CPLs and Heritage Units - 5

Hi, This is the final post from our trip down to the "Pokey" and it will be the longest as I liked so many of the images I found down there.  On 10/9 we caught this westbound manifest at Oakvale, WV.

Before chasing the manifest west we waited at the former Virginian trestle in Oakvale for this WB empty hopper train.

After the manifest changed crews in Bluefield, WV we caught it again in Keystone, WV, and

Welch, WV.  At this point lack of good roads make it impossible to chase west.

The next day we caught a stack train passing through Ieager, WV.

Late that afternoon we were at Farm for this westbound.

Thursday, 10/11 dawned crystal clear at Princeton, WV, where we stayed.  However, as we descended we encountered low hanging clouds, as this photo of #17M at Keystone, WV attests.

At Farm again we encountered #U81, a mine run which had just come off the Tug Fork Branch.  It had a locomotive on each end.

Later in the day, still at Farm, #U81 has become #83G for its trip east.  Both of its locomotives are now on the head end and it has a 2 unit helper on the rear.

An easy chase of #83G got us this shot at Switchback, WV.

Towards the end of the day grain train #58V climbed the grade at Vivian, WV, and

Elkhorn, WV.

On 10/12 we began our day with eastbound coal drag #720 at Oakvale, WV.

Next up was #217 entering the yard at Bluefield, WV

and again at Northfork, WV.  This is one of 3 stack trains that can be seen WB on the route.

At Davey, WV an EB auto rack train met WB empty hopper train #749.

We were able to photograph #749 again at Ieager, WV.

Our last day, 10/14, began with #233 on the trestle at Coopers, VA.

Then we headed east.  We stopped at Vickers, VA where we shot a number of trains in quick succession, including #61J, and

#628.

For our last shot of the trip we moved a few miles west to Walton, VA and got #25N.

I really enjoyed both the company and the photo ops.  This is a great place to visit.  I hope you enjoyed the photos.