ested in exploring the west end of the Clinch Valley District, the yard at Nor- ton is an excellent starting point. U.S. 58 Alternate roughly parallels the Clinch Valley main line from Norton as far east as St. Paul. From St. Paul on to the relatively isolated yard at Carbo, access to the railroad is more challeng- ing, and a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer comes in handy. Along the main, there are numerous photo opportunities. While coal traffic is down at the time of this
writing, there are still several
TOP: It’s a beautiful spring morning as train 772, bound for Bluefield with 100 loads, heads east out of Coeburn on April 20, 2013. ABOVE: NS shifter U48 emerges from the tight confines of Little Tom Tunnel, just east of Banner, Va., on April 27, 2013. LEFT: On Sep- tember 22, 2012, a loaded coal train is easing into the siding at Cleveland, Va.
trains that use this route every day, creating great photographic possibili- ties. Further, unit trains can be com- monly found working the massive Alpha Natural Resources/Paramont Coal Company prep plant at the end of the Big Tom’s Creek Branch. This unit train loadout is a short drive from Coeburn; in fact, Route 652 passes through the facility. However, keep in mind that the facility itself is on pri- vate coal company property, so behave accordingly. While moving trains can be some- times hard to find on the Clinch Valley District, patience can pay off with some awesome experiences. Despite the age of the railroad, the Clinch Valley is far from being out-of-date. And even with modern progress on some fronts, many areas of the Clinch Valley are still a howling wilderness.
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