CSX - Green Spring WV - 07-28-2016
Between programs and seminars at the C&OHS Convention in Cumberland MD, Herb Parsons and I drove a few miles east of town to Green Spring, Green Spring in on CSX’s Cumberland Subdivision which used to be the B&O main line. To get across the Potomac from Maryland you cross a small toll bridge. The attendant waves a cup on a rod out the window, and you drop in a few coins. I don’t know which states gets the toll...maybe the bridge is private.
1. Q136-27 was leaving Cumberland as we were, but we beat him to Green Spring. Today’s single stack train (North Baltimore OH to Portsmouth VA) has CSX engines 3354-5373. Green Spring WV.
2. CSX 3354-5373. Green Spring WV. View 2.
3. CSX 3354-5373. Green Spring WV. View 3.
4. Amtrak’s Capitol Limited is fast overtaking Q136 on No. 1 track. That’s a dead coal train parked in the east siding. Amtrak 152-822. Green Spring WV.
5. Amtrak No. 30 is due out of Cumberland at 9:20 AM. It is now 11:20 AM at Green Spring (14 miles east of Cumberland), so it is running an hour or so late. P030 has 9 cars. Amtrak 152-822. Green Spring WV.
6. Amtrak 152-822. Green Spring WV. View 2.
7. P030 will cross back to No. 2 Track at Okonoko ahead of Q136. The speed signs here are 40 for passenger and 35 for freight. Amtrak 152-822. Green Spring WV. View 3.
8. A westbound is waiting at Okonoko, and now he has the signal at Green Spring. CSX clear signal Green Spring WV.
9. CSX 8808-7676-5335 have 70 cars of D720-28, the Hagerstown-Cumberland local. Green Spring WV. 0605
10. CSX 8808-7676-5335. Green Spring WV. View 2.
11. CSX 5372-5364 have w/b Q135-27 (Portsmouth VA – North Baltimore OH) with single stacks. Green Spring WV.
12. CSX 5372-5365. Green Spring WV. View 2.
13. CSX 542-843 are parked on the east siding with coal train N786-25 (Monongahelia County Mine to Curtis Bay). Mon County is the old Blacksville 2 Mine. It was acquired a few years ago from Consol Energy by Murray Energy. In the Foreground is the wye to the South Branch Valley Railroad. Green Spring WV.
14. CSX “GP38-3” 2046 with 3159-2272-6479 hustles 51 cars of D787-28 (Cumberland-Brunswick local) west. No. 2046 was rebuilt from an older GP38-2. Green Spring WV.
15. Thunder crashes! Lightning flashes! Herb and I jump out in the deluge to get CSX 5413-359-2788 plowing east with 115 cars of Q401-28 (Cumberland-Hamlet NC). Clear signal. Green Spring WV.
16. CSX 5413-359-2788. Green Spring WV. View 2.
17. CSX 5413-359-2788. Green Spring WV. View 3.
Having had good luck with action, we head back to the hotel for the afternoon’s activities.
B&O had a tie treating plant at Green Spring between the main line and the river. Koppers later operated it, but it appears to be shut down now.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young