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.