Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - Final

Hi, This final post covers the last two days of our trip. On the next to last day we arrived at the Blue Ridge Southern office in Canton about 8:00 AM only to find that the westbound morning train had left about 15 minutes ago.

Having learned that the train would go further west this day, turning back in Sylva, NC, we headed out in pursuit. However, we neglected to ask where the train would work. We started looking for a location west of Waynesville and found a nice spot where we waited for 2 1/2 hours with no train. As the rails showed no sign that a train had passed we were confident. However, about 11:00 AM we decided to head back into Canton as the Asheville Turn was supposed to leave at noon. About twenty minutes after we arrived back at the office the Asheville Turn was cancelled for the day due to track work so we headed back west.

Finally, on the east side of Sylva we found the crew running around their train (above and below).

Fortunately this is not currently fast track and we were able to photograph the train further east of Sylva,

at Willets-Ochre Hill,

Fisher Cove and

at Granny Smith Drive off Apple Drive west of Waynesville (above and two below).

The next day was allotted to NS in Virginia. Our first stop was Alta Vista as I had never seen the large trestle there. Just south of town a signal indicated a northbound was headed toward us so we set up for a shot on the bridge. After about 20 minutes we could hear the northbound approaching but it took the connection to the former Virginian and headed west instead of crossing the trestle.

After lunch we explored a little and found this spot just east of downtown where a pair of CPLs still govern train movements. From a railfan who was waiting there we learned an eastbound coal train was close.

Next we headed up to Lynchburg. However, the weather was poor, the train operations in town were confusing and Saturday traffic was awful so we decided to quit a day early and head for home.

It was a very enjoyable and productive trip for me right down to the last photo. Thanks for looking.

Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - 8

Hi, This was the best day of the trip and as a result it is the longest post.

The day was devoted to the Blue Ridge Southern.

Just after 8:00 AM the Waynesville Turn was switching the west end of the Canton, NC yard. It is shown here crossing the Pigeon River with the Evergreen Packaging plant in the background.

All of the power we saw was painted in this, the WATCO corporate scheme. This photo was taken off Waitsel Road on the east side of Clyde.

Continuing west we photographed the train on the west side of Clyde.

Entering Waynesville the train passed the Evergreen Packaging plant. It would switch here on its return east to Canton.

However, first the train continued west to switch Giles Chemical

and then ran around its train (above and two below).

Returning east the train passed a park

before reaching Evergreen Packaging (above and five below).

The Asheville Turn went on duty at noon on this day. About 12:20 it headed for Asheville shown with the Evergreen Packaging plant in the background (above and below).

There is a large trestle about a mile east of Canton along US Route 23.

We caught the train four more times (above and three below) before it reached Asheville).

In Asheville we photographed the train eastbound and

westbound crossing the French Broad River.

On the way out of Asheville the train passed Louisiana Avenue and then

the Vulcan Materials Quarry in Candler (above and below).

We photographed the train three more times east of Canton (above and two Below) before breaking off the chase.

Thanks for looking.

Trip to Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina - 7

Hi, Wednesday, October 17 was our day on the Second District of Norfolk Southern's Central Division, The Rathole. I was really looking forward to this day because, in spite of being an active railfan since 1971, I had never rail fanned here.

We started our day at Elgin, TN and worked our north to Burnside. At Elgin a northbound "bare table" was sitting at the signal.

Shortly a train with auto racks and a former CSX C40-8 leading came south.

Moving north from Elgin we caught a southbound manifest train at Pine Knot, KY, and

another southbound manifest at Marshes Siding,

Continuing north our next stop was the Shelton Road bridge in Burnside, KY. A rail replacement project was underway here and this piece of equipment was moving two welded rail strings from outside the gauge to inside the gauge.

While we were there two northbound trains passed, including this intermodal, as well as

this southbound manifest.

Moving further north the state route 751 bridge in Burnside provided the background in this photo of still another southbound manifest taken from a grade crossing just south of the highway bridge,

and a tank train passed under Cave Spring Rd., also in Burnside.

At Burnside a stack train was waiting to change crews,

an auto rack train crossed the Cumberland River (above and below),

and changed crews.

As the auto rack train prepared to continue south a grain train arrived.

The grain train passed us at Garland Rd. in Tateville, KY.

Our final shot of the day was of a stack train with a former BNSF SD70MAC at Cedar Grove Rd. in Somerset, KY.

I hope you enjoyed the photos.