After the middle pusher unit went down, crews stop the shove to Clarks Gap on a Hill Run to bring the power back up. Shove stopped between two tunnels due to the exhaust.

With these three units pulling and three pushing, Hill Run U86 attempts the ascent to Clarks Gap. Minutes later, one of the pushers will go down after exiting Tunnel 9. Both times I've witnessed... (more)

Strange move on the New River Sub. Both engines were running light and the rear had two American flags on the front of the cab. They told the dispatcher they'd try to make it to Salem and were fly... (more)

Showing the worse for wear, a favorite SD60 engine with an EOT and dirt idles away at the Carbo Yad office yards from the bridge leading to the Clinch Valley main. The yard serves the huge Moss #3... (more)

With the crew preparing to head west toward the Nantahala Gorge, the old GSMR GP7 awaits her turn on another day while in the small Bryson City yard. A storm would hit moments later, drenching the... (more)

Not one, but two old C39-8s led this coal drag between Norton and St. Paul on the Clinch Valley. This one appears to have been in a wreck and is the worse for wear.

With a couple of mtys stored on the siding, a C39-8 idles away on the Clinch Valley awaiting a fresh crew. Not many of these left, but still show up often on the Pokey.

Shift on the fly....having just cut lose from southbound coal drag N214, the helper takes a few yards to glide to a stop before heading back north for more duty on the coal heavy KD Sub.

With two SDs pulling and one helper on the rear, coal drag N214 comes out of a swag at the end of the Duff Mountain grade and will soon be coasting down to Lafollette.

Making the ground literally shake, two SDs roar out of Hickory Creek #1 tunnel and across Hickory Creek. The helper shack at Chaska has just asked them to make it to Oaks and everything is maxed o... (more)

Coal drag N547 makes it way across the Clearfork River at Trevillion, attempting to gain speed in anticipation of the Duff Mountain grade.

Helper C212 prepares to run down the #1 track and assist coal drag N547 across the grade. The old coaling tower still stands, a testament to the early steam days.

CPLs are still up on the Wolf Creek Branch of the Pocahontas as a worktrain with clamshell approaches the sidings at the Toptiki coal loadout. At times the coalfields can be sweltering, even in th... (more)

Smoking thru an S curve on a humid day, worktrain 97J heads toward McClure after passing Peter Cave on the Wolf Creek Branch of the Pokey. Note the crew using Mother Natures AC.

Returning mtys to the coalfields, 77K rounds the sweeping curve at one of my favorite fanning sites, the aptly named Ought-One. Within minutes the sun would be below the ridge, leaving the Tug For... (more)