One of the responsibilities of a Tower Operator was to inspect passing trains. On a steamy July 23, 2000, CSX Operator Paul Swain, pad and pencil in hand, was inspecting an empty hopper train as ... (more)

A westbound B&O empty hopper train was passing under the signal bridge at Little Niagara, WV on June 1, 1986. Little Niagara is located a little over a mile west of Paw Paw. The location has ano... (more)

A westbound B&O empty hopper train was splitting the signals at Doe Gully, WV on Oct. 9, 1983. The train was bound from Hagerstown to Cumberland. One will note that the third unit was a WM BL2 a... (more)

B&O SD40-2 No. 7617 was leading a westbound empty hopper train out of Randolph Tunnel near Doe Gully, WV on Oct. 12, 1980.

A westbound B&O empty hopper train was backing off a cut of empty coal hoppers at M&K Junction for the next day's M&K Local on October 20, 1978. The building to the right is the shop where the he... (more)

A westbound B&O empty hopper train was slowing to make a set off at M&K Junction for the M&K Local on October 20, 1978. Later in the evening, an eastbound drag would stop and pick up the loads, l... (more)

I guess this falls into the category of lash-ups I never thought I would see. On a hazy Sept. 17, 1978 a westbound B&O empty hopper train rounds the curve into Doe Gully, WV with SSW SD45T-2 No. ... (more)

A westbound empty hopper train was dropping down Cranberry Grade, west of Terra Alta, WV on Oct. 24, 1977, led by C&O GP38 No. 3898. Back then I did a lot of camping by the railroad and this is f... (more)

A set of five Cambria & Indiana switchers was pumping up the air on a train of empty unit train hoppers at Steele, PA on June 7, 1991. Once the air was pumped, they pulled by and backed onto the ... (more)

A westbound NS empty hopper train was climbing out of Montgomery Tunnel at Montgomery, VA on Oct. 20, 1990, led by SD60 No. 6616.

N&W caboose No. 518575 was trailing a southbound empty hopper train at Riverton Junction in Front Royal, VA on October 13, 1987.

Because of the prohibition of riding on the top of cars, telltales were disappearing at a rapid pace. This set still remained on the N&W near Nottoway Court House, VA on April 3, 1976, as a pair ... (more)

A westbound C&O empty hopper train from Newport News was entering the east end of Fulton Yard at Darbytown interlocking in Richmond, VA on April 24, 1982. Note the well sanded appearance of eastb... (more)

August 19, 1975 started hot, humid, and hazy and stayed that way all day long. I still remember how miserable it and the night before, camping in my truck along the C&O at McKendree, were. Mid-m... (more)

A westbound B&O empty hopper train has the top of Seventeen Mile Grade in its sights as it grinds past the wye track at Altamont, MD on November 21, 1981.