The John Farm in Shawsville, Virginia provides an excellent setting for watching trains as Norfolk Southern #8152 and #4074 haul empty coal hoppers on May 2, 2020 up-grade on the Christiansburg Di... (more)

Norfolk Southern AC44C6M #4093 along with three other units blast their exhaust through Shawsville, Virginia as seen from the John Farm cemetery on May 2, 2020.

Norfolk Southern #4173, hauling intermodals bound for Bluefield WV and all points west, climbs the Christiansburg Mountain grade near Shawsville, VA on May 2, 2020 on NS' Christiansburg Division.

Norfolk Southern #4173 grinds up-grade at Shawsville, Virginia on May 2, 2020. NS #4173 is an AC44C6M. AC44C6Ms were developed by rebuilding former NS Dash 9-40C units with AC traction motors and ... (more)

To end our day traveling west into Pocahontas country we catch NS 7528 again, this time on the Christiansburg Division, haulin' the mail east to Roanoke, VA near Rich Creek, VA.

We depart Welch, but catch an eastbound manifest train lead by NS #7528 climbing east and up-grade to Bluefield, WV along US Route 52. It was raining at this location and as the lead unit rounded ... (more)

After a break for lunch, we caught back up with the action south of Keystone. Here, NS #7324, an SD70ACU hauling empty intermodals, snakes its way through the valley and crosses over Elkhorn Creek... (more)

After Welch we drove east back to Keystone to catch NS #9275 hauling an empty grain train past an abandoned coal processing plant in Keystone, WV. There are literally dozens of coal plants like th... (more)

After catching NS #4087 west of Welch we decided to part ways with that manifest train and turn to another classic location to photograph incoming west-bounds: the Court Street overlook. Here, SD7... (more)

One of my favorite spots all day: Welch, WV. If this place doesn't scream coal country then I don't know what does. Here, NS #4087 crosses over McDowell Street and the Tug Fork River just west of ... (more)

Continuing further, we catch NS #4087 at Big Four Tunnel No. 1 outside of Big Four, WV. The railroad dips and winds its way through the valley followed closely by U.S. Route 52 and Elkhorn Creek h... (more)

About 30 minutes later we catch back up with #4087 and her manifest train as we catch her crossing the impressive trestle at Coopers, WV. One thing that amazes me about this area is the fact that ... (more)

NS #4087, the same train we first met in Oakvale, departs Bluefield after a crew change on the morning of April 30, 2020. Aside from the lubritoriums on the lower left, the coal tower is one of th... (more)

Lots of heavy motive power was seen on this day, April 30, 2020, in the Norfolk Southern Bluefield yards. Often from this location, pushers are sent west to help trains climb over the grade east t... (more)

A day in Pocahontas Country... NS #4087 heads west with a manifest train near Oakvale, Virginia. This train will be heading into Pocahontas country shortly after a crew change at Bluefield, WV ... (more)