CSX (former L&N) tunnel at Dossett, TN on the main west of Knoxville. I love the elegant, vintage look of horseshoe-shaped tunnel portals. From what I understand, an egg-shaped profile has inherent strength, being better able to shoulder the weight that surrounds the bore. Perhaps too, the extra width above allowed space for gases to more easily exhaust?
NS (former SOU) also serves Dossett, bridging over the CSX main. Unfortunately, both lines were quiet on our visit. Gotta love that durable non-Vader signal continuing to provide service.
NS's former SOU depot at Newport, TN remains an important post for the railroad. The Carolina Special no longer calls on Newport, but it's sure nice to see the depot still in use by the railroad. NS perhaps originates a local in Newport. The 3312 is a former SOU unit, now almost 40 years old.
Tunnels? Did someone say tunnels? Southwest of St. Louis, bound for Kansas City on the tail end of the Amtrak Missouri River Runner.
Three CN units lead a train of oil or ethanol south on Norfolk Southern's Rathole at Spring City, TN on 10/19/2017.
Speaking of CN, here is a meet with a CN freight in Vavenby on the North Thompson River north of Kamloops, BC.
CN 2543, NS 9882 North with the Cedar Rapids local near Alburnett, IA. October 29, 2017. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
View from the top. Fitz was asking about the photo (above a few posts up) in another thread as to where it was taken. The high level cars on the Rocky Mountaineer can give you a great view out the front or back depending on where they are in the consist. Here is looking out of the first high level behind a string of single level cars. This shows the last car in the train with its windows facing back.
Far from home, this NS SD60 was at South Seattle, 10/27. Don't see too many of these up here!! In the nose, looks like it used to have marker lights, like red ones for trailing units like DPU's, maybe?
Another few NS Rathole shots from two weeks ago near Tateville, KY at MP 174 finds a southbound grain train assisted by NS's Illinois Terminal heritage unit.
Yep, exactly. When SOU re-engineered the Rathole in the early 1960s, a main goal was to eliminate as many tunnels as possible and spectacular cuts were the result. Long abandoned, the "old road" to the east in this immediate area had five tunnels and throughout the entire route over 20 tunnels were removed from service. Many still exist in states of advanced decay, but they are tough to locate. The abandoned tunnel at Nemo, TN is long, dark and on a curve, but is passable. Decades ago we followed some locals driving a 4x4 through the old tunnel in our car and emerged at a fine spot for train pictures adjacent to the new line. This is remote country and I did a lot of pre-trip research with detailed county maps to establish a route that would take us to the best spots. My wife drove and I navigated and we did real well, even finding the turn for Dead Ox Hollow Road.
