Well...that can't be good

It seems the 2% grades of the Princeton-Deepwater District have taken a toll on U85, today's train being one of the last of the ex-VGN hill runs. As the tr... (more)

Classic Covel

With the news of the Elmore to Kellysville section of the ex-Virginian P-D District being shut down in favor of the lower-grade Guyandot River Branch, the days of 2... (more)

Coming downgrade in full dynamics,, U85 works eastbound toward Princeton and across the tallest trestle on the former Virginian Railway main line to Elmore, West Virginia. In less than a week, th... (more)

NS Hill Run U85 soars 200 feet above Kegley, WV on the Black Lick Trestle, located at milepost 344.4 of the former Virginian Railway Princeton-Deepwater District. This line is being mothballed on ... (more)

On the last weekend of operations on the ex-Virginian Princeton-Deepwater District, a single hill run operated between Elmore and Princeton with two engines out front and 100 loads behind. Here, t... (more)

Coming downgrade in full dynamics, U85 works eastbound toward Princeton and across the tallest trestle on the former Virginian Railway main line to Elmore, WV. In less than a week, this scene wil... (more)

A Hill Run lugs coal up to the summit of the ex-Virginia in Clark's Gap. This was the second run of the day, and would be combined with cars from a morning run to make a huge train to send east. I... (more)

On the former Virginian Railway, an eastbound loaded coal train bound for Princeton has just climbed the steep grade to Clarks Gap. At Clarks Gap, the trains pushers were removed and sent back li... (more)

The first "hill job" of the morning exits Tunnel #12 and crosses the high trestle at Micajah, WV on this beautiful fall morning. Scenes like this will be gone after the October 1st shut... (more)

Pocahontas Division train U85 is seen soaring high above Gooney Otter Hollow as it crosses the former Virginian Railway curved trestle at Garwood, WV. The loco set is returning downhill to Elmore... (more)

On a stunningly beautiful Autumn afternoon, hill-run job No. U85 struggles upgrade across massive Garwood Trestle along the former Virginian Railway east of Mullens, W.Va. The scenery in this terr... (more)

A long string of mtys is tied down at Clarks Gap siding on a blustery spring day.

With the lead motor almost out of fuel and headed east while loaded, U85 awaits a power swap with U86 coming up the hill from Matoaka.

After setting its first cut of coal off at Clarks Gap, a Hill Run and its helper head back to Elmore Yard for another cut. Note the old Virginian signal at Algonquin in the distance.

Hill Run U85 soars over Garwood Trestle with another 40 car cut of coal for Clarks Gap. Shoving on the rear are a NS C40-8, ex-CR SD60I and a BNSF C44-9W. The supports from the Virginian's ele... (more)