitt and will soon descend the rest of the branch into Weller Ya... (more)
Emerging from a smoke filled Raitt Tunnel, Southern 2-8-0 No. 630 leads its second public excursion of the day past the Virginia Lee signals on its now downward trek to Devon along NS' former Norf... (more)
Steam returns to the Buchanan Branch... For the first time in over 55 years, steam returns to the N&W Buchanan Branch on the head end of an NS and TVRM sponsored public excursion. Enroute t... (more)
After unloading at the Yorktown, Va. crude processing facility, westbound empties streak through St. Albans under the lead power of a veteran Warbonnet C44-9W. The train is enroute to the CSX/BNSF... (more)
Steam returns to to the Buchanan Branch for the first time in 55 years... Silhouetted against the unique NKP style signals at Lyn Camp, Southern Railway No. 630 leads a public excursion fro... (more)
Steam returns to the Christiansburg District.... Operating on a deadhead move from Bristol to Bluefield, two freshly painted SD40-2's lead SOU 2-8-0 No. 630 on an equipment deadhead bound f... (more)
Silhouetted against a beautiful Spring sunset, two generations of Southern Railway motive power catch the last rays of an April evening situated around the Bob Julian Roundhouse. Southern GP30 No.... (more)
Southbound through the north end of the Kanawha Valley, leased CREX ES44AC No. 1338 passes a relatively clean Mail Pouch Tobacco barn on its journey from Hobson Yard to Dickinson on NS' former New... (more)
Following alongside the Ohio River in rural southern Ohio, a vibrant Citi leased GE ES44AC leads NS 380 south through Addison on NS' former New York Central WV Secondary. This unique visitor is cu... (more)
On lease to BNSF Railway, Citicorp GE ES44AC No. 1338 leads the daily NS 380 along the Ohio River at Cheshire, enroute to Dickinson from Hobson Yard.
Building its train on a dreary evening in the N&W coalfields, a vibrant consist featuring two western competitive Class I locomotives couple onto a string of loaded NS Top Gons. The 160 car train ... (more)
A pair of western visitors idle at the east end of Flat Top yard, waiting to reverse west on top of a cut of loaded hoppers. Once their loaded drag is assembled and the helpers successfully tag on... (more)
Departing Weller Yard for Devon, UP SD70M No. 4633 leads NS U66 through the unique (potentially ex- NKP?) signals at Lyn Camp on NS' former N&W Buchanan Branch to Devon.
A scene almost surreal... Only ridge lines apart and less than a mile as the crow flies, a massive coal and coke facility with dozens of trucks hustling around the property contributes to a huge p... (more)
Westbound on the Pokey main with empties for the coalfields, NS ES40DC No. 7633 passes the NS Clinch Valley District Jct., still protected by N&W CPL's.
Westbound ethanol empties cross the Coopers viaduct on their descent over Elkhorn grade. Slicing through tunnels and across bridges, the vibrant BNSF/CSX consist will make much of its assault acro... (more)
NS' Reading heritage SD70ACe leads NS 18M east at Oakvale under threatening skies. An extended winter has delayed the onset of Spring and despite April only being days away, brown foliage continue... (more)
Descending East River mountain with NS' Reading heritage SD70ACe leading, NS 18M slithers east along the N&W mainline to Roanoke from Bluefield.
130 pound mainline rail along N&W's now abandoned Bluestone Branch near the town of Coopers. Installed in 1930 at the peak of N&W steam and electrification, these rails and remaining N&W infrastru... (more)
Destined for the Bakken oil fields to retrieve another unit train of crude, a pair of BNSF widecabs lead K081 west through C&O's Meadow Creek.
A pair of consecutively numbered SD80MAC's lead Bailey loads north on the MGA Manor Branch near Sycamore.
