Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - 5

Hi, The L'Hoist railroad (previously Franklin Minerals) has been on my do do list for many years so for me it was a primary target of this trip. The railroad runs on a former Southern Ry branch (originally Tennessee Central) from Crab Orchard TN where the company has a quarry and processing plant to an interchange with NS in Rockwood, TN. An excellent article on this operation can be found in the July 2018 issue of Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Note that no photography is permitted anywhere within the plant.

We got to Crab Orchard a few minutes after 8 on Monday morning. This is one of the most likely days for the train to run but there was not activity. Finally, a few minutes after 10 the crew began to assemble their train (above and below) as seen from below the I40 overpass.

Following the train was easy using a GPS. Our next location was Ozone,

then Daysville,

and then east of Westel along US 70.

There is a huge junkyard in Rockwood. In the back of the facility the railroad crossed a trestle (above and below). We attempted to find someone to ask for permission to be on the property but no one seemed to be around so we just set up, took our pictures and left.

These photos were taken at the interchange as the train arrived,

dropped its loads,

coupled up to its empties,

and left town (above and below).

We photographed the train returning to Crab Orchard again east of Westel,

at Daysville,

and at Ozone. Thanks for looking.

Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - 4

Hi, On Sunday, October 14 we decided to photograph along the "Rat Hole" which was the Second District of Norfolk Southern's CNOTP Subdivision. Unfortunately a major track project was underway which caused about 15 miles of railroad to be single track. As a result there was very little traffic moving with a lot of trains parked.

We did not see a train until 11:18 AM when this southbound grain train came through Sunbright, TN

followed about 20 minutes later by a stack train.

The next train was a northbound slab train at 2:10 PM at Elgin, TN.

At Robbins, TN we came across a northbound coal train sitting.

A northbound train with auto racks passed the coal train shortly after we photographed the coal train.

We encountered another railfan, Ian Whaley, at Winfield, TN. He confirmed that a work window was in effect and that it would be ending shortly. On the radio we heard the dispatcher say that he had at least two trains waiting north of the work zone to come south. Ian also told us that one of these trains had the CNJ heritage unit leading. First up was #117 at 5:34 PM.

Train #215 followed at 5:58 PM.

Train #215 was recrewed at Oneida, TN. However, it had to wait north of town until #117 cleared (above and two below).

As we drove into town we spotted this northbound grain train sitting.

Finally, #117 got on the move and #215 moved forward for its crew change at 5:52 PM.

For me photographing the CNJ heritage unit leading made my day as I had not seen it on the road until this point.

Thanks for looking.

Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - 3

Hi, As shortline railroads do not normally run on Saturday we were fortunate that the Tennessee Central RR Museum had a trip scheduled from Nashville to the Fall Festival at Monterey, TN. We hoped that their E units would be the power for the train, however, only one was and it led going east. The two freight B units are painted for the L&N.

As there a large number of photos I will only identify those that I feel are interesting.

We just barely beat the train to West End Heights in Lebanon, TN.

This cut is viewed from a highway overpass in Cookeville, TN.

In Monterey the train pulled past the station

to the fair site to discharge passengers, providing the opportunity for a number of different photo angles (above and three below).

After unloading the train pulled east to a siding next to a sand plant so the power could run around the train (above and 4 below).

The power is in the process of running around the train. The leading unit will be a former CSX B40-8 now derated to 2000 HP.

Here the train is returning to the fair site.

As we had no interest in photographing a freight unit leading the train back to Nashville we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon on the Rat Hole. Here a southbound is about to leave the Rat Hole in Oakdale, TN (above and below).

As signal bridge at the south end of the yard in Oakdale was used to frame a local switching there and

a northbound auto rack train.

Thanks for looking.