CSX - Maintenance Of Way Are Us - Winter and Spring 2025
Practically all activity in this category were work trains of ballast, rip-rap, rail, and track equipment moving to and from repair efforts south of Erwin TN. The Blue Ridge SD has been repaired, and through trains are operating again, so these work trains have ceased for the most part.
1. W094 with 5430-3474 pass Coal Run Jct. on 01-23-2025 with 86 loads of ballast and rip-rap stone.
2. Looking east toward the east end of Pauley.
3. SD40-3s 4004-4046 head n/b W094-17 with 54 empty air dumps by Elkhorn City on 03-17-2025.
4. W094-17 crossing the mouth of Marrowbone Creek at Regina KY.
5. W094 arrives at Shelby on the main line.
6. "SD40-3" 4046 is a rebuilt SD40-2. CSX has over 100 of these. Some of the last were ex-Conrail or NS.
7. CSX 4004.
8. CSX 4004 and 4046.
9. SD40-2 8138 parked on the thoroughfare track at Shelby with rail train W012 on 04-20-2025. This engine led L200 on 04-30-2025.
10. Emission control plate on 8138. This unit was built in 1981.
11. The front rail flat on train W012 with a bulkhead on the end. It was built or rebuilt in 12-2005. Most likely rebuilt. The rail was rolled by Nippon Steel in 2024.
12. CSX 3357 leads UP 2642-5483 about to depart Shelby yard on 05-06-2025. W090-03 has 71 cars of rip-rap weighing 9,408 tons.
13. UP 5483 is a "C45ACCTE." No. 2642 is a "C45AH."
14.UP 5483 was originally an ES44AC, built in 2005. UP no. 2642 was an ET44AC built in 2015. To many railfans, these are "just another GE wide-cab", but there is a notable difference in appearance from the cab toward the rear. Remember how we made a big deal about the difference in appearance between, say, a SW-7 and SW-9, a RS-2 or a RS-3, or a U28B and a U30B. Trouble is, we can't remember all of these new manfacturer's models, let alone the railroad's designation when they modify an engine.
15. CSX 3387 is an ET44AH built in 2015. In other words, an ES44 with added weight for adhesion.
16. Later we shoot W090-03, hitting the heavy grade up through Elkhorn Yard on the former CRR.
17. UP 6499-5261-8187 are in charge of w/b ballast train W084-08 at EM Cabin near Emma. BTW, the cantilever signal will be replaced soon. 05-09-2025.
18. We shot W084 again at Dawkins. They dumped 20 of the Herzog ballast cars between Prestonsburg and Dawkins, and they had 63 remaining.
19. Heading back to Pikeville, we intercepted W040 w/b at Ivel. UP 5483-2642 (shot 05-06-2025 on W090-03) had 10 flats of work equipment. 05-09-2025.
All for now,
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young