Hi, On October 10 friend Bill Kalkman and I began an 11 day trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina with the primary purpose of photographing four shortlines; one of which was fairly new, the Blue Ridge Southern and two of which use older GE locomotives. As we were driving south on I-81 Bill asked if I knew of anything along the way so I mentioned the Shenandoah Valley and the Buckingham Branch, both with facilities in Staunton, VA.
Our first stop was the office of a feed mill behind which was parked this Precision Locomotive GP40W (former CN).
Next we went over to the Shenandoah Valley shop where we found all of their locomotives. First we photographed RS-11 #367 (one of two former Maine Central units of this model) with a C&O painted extended vision caboose (above and below).
Then we moved between two geeps, one honoring the C&O
and one the B&O.
Next we stopped at the Buckingham Branch where we were told we could photograph as long as we did not cross the tracks. Only this GP40 was in a good position. After our photo session in Staunton we drove to Jackson, TN to spend the next two nights.
Early on the morning of October 11 we visited the West Tennessee RR where we learned the Kenton Turn, which would only go as far as Humbolt that day, TN this day lead by a pair of B23-7s, would be leaving shortly with work at Gerdau Ameristeel on the north side of Jackson. Above is the train arriving,
backing into the plant,
and exiting (above and three below).
The crew dropped their train on the south side of town and then proceeded engine light to the Westrock plant on the north side of town (above and below). Westrock produces packaging.
As the engine waited for the gate to the loading dock to be opened Bill does some vegetation removal.
Having coupled to their pick up
crew departed the plant and
headed south to their waiting train (above and below).
Once back at their train on the south side of Humbolt the crew proceeded to switch the CSX interchange there (above and two below).
Back in Jackson we got the train at Lane College and
the yard entrance.
Next we returned to Humbolt to do a little more scouting and see if there was any action on CSX's Nashville to Memphis route. While we were at the diamond with the West Tennessee M791 came west and
proceeded to work the West Tennessee interchange.
We spent a second night in Jackson in hopes of getting the lines C30-7s on a train the next day. Thanks for looking.
We spent a second night in Jackson in hopes of getting the lines C30-7s on a train the next day. Thanks for looking.
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