CSX Transportation Historical Society

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West Kentucky and Southern Indiana - #3

Rail Fan Adventure --
1. Hopkins County Coal’s Cimarron preparation plant is on the east side of Madisonville locally known as East Diamond.  This view taken early in the morning looks northwest.  The headlight of a CSX train is in the center.  Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013.
Hopkins County Coal’s Cimarron preparation plant is on the east side of Madisonville locally known as East Diamond.
 
2. Closer view of the coal stockpile and prep. plant.
Closer view of the coal stockpile and prep. plant. 
3. North side of P&L looking southwest.  A train is loading on the loop.  The loaded cars on the siding next to the P&L main were probably part of the same train.  CSX and P&L both serve Cimarron Mine.  Hopkins County Coal is part of Alliance Resource Partners. 
North side of P&L looking southwest. A train is loading on the loop.
 
4. Looking south at the prep. plant and rail load-out.
Looking south at the prep. plant and rail load-out.
 
5. The sun was out on Friday morning, but no train was present.  The covered conveyor going diagonally to the plant from the left comes from a nearby deep mine.  All of this reclaimed land was surface mined in the past. 
The sun was out on Friday morning, but no train was present.
 
6. Paducah & Louisville signals looking north (toward Louisville) at the west end of Central City yard.  The single track main is on the left.  The signal on the right controlled northward entrance off the siding between JK Jct. and Central City as well as possibly the yard lead.  The old concrete coal dock is about all that is left of the yard, once a beehive of activity on Illinois Central.  The track back to my right was the interchange with the L&N’s Owensville-Russellville line. As CSX controls Four Rivers Transportation, interchange with P&L is now performed at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville. 
Paducah & Louisville signals looking north (toward Louisville) at the west end of Central City yard. 
 
7. Another view of this signal manufactured by General Railway Signal Co. of Rochester, NY.  Now I know why this style was so common on NYC! 
Another view of this signal manufactured by General Railway Signal Co. of Rochester, NY.
 
8. Looking south coming off the yard lead.  The Paducah District is CTC. 
Looking south coming off the yard lead. The Paducah District is CTC.
 
9. Side view of the G.R.S. signal.  The masts are similar to some Southern and Clinchfield signals with the light mounted directly to the top of the tube rather than on a bracket. 
Side view of the G.R.S. signal. 
 
10. North from Central City, the Louisville District has automatic block signals only.  But there are plenty of them!!!  These signals stay lit continuously green like N&W unless a train is in the block, and then one will go red.  Mile posts are measured from Louisville.  The yard and engine terminal were on the right.  The yard office was on the left up near the radio tower.  Don Ball used a photo of a big IC 4-8-2 coming by this depot/yard office in his “Portrait Of The Rails” book. 
North from Central City, the Louisville District has automatic block signals only. But there are plenty of them!!! 
 

Train images used by permission of Everett N Young

last update - 22 Jan 2014