The New River Gorge-huntington To Hinton West Virginia (csx/c&o New River Subdivision)

Now that is a VERY nice look into the past.

 

This route would give opportunity to include Shay locomotives.



C&O C-9 SHAY #6. https://cohs.org/

 

Speaking of Shays being on the Huntington to Hinton line, I recall seeing a photograph of one of the Cass Scenic's Shays in Hinton during winter. I'm thinking it was during the 60's or 70's due to the Greenbrier Division still being around back then due to the fact that Shay wasn't trucked in, but rather going in via the C&O mainline. I've tried finding the photo, but I'm unable to. I can't recall which Shay it was either, but I do recall it being one of Cass Scenic's Shays.

 

This route could result in some unique scenarios . . . .


President Theodore Roosevelt addressing crowd at Montgomery, WV. From the rear of a C&O passenger train; circa 1910. https://cohs.org/


Former President Theodore Roosevelt addresses a crowd from the back of a railcar near the site of Charleston's present-day train station, along MacCorkle Avenue across the Kanawha River from downtown. Disappointed with his hand-picked successor, William Howard Taft, Roosevelt decided to throw is hat back into the ring in 1912 and began an aggressive campaign across the nation, again seeking the presidency. His Charleston visit was on April 3, 1912. https://www.wvgazettemail.com/

Area map, click to zoom-in

 

Thurmond. The New River Sub 2 days ago . . . . . Canadians are welcome too



Source: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/759799/

 

1) Compliments to the photographer, that's a fantastic shot.
2) Shame all the old tracks in Thurmond got ripped up. They were certainly the keystone to keeping Thurmond frozen in the steam era.

 

New River Sub Division has some interesting tunnels too . . . . . .

Note the tell-tales (discussed earlier in this thread) in the third black&white photo.

Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .



Captions and sources:
Photo 1: Construction progress double-tracking at Stretcher's Neck Tunnel, at Prince, W. Va. Sept. 26, 1932. https://cohs.org/
Photo 2: C&O K-4 #2705 with manifest emerging from east portal of Stretcher Neck Tnnel at Prince, WV 1946. https://cohs.org/
Photo 3: Official C&O photo showing construction progress double-tracking at Stretcher's Neck Tunnel, at Prince, W. Va. May 29. 1931. -cont- https://cohs.org/
Photo 4: It is a cold and snowy morning along the New River at Prince, WV as an eastbound CSX loaded export coal train pops out of Stretchers Neck Tunnel and passes under the Highway 41 overpass en route to Hinton and points east. February, 2013. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/424126/

 

New River Sub Division gives plenty of opportunity for winter sports . . .

Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .



Captions and sources:
Photo 1: C&O wooden size 2 plow number 71 Russell Snow plow #1049 At Ensign Mnufacturing Co. Huntington, WV plant circa 1898.3/4 side view with plow showing. https://cohs.org/
Photo 2: C&O snow plow No. SP 21 (ex-Pere Marquette (PM)) Date/Location unknown ?? Gene Huddleston. B&W photos say 1963. https://cohs.org/
Photo 3: Snow Plow SP-21 or SP-23 --- No data - Location/date unknown. https://cohs.org/
Photo 4: CSX #7009 with coal train parked on snow-covered tracks in Charleston, WV. 19.4 inches of snow, 16 degrees F. CSX Operations cancelled due to weather. 3/14/1993. Jay Potter photographer. https://cohs.org/

 

There "always" were, and still are, a lot of rail road workshops in the Huntington yard area. . . .

Note the two photos of the same locomotive shop. One in the steam era and one where she is full with diesels.

Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .





Captions and sources:
Photo 1: A string of locomotives sit in storage in CSX's 16th Street Yard in Huntington. The majority of locomotives pictured here include Road Slugs/GP40-2s, GP38-2s, yard slugs, and EMD SD50s. Oct 2017. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/642738/
Photo 2: A newer locomotive being assembled, top, sits beside an older one being disassembled, bottom. Photo by Jim Ross. https://www.wvnews.com/article_a0956efe-3159-512c-8c29-cacb87d2a45e.html
Photo 3: A stunning sunset silhouettes (try saying that three times fast!) the Huntington Locomotive Shops on a beautiful December evening. In the Upper Yard, a long line of EMD motors including several SD40-2's, some SD60's, SD70's, and a few MP15 switchers await repair, stripping, or disposition. Dec 2017. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/600039/
Photo 4: CSX Huntington Locomotive Shops. May 2006. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/145999/
Photo 5: As seen from this aerial perspective, an assortment of EMD standard cabs await a variety of servicing by the Huntington Locomotive Shops. Locomotives are inspected, serviced, repainted, and scrapped at HLS and serves as one of the large locomotive shops on the CSX system. Huntington is also the location of the Huntington Division Headquarters and the CSX Huntington East & Huntington West Dispatchers Center. In the top right of the frame, Joan C. Edwards Stadium is visible, home of Marshall's Thundering Herd. Sept 2011. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/376236/
Photo 6: Rebuilding and repair work occurs on several locomotives simultaneously at the CSX Huntington Locomotive Shop. Photo by Jim Ross. https://www.wvnews.com/article_a0956efe-3159-512c-8c29-cacb87d2a45e.html
Photo 7: Overhead view of erecting bay of C&O Huntington, WV shop ca 1929. https://cohs.org/

