CSX - Big Sandy SD Winter 2025
Nothing of huge interest, as the Blue Ridge SD was/is still under repair south of Erwin TN.
1. Union Pacific 7012-5355-8923 plus CSX 5438 lead local L200-03 past Onyx Coal's Bull Creek tipple on 01-04-2025. L200 has 43 cars this day.
2. Onyx loads small shipments every few weeks.
3. Passing Dawkins near Paintsville.
4. "Pan Am" 1981 and CSX 543 pull onto the Coal Run SD on 01-20-2025 with E912 (Russell-Coal Run). A mine run crew out of Shelby will take this train to Scotts Branch Mine later.
5. CSX 7418 is a freshly minted "CM44AC" at Shelby on 02-08-2025. It was originally an AC44.
6. Environmental data on the rebuilt unit 7418. This takes the place of a builder's plate. It says the unit was built 11-07-1999, and its weight is 432,000.
7. CSX 7275 is an identical unit. You will see plenty more of these 7000s as the old AC44s go to Wabtec for much-needed upgrades.
8. Part of the old caboose track has been removed.
9. Other tracks have been removed. Years ago this area would have been filled with locomotives.
10. CSX 5327 leads L200-10 past the Elkhorn City Railroad Museum on 03-10-2025. L200 has 23 cars today. Note the Western Maryland decal on the unit.
11. L200 is slowing to a stop along Back Bottom Road at Shelby. Back Bottom used to be inhabited with several houses and railroad structures, but no more.
12. Christian knows the Kingsport engineer, but I can't remember his name. The WM "Fireball" logo looks good. It was applied to the steam loco tenders in later years, as well as first-generation diesels. CSX 5327 is an ES40DC, not an AC.
13. L201-10 has 15 loads and 17 empties and is ready to depart Shelby on 04-11-2025.
14. CSX 358-8441-63 has a flashing green medium clear on the dwarf to enter the main line. Today's L200 has 2,500 tons and is 2,089 feet long.
15. Clear block signal at Draffin.
16. Some of the old telephone/telegraph poles still stand for the telephone cable that is attached.
17. CSX Draffin signal123.6.
18. L201-10 approaches Elkhorn City.
19. My information says that 8441 is a SD40 upgraded to a SD40-2 by Morrison-Knudsen in the early 1990s. Nos. 8439-8488 were from various UP, MP, SP and PRR SD40 hulks M-K had on the lot. No. 8441 was ex-UP 3114. Many are off the roster now.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young