Well on her way over the rolling grades of the Strasburg Rail Road, SRC #90 sends smoke signals to the railroad's neighbors indicating that another day of railroading has arrived in Amish country.

At about 7:30 am Engineman Jim Rice gives a tug to the throttle of #90 and headed East on the morning of July 26, 2020. If you were running or firing a steam locomotive, you'd be smiling too.

The air test complete, a quick crew chat in the morning sun is required prior to departing for Leaman Place Junction with former Great Western decapod #90.

"Summer Glint": Hostler Jeff Frost eyes a couple appliances atop the boiler of former Great Western decapod #90 on the morning of July 26, 2020 as she sits on the blowdown pad in the eas... (more)

About one hour or so later the crew for today's "In-cab experiences", Eric Peffel, Jim Rice, and Russell Shurtleff, arrive on the job. I'd like to imagine that scenes like this were comm... (more)

Hostler Jeff Frost climbs aboard SRC #90 to check on his fire on the morning of July 26, 2020. While surrounded by beautiful Amish countryside, the searing heat and humidity of this gorgeous morni... (more)

With SRC #90 now over the ash pit, hostler Jeff Frost grabs a hose and gets to work flushing all the ash from yesterday's fire and overnight bank into the bottom of the ash pan and out into the pi... (more)

Under a brilliant sunrise, another morning of steam railroading began on the Strasburg Rail Road on July 26, 2020 as former Great Western #90 sits adjacent to the coaling dock. On this particular ... (more)

Soon after the eastbound coal drag, the eastbound manifest overnighting from Portsmouth, OH finally arrived and I headed east back through Welch and waited for her departure. About 30 minutes late... (more)

With clear boards, Norfolk Southern SD70ACC #1804 begins the hard climb east out of Farm, WV to Bluefield with a loaded coal train bound for export. This train will eventually be dispatched to the... (more)

Farm, West Virginia: West of the coal mining town of Welch, WV, Farm is the control point for pushers, sent from Bluefield, to rendezvous with their manifest or coal train heading East. Given this... (more)

After the shot at Coopers Trestle, NS 9555 got well ahead of me along US Route 52 and I turned my attention instead to the coal dock at Elkhorn, WV. Even with severe downturns in an area known for... (more)

Rain is steadily falling outside of Bluefield, WV while standing on the US 460 overpass as Norfolk Southern #9555 continues her journey west into Pocahontas coal country.

The Approach to Bluefield: Norfolk Southern #9555 is now on the home stretch of the Christiansburg Division outside of Bluefield, WV on May 23, 2020. This is taken from the U.S. 460 overpass headi... (more)

We catch Norfolk Southern 9555 again grinding upgrade to Bluefield, WV among spring foliage on the Christiansburg Division on the morning of May 23, 2020 outside of Hardy, WV along Ingleside Road.... (more)