I just returned from a 3 day railfanning trip to the CSX Mountain Sub in WV & MD, NS's old Pennsy mainline over the Alleghenies, and CSX's Sandpatch in PA. The weather was fantastic, and the scenery spectacular. We chased an eastbound loaded coal train over the Mountain Sub from Grafton to Keyser, and then spent a day each on the NS and CSX. Here's a teaser (Eastbound loaded coal train approaching the summit of NS's mainline at E. Cresson, PA), I'll post more later tonight and this week. It was enough to make this die-hard western fan think that Tehachapi may not be the prettiest place around
Dave, that's a great photo. Sounds like you had loads of fun chasing trains through the Appalachians. Can't wait to see more photos. Remember, the Rockies may be wild, rugged, and magnificent, but the Appalachians are forested, warm, and friendly.
That really looks great. I wanted to head out that way, but health issues are keeping me in Michigan - where its been cold, dark, rainy and windy. It's been the worst fall in years here in west Michigan. Really glad you had good weather out there.
Further down the hill, a westbound manifest w/ a string of empty ballast cars speeds through the curve at Cassandra: and the day prior (10/13/06) a loaded coal train grinds upgrade through Graveyard Curve on the CSX Mountain Sub. The grade here is 2.84%: a little further around the curve, the AC4400 helper set pushes hard on the rear of the same train: I'll post some more later this week
According to the "experts," this was not supposed to be a good year for fall colors. You proved them wrong. It is always fun to mix the railroad paint schemes with the natural background colors.
Peirce, I was told that "X" is the mathematical unknown, and a "spurt" is a small amount of pressurized liquid. Therefore, the color experts are "Unkown Drips Under Pressure"....as the colors in Dave's photos have shown.
