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.

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.

Fill 'er up. Fuel truck driver fills the hillhelper up just below North Kilsyth on the KD Sub. Over 200 gallons per minute will flow thru the giant nozzle before the tank is topped off.

Looking like a railhead, helper unit 520 awaits a southbound coal drag as Q540 passes by at Chaska.

Spring has sprung. My little girl asked why they're not called "pinkbuds" rather than redbuds. Helper shoving on the rear of a southbound coal drag, down to a crawl.

With N259 and a load of mtys on the siding, C212 gets a green light to head back north after shoving U356 over the mountain. The helper unhooks on the fly, saving time on congested days.

After shoviing U356 over Duff Mountain, C212 helper leans into the curve at Habersham enroute to another coal shove. A very busy section on the KD with two northbounds and four southbounds in a sh... (more)

Hammerhead. A closeup study of a helper units business end. Some crews run a rope from the cab door to the knuckle release, allowing them to release on the fly after shoving coal drags over.

Helper power heads back north for another coal drag, a job that's repeated countless times daily for the SE Kentucky coal headed south.

CSX Chaska hillhelper has just let go from a southbound coal drag after traversing Duff Mountain. Crews do this on the fly, then await a clear signal before heading back north for another move.

Chaska helper C212 trips the signal on #2 track at Oaks after shoving N253 over the mountain on this warm winter day.

C212 has just gotten the green to return to Chaska, after having shoved Q541 over the mountain.

As coal drag N226 approaches in the distance, the helper crew hurries aboard to go north on #2, then south from single to main #1 and hook up for the shove over Duff Mountain. A broken rail below ... (more)

On New Years Day, a CSX autorack passes the helper engine stored in the house track at the Chaska helper office. Work will be slow this holiday as most coal was shipped earlier in the week.

C212 is headed back to the housetrack at Chaska, it's work of pushing heavy coal drags over the mountain done for the day.