With the craggy rocks of Big Creek Gap in the background, G762 coasts silently out of the Cumberland Mountains. A few miles back at north Kilsyth the helper crew unhooked on the fly, sending them ... (more)

About the only move other than coal requiring a shove over the hill is a grain train, as G762 and two other engines smoke away on the grind up the grade. C212 out of Chaska is hard on the rear.

Fire on the mountains in more ways than one. The annual setting of the mountains on fire in WV has created a hazy curtain over Elmore Yard, nearly obscuring the colorful foliage on the P-D. Mtys h... (more)

Striving for Clarks Gap on a Hill Run, U86 pushers are down to a crawl as they prepare to enter Tunnel 9 under the photographer. The WV hills are alive with color on the P-D.

Times are slow after a bevy of coal traffic the first half of the day, helper engine 377 is quiet for a spell and the crew has gone home. The next unit train won't require a shove as it has newer ... (more)

With the sun dropping thru Big Creek Gap to the rear, an autorack attempts the grade to south Kilsyth. The second engine was dead, leaving the lead to smoke, well, like a freight train. Signal mai... (more)

With a friendly wave from the crew, Q542 and it's hodgepodge of freight cars heads north after passing a coal drag at Chaska. Q542 will pass Kopper Glo minerun U466 at Savoy before reaching Corbin... (more)

Coal drag N262 crosses Hickory Creek and is already beginning to slow as it approaches Duff Mountain grade.

All downhill from here, for 30 miles. Brake is tied down on a loaded coal drag idling away, waiting for a fresh crew.

In the never ending daily parade, a unit coal train of mtys heads back north to the coalfields of KY/TN. Only one engne is required most days for mtys up the steep grade of the Cumberlands, though... (more)

Symmetrical loads of coal bound for Georgia Power make their way south out of the coalfields of the Cumberlands. No PRB problems with dust accumulation here, as the top speed in the mountains on t... (more)

Coal drag N290 will be slipping into Vasper tunnel in seconds after waiting at south Jacksboro for two northbounds.

A Loram Ballast Cleaner passes the south end of Lake City at a good clip, with the loudest horn I've yet heard. The machine scoops the ballast, cleans, and puts it back down before tamping.

Crossing over Coal Creek, which drains a large section of the Cumberland Mountains and the coalfields, Q539 towers over Lake City. The NS Jellico Branch is on the lower, smaller bridge in the back... (more)

Q541 with it's faded older power clears the south end of Lake City. The house or storage track on the right is comprised of rails made in 1922.