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)

Dense fog hugs the mountains lining the New River near Rich Creek, VA as Norfolk Southern 9555 heads west to Bluefield, WV with an intermodal train on the morning of May 23, 2020. For the past wee... (more)

Clouds roll over the mountains at Shawsville, Virginia on the damp morning of May 22, 2020 as an early morning grain train climbs Christiansburg Mountain on the former Norfolk & Western.

"Mountain Sunset": The last evening daylight train west out of Roanoke is slowly climbing up Christiansburg Mountain on May 16, 2020. Taken from the best viewpoint in Shawsville, VA, you... (more)

"Appalachian Railroading": To some, including myself, Shawsville, Virginia exemplifies some of the best features of Appalachian railroading: big mountain scenery and big tonnage trains. ... (more)

A second empty coal train lugs its way up Christiansburg Mountain about 1 hour after NS #8152 and #4074. This one lead by NS #4021 and #7634 is caught on the porch of the classic farm house at the... (more)