Since the completion of the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio railroad in the early 1900's the Nolichucky River Gorge has seen the passage of many trains, specifically coal trains headed to many different electric power generation plants in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. CSX began re routing coal movements away from this route mid October in favor of a Russell/Decoursey/Corbin/Atlanta route and their I-64 corridor through Clifton Forge/Richmond. For now only two regularly planned Manifest trains operate on this route between Kingsport, TN and Hamlet, NC. This day's Q696 has fourteen cars.
Looking back down memory lane at the last generation of GE spartan cab which includes the six axles C series and four axles B series throughout the various of Class 1 Railroads in North America throughout the years.