 

So apparently the New River Gorge is now a National Park?

 

Hello Left Field, I see you're doing quite well.

 

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

 

Not sure it should be a surprise When I read about the New River Gorge for the first time it was already a National Park. According to www.nps.gov the park was established over 40 years ago. Is a great area , definitely deserves to be protected !

 

CSX current New River area system maps . . .






Source: www.csx.com

 

Hopefully they don't shutdown the line everytime the government does.

 

Action in the New River Subdivision ! . . . . . . .

Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .



Captions and sources:
Photo 1: In a predominantly coal-driven region, a trio of western visitors sneak through southern West Virginia under the cover of darkness with a unit train of Bakken crude oil in tow. Illuminated with several remote flashes, the run-through oil train is seen passing through the historic mining town of Thurmond. The classic infrastructure including its steam era coaling tower, increasingly rare cantilever signals, and historic town front make this C&O location unmistakeable. July 2014. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/488002/
Photo 2: Deep in the heart of the New River Gorge, Q303 passes through the small tucked away town of Thurmond, passing the Amtrak Station with Norfolk Southern's Savannah & Atlanta heritage unit leading the way. Apr 2017. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/612187/
Photo 3: The Montgomery Fire Department presents a water cannon salute to Amtrak conductor Dennis Gleason who was on his final trip eastbound on the New River Train, pictured here in Montgomery, W.Va., on the morning of October 29, 2017. Happy retirement, Conductor Gleason! https://www.railpictures.net/photo/642749/
Photo 4: CSX crews swap out at Hinton's 'Tool Car' before continuing west to Huntington. In the background, the Collis P. Huntington's annual New River Train sits in front of the crew base after de-boarding passengers. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/642741/
Photo 5: A freshly rebuilt CSXT AC4400CW, now re-classified as a GE AC4400CM, leads CSX H751 west along the swollen Kanawha River at Eagle - just west of Mount Carbon on its run along the former C&O mainline between Hinton, W.Va., and Russell, Ky. A modern twist of the former bright future CW44ACs and the mainline Q302-Q303 freights. Feb 2020. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/725136/
Photo 6: Over 6,000 horses of General Electric power idle in the Rush Run Siding after loading on the R.J. Corman Loup Creek branch at Pax. A Hinton extraboard crew will taxi to Thurmond later in the night, and deliver the train to Hinton, and eventually to Clifton Forge, and points east. Destined for Pier 9 at Newport News, the majority of loaded trains off of Corman have destinations overseas. Oct 2012. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/412099/

 

Now that's nice.

 

I remember Amtrak keeps running. So would not make sense for CSX to shutdown.

 

Oh I figured that, said that as a joke.

 

Well lets have a video of a trio of coal trains in the Gorge.

 

Finding a video of a passing engine not using the horn must be almost impossible these days.

Great video. Love those long heavy coal trains.

Any idea why some coals cars are white ? I do know that in the old days, and perhaps nowadays as well, often miners cloths were white as well.

Below a screenshot from the video SteamMaster posted showing a white coal car...

 

Must either be near a crossing or the New River Gorge has friendly crews.

I guess CSX doesn't care to repaint their freight cars into a single scheme. Saves money, which is all the Class 1's are about in these days of PSR. All about that bottom line and lining the pockets of Wall Street, which are fat enough as is.

 

I am not sure what repainting has to do with it. I assume we are misunderstanding each other

let me try to rephrase . . . . why are certain cars painted black/brown and others painted white in the first place ?

 

My apologies.

Different initial services, different original owners, etc. Could be a number of reasons. Perhaps the white ones were used in Maintenance Of Way service in ballast trains, maybe something else. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Views: 545,421
Alright. I'm calling it. 1,000,000 views before this year is over. Anybody wanna place a bet? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

Holy moly that's a lot of views! I wonder where they're all coming from? Did some other big website link this thread or something?

