The helper crew glides north on #2 track as a loaded coal drag attempts to clear the north end of Chaska, straiing for every last yard. The helper will go from #2 to main, then move south on #1 to... (more)

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)

Warranty expiration 11/1/01 and still doing heavy shoving work on the coal grades. From the looks of the stains, one of the crew must be a tobacco chewer.

A loaded coal train passes the old coaling tower at Chaska and the helper, both partially obscured by exhaust on this cold morning. The power will grind to a halt in several hundred yards, requiri... (more)

Two hundred and nine miles from Cincy, as the milepost states amongst a mountain of CSX generated garbage. Guess in these remote places, out of sight, out of mind rings true!

As the conductor kicks off the brake on the helper engine at Chaska, a southbound loaded coal drag can be heard rumbling north around Morley. Within minutes the crew will be shoving south over D... (more)

With a loaded coal drag heading south, the helper engine idles away on the number two track with a bad order coal hopper on the house track.

A coal drag led by EMD power passes a bad order loaded coal hopper on the house track at Chaska. The helper, which will be required for the grade, has already headed north to hook to the tailend.

A faded and sun bleached Dash 8 begins the assault on Duff Grade with plenty of leased and older power. The coaling tower is left over from the steam days on the old L & N.

CSXT 737 leads a southbound coal drag by the coal tower at Chaska

Helper C212 prepares to run down the #1 track and assist coal drag N547 across the grade. The old coaling tower still stands, a testament to the early steam days.

With coal drag N226 grinding by, the Chaska helper heads north to hook up to the rear, dwarfed and framed by the large coaling tower. Days later the helper would be turned at Holton to face north.

Looking like a railhead, helper unit 520 awaits a southbound coal drag as Q540 passes by at Chaska.

Southbound coal loads slowing to a stop, so the helper crew can shove them over the mountain. NOTE: The smoke in the background is from a forest fire on the Mountain.

Southbound loaded coal train apporches the grade at Chaska, while the chaska pusher moves into position to help push the train.