Chesie System had been infiltrating the the Baltimore and Ohio for several years when I took this picture of a long cut of empty hoppers heading to the coal fields south of Philipi.
Scenes like this were still fairly common along former B&O lines in the 80's. In 1988, CSX's Mountain Sub still had active towers in Grafton, Hardman, Rowlesburg, Altamont, Keyser, and Cumberland... (more)