Evidence of new business on the W&LE is readily apparent at Rook. #305 is surrounded by covered hoppers used for transporting frac sand which is transloaded into trucks.

Spring foliage surrounds Sudan Viaduct, slightly diminishing the apparent size of this massive structure.

108 leads eastbound ore across the rain-swollen Yough.

An eclectic mix of power leads an ore train through rural Washington County. Trailing the 108 are WE 4003, WE 6316, and WE 6349.

Working as a mid-train helper set, a pair of W&LE SD40-3s lend a helping hand to the four EMDs on the head end of this eastbound ore train.

A PRR branch once ran underneath this bridge, but it has been replaced by a road and bike trail.

High above the used car lots which line Route 51, a W&LE local works east on the former P&WV.

A local returns to Rook with the unique WE 300 on the point.

After setting off a cut of cars for the AVR, 3046 backs towards his train. A few minutes later the train departed for Connellsville, with five cars in tow.

Rook is a great place to look into railroading's recent past. The D&RGW and Wisconsin Central are both gone now, but you might not think that was the case after witnessing this scene in 2009.

It seems that every regional railroad has at least one engine on the roster that looks like hell. On the W&LE, that engine is the 300, which wears an unusual patch job over its Union Pacific live... (more)

Late afternoon seems to be a good time to find activity at Rook. Here, a crew gets ready to switch with the 300 and 303 while the 108 and three other units look on.

Making its way through the countryside between Rook and Mingo Jct., 213 heads west as evening shadows creep across the track.

On my way home from photographing a track meet, I stopped by Rook to see what might be in the yard. In a case of perfect timing, I had just turned down Hawthorne Ave. when the W&LE dispatcher gav... (more)

The trees in Western Pennsylvania are still barren, but the W&LE brightens up the landscape with this westbound freight.