 

Well I have seen one person posting the link to the first page on YouTube comments sections, so that's probably helping.

Maybe I shouldn't have posted so many videos on the first page, that seems to lengthen load times, at least for me.

 

But there is something positive with all these views, since these views could draw in support and possibly, the bored developer.

 

Better post interesting stuff related to the route. And not dwell on this non sense number of views.

 

Have we spoken any on the Buckingham Branch railroad yet?

One of the shortlines that does its thing around this route. Rollingstock could consist of GP9 rebuild and the GP40. But I guess since the intent of most was the steam era, there really is no place for Class III operations.

 

1) I don't think the Buckingham Branch has been mentioned before you made mention of it.
2) I like it. That's certainly a nice looking paint scheme on that Geep.

Who said it was set in stone? This route looks good in any era. It's that scenic. Well, at least to me it is.

 

Never heard of them before. Did/do they use the track between Huntington & Hinton ? Hauling coal ?

That brown livery is a color one does not see often.

 

I believe they're based out of Staunton and do work along the New River Sub, but I'm pretty sure CSX does the coal traffic.

 

The Buckingham Branch system map on their website seems to indicate their Richmond & Alleghany Division goes as far West as Clifton Forge, but Hinton is still about 60 miles (as the crow flies) further West.

 

On the previous pages there were examples that this route gives plenty opportunity for different and unique scenarios. This is another example . . .

Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . ..



Captions and sources:
Photo 1: C&OE8 #4028 Eisenhower Funeral Train. 3/31/1969. https://cohs.org/
Photo 2: Eisenhower funeral train. https://cohs.org/
Photo 3: Eisenhower Funeral Train, April 1969. Placing American flag on C&O baggage car 314 during night stop at Huntington, W. Va. Mar. 1969. https://cohs.org/
Photo 4: Eisenhower Funeral Train, March 1969. - David & Mamie Eisenhower on rear platform of Santa Fe business car at rear of train during stop at Huntington, W. Va. https://cohs.org/
Photo 5: President Eisenhower's funeral train stopped in Charlottesville in 1969. https://dailyprogress.com/125yearsofprogress/president-eisenhowers-funeral-train-stopped-in-charlottesville-in-1969/

 

Beautiful and impressive shot of Hinton with a coaling toward in the foreground. Drawings of a coaling tower can be found in post - Number 57 -



NKP 765 is backing past the coaling tower toward her train at the Hinton Station. She was turned on the wye and serviced at Meadow Creek 12 miles to the west. This was standard procedure after the turntable was removed from the yard in Hinton in the early 80's. After coupling on and performing a brake test, she will be ready for the return trip west to Huntington, WV. We were sure spoiled in the 1980's with numerous steam powered New River Trains. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/733199/

 

Slight correction on that, the turntable wasn't removed in the early 80's. I'd say sometime after '85, so mid 80's.

 

Indeed , a bit later in the 1980's

William E. Simonton, III wrote:
. . . . .. The original turntable, 75 feet long, was replaced approximately 1916 with a 100' turntable which in turn was replaced approximately 1924 with a 115' Bethlehem twin span turntable. . . . . . . . The turntable remained until about 1988, at which time the it was removed and the pit filled. The only remaining sign of the roundhouse is the expanse of concrete floor and back-filled inspection pits which give only a hint of what used to be. . . . .
Source: https://hinton.cohs.org/RoundHouseArticle.html

Could be a nice scenario. Transporting the new turntable, and X months later testing the new turntable.

 

Not a bad idea. It'd certainly be a unique scenario to play.

 

Too bad the mechanics of a turntable break the dispatcher in scenario making (I learned it the hard way).

 

We were spoiled in the 80's with many steam related operations. Man. What the railfan part of me wouldn't do to go back to those days.

 

Well there's still the transportation of a turntable. Surely that could work.

 

Yoooooo! The thread hit a million views!

 

Called it!!

 

Well here's a surprise. Someone put Greg Scholl's video 614 Coal Trains on the Internet Archive website. Here's the link for the curious ones:
https://archive.org/details/614CoalTrains
Legality? What's that supposed to be? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

Well I've been surfing some photos and videos of trains, mostly NRT's, on the line and I thought I'd share some of 'em here.

 

To be honest I'm just about ready to begin building this, since my part in the LIRR route building project is beginning to reach it's completion.

 

That's great to hear! Good luck! I'm excited to see how it turns out!

 

I mean my decision isn't necessarily final, but if the DEM data and google maps imagery is good, then I'll get cracking.

 

Well I would think that there isn't a lack of reference material if ya do tackle it.