"Soo Tower at the Dawn of Blue Hour" An eastbound stack train rolls across the CP Diamonds at dawn. The westbound signals in the signal bridge went out before the train arrival and did not illuminate until after the head end passed. Heavy frost clings to the train.
Been out snow shoeing today. When the D&RG first built the line over Tennessee Pass in the 1880s to reach the mining districts on the other side, they built right over the top. When they converted the line to standard gauge in 1890 and dug a tunnel under the summit, this line was abandoned. This section of roadbed is on the Pacific side of the divide while the roadbed on the Atlantic side was used when constructing US Highway 24.
Looking down at Hawks Nest, WV onto the former C&O main in October 1993, a CSX coal train is far below. That's the New River and the railroad spilt the mainline here so as to provide better room for each track and to allow easier construction of branchlines on either side of the river. That 8 Deg. curve on the left is just as sharp as it looks and was one of the tightest on the entire mainline.
Took this shot from my brother's truck zooming up US Highway 24 south of Leadville, Colorado. The abandoned (technically just out of service) D&RG line heading up to Tennessee Pass parallels the highway. This was at the north end of Kobe siding.
Deep in the New River Gorge on the former C&O main is Thurmond, WV, a near ghost town. These were all taken in April 1988.
Those are great photos typical of Eastern mountain railroading. Developing railroads through the Appalachians was just as arduous as through the Rockies. The Appalachian railroads were developed about 30 years earlier than the Western roads, with inferior tools and techniques. Though for me, Appalachian scenery is more lovely with the massive deciduous forests. OK, I'll admit I'm biased growing up in the northern Appalachians, but I like trees.
I see an Amtrak sign on that depot. There must have been a few people living somewhere near? It sure looks well time worn. Probably long ago knocked down?
I'm not sure who'd use the depot other than locals because there're few places to stay, but it is indeed a stop. Since I took these shots, the National Park Service has taken possession of a number of buildings and some property, including the depot which I think has been restored. The ancient car shop with the clerestory roof as seen in one of my slides has since burned and been removed. https://www.nps.gov/neri/learn/historyculture/thurmond-walking-tour.htm
Last month when the Amtrak Charger test train went thru Minot, I sacrificed 2 hours of sleep to capture it at its fuel stop. It was scheduled for an 0415 arrival, and I was trackside at 0350. I waited and waited, and eventually had to leave for work without seeing it. I later found out the Empire Builder (running on schedule, several hours behind the test train) leapfrogged it east of Devil's Lake, ND, and the test train probably wandered into Minot past 0900. I did see a train, though, so it wasn't a loss. In the only available light to do still photos at night in Minot, a westbound grain train with matched ACez leading rumbles under Broadway Bridge at 0430. "Barreling West Under Broadway"
In April 1988, the deadline at CSX's Huntington, WV shop was full of interesting power. The 6934 (GP-30), 9526 (NW-2), 6239 (GP-9) and 5951 (GP-9) were just a few.