Tied down at the A&O's Buchannon yard office, a pair of GATX Locomotive Group (GMTX) lease engines wait for their late evening road local service between Burnsville and Grafton on the former B&O C... (more)
The daily ritual... Idling in the siding at Nitro, northbound NS 381 has completed its yard work at Nitro and is ready to depart to the north. NS 380, led by a Union Pacific ES44AC eases by its no... (more)
Departing Bailey Mine for Shire Oaks, ex- Conrail C40-8W No. 8444 slithers along the MGA Manor Branch in this identifiable vista from Time, Pennsylvania.
With empties in tow, CSXT No. 537 leads a Brooks Run train into the east portal of Jones Tunnel, westbound on the A&O Cowen Subdivision to Burnsville.
CSXT CW44AH No. 537 leads an A&O X711 from Grafton to Brooks Run Mine, passing the B&O CPL protected E.E. Smith Summit interlocking. While today's Cowen Sub. operations are protected by the P&L su... (more)
Idling in the Cumberland Terminal on the head end of a westbound freight, veteran C40-8W No. 9385 shows her age after two and a half decades of serving the Union Pacific Railroad. A fair ways from... (more)
Descending 17 mile grade, CSX Q316 and its western visitors slither along the former B&O Mountain Subdivision on their late evening trip from Grafton to Cumberland.
Routed via the former B&O Sandpatch mainline, a westbound crude oil empty from Philadelphia gallops through downtown Rockwood on its crew run from Cumberland to Connesville.
As seen from the former Western Maryland Salisbury viaduct, eastbound CSX S368 rolls along the B&O Keystone Sub. under the lead power of two BNSF locomotives.
Deadheading east to Altoona from Conway, Norfolk Southern's A-B-B set of executive F9's lead a business train through downtown Pittsburgh eastbound on the PRR mainline.
A heavy wet snow has blanketed East River Mountain, leaving behind zero visibility, arctic cold temperatures, and quite a measurable snowfall for the late winter season. Over 14" of snow accumulat... (more)
Destined for North Carolina, an eastbound grain train from the Midwest catches the afternoon sun in this broadside perspective of its BNSF SD70ACe leader.
Eastbound on the former C&O mainline, K080-03 eases into the curve at Sandstone on its trek across the snow covered New River Gorge to Hinton. The 100 train of crude oil is enroute to a Yorktown, ... (more)
Gliding along the New River at Meadow Creek, eastbound crude oil loads pass an assortment of crossovers once protected by C&O's MD cabin at the site of the former C&O/NF&G interchange.
After unloading crude oil at a refinery in Yorktown, empties roll westbound through Kenova underneath N&W's Portsmouth to Williamson mainline.
With ethanol loads from the Midwest, a pair of Union Pacific locomotives, including a relatively clean ACe lead an NS 64A east on the N&W Kenova District to Williamson from Portsmouth.
Easing toward downtown Greenup to meet a relief crew from Russell, a clean BNSF SD70ACe leads an empty coal train along C&O's Northern Subdivision from Columbus to Russell. The train will be loade... (more)
After a slow journey from Columbus via C&O's Northern Subdivision, an eastbound empty coal train rolls along the Ohio River at Greenup, KY sporting a pair of BNSF EMD's. The cleaner, ACe and its 7... (more)
Crossing the Coal River into St. Albans, a former Burlington Northern SD40-2 owned by Helm Leasing and currently on lease to CSX leads a unit train of coal empties for Bull's Creek mine on CSX's B... (more)
Descending from Scary Hill, eastbound crude oil loads ease into the curve approaching W.E. Dock. New oil trains have introduced foreign power to the C&O for the first time in many years. Destined ... (more)
Westbound crude oil empties head for the Bakken oil fields as they catch the late evening light on their journey west on the C&O through St. Albans. The train had just delivered 100 loads of crude... (more)
The profile and broadside perspective of 1996 built Electro-Motive Division Canadian National SD75i No. 5640 on the head end of Columbus destined freight, NS 381. The 4,300 horsepower SD75i locomo... (more)
