Fighting a cold drizzling rain and rusty rail, G&E Shifter R202 claws their way out of NF&G’s timber lined Quinwood Tunnel, cresting the 2.2% grade at walking speed with a cut of 28 Wateree loads from Green Valley.
This 84 car SCE&G unit train for Wateree, Sc is the first train Green Valley has loaded in several years. Plaugued by trouble with their GP7, and loading the train with front end loaders, it wound up taking them 7 days just to load the first cut of 51 cars; Price of starting up an idle prep plant I suppose.
Completed in 1943 with the opening of the Hominy Creek Subdivision (later restructured as part of the G&E Subdivision), this unique 968’ foot long bore is the last active tunnel on the former Nicholas Fayette & Greenbrier.
Since visiting my first time, the venerable NF&G has always been one of my favorite stretches of railroad. Aside from the beautiful scenery, it really is like stepping back in time up here, and I’ve been blessed over the years to become friends with some of the experienced men that work it.
Honestly I never thought I’d have the chance to shoot anything on the G&E with it only seeing one train since I started hanging around in 2019, so I’m grateful this happened!
