An prestigious example of man v. mountain on hand as we watch the pusher J298-23 notching out as it give the 8,000+ ft long CSX Q581-23 a push up the unforgiving 1.8 to 2% Cumberland Mountain grade. It was sometime in the 1840's where the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad Co. seem fit that instead of trying to find a route that was unheard of to go around the Cumberland Mountain , they decided to build the route up the mountain, with the crest of the grade lays at the south-end of the 2,200ft long majestic marvel Cumberland Mountain Tunnel. At that time this strategically important route part of the rail linkage between the Midwestern, and the Southeast U.S. which partly hold that reputation to this day. Meantime the long train from the head-end is partly the up the two, and a half mile long north-end section of this railroad to the crest.
