135 climbs the Southern Loops in Western North Carolina as it passes the classic SR station sign at Dendron.

BNSF #7635 leads eastbound Linwood manifest train 162 through Old Fort, NC with the Black Mountains in the distance.

The "local" P87 heads east from Old Fort with empty woodchip hoppers for Bristol Packaging in Bridgewater. The Black Mountains are seen in the distance.

NS 135 cruises beside Mill Creek near Old Fort NC

NS 135 passes by Andrews Geyser

The Wabash Heritage unit leads train 134 through Old Fort NC

The Wabash Heritage unit leads train 134 through Old Fort NC

NS 748 slides downhill through the Loops, seen here at Round Knob. Dynamics are howling and brake shoe smoke is filling the valley as three units hold their 14,000-ton loaded coal train at a stead... (more)

NS 135 grinds up the Loops by Andrews Geyser on a beautiful spring afternoon. They are about 20 minutes into their run up the Loops and have about 20 more to go before topping the 2.2%, 16-mile gr... (more)

The helpers for 744 rode down the mountain to Old Fort to grab cars for Asheville on the run west. Here, they're seen busting out of the rock cut south of Jarrat's Tunnel. The crew commented how t... (more)

Loaded coal train 744 has just met westbound P87 and is underway at the east end of Old Fort. The Appalachian coal is at the bottom of the descent of the Appalachians down the famous Southern Loop... (more)

NS local P-87 sports four big units in four different paint schemes on this beautiful early spring morning in Old Fort, NC.

A Canadian visitor is doing the honors on manifest train 162 as they depart Old Fort, NC with the Black Mountains in the background.

NS P87 sweeps around the curve at the 113 milepost on its return trip to Asheville. The last of the fall colors are fading from the Western North Carolina mountains.

NS train 787 passes the historic Andrew's Geyser in route to Asheville (and eventually a loadout on the Jellico Line north of Knoxville).