Serious Mountain Railroading I was first introduced to the P-D in


2011 and I immediately fell in love with it. Intrigued with everything that I saw, I quickly developed a desire to photograph the railroad with a passion like I had for no other place. Maybe it was the magnificent scenery, or maybe it was the experience of seeing hill runs grind up the mountain to Clark’s Gap. I made frequent visits, sometimes only capturing a single shot as a result. Sparse traffic and difficult-to-access locations meant photographing trains on the P-D was an enjoyable challenge. I spent more than three years along the railroad, making great memories along the way. I also made some great friends who work along this stretch of railroad. The mountain railroading on this line


was unreal and perhaps the best part of visiting. I’ll never forget witnessing a hill


run from on top of the mountain above Tunnel 9 at Garwood for the first time. The ground shaking beneath you,


the


pulsating sound of locomotives in notch 8 reverberating throughout the hills, and the countless autumn leaves falling around me from the blast of exhaust are strong memories that will stay with me forever.


The End The news I got on September 18,


2015, broke my heart when I learned my beloved Virginian was going to close. I immediately requested a couple days off from work for the last three days of operation. While bittersweet, I could not stay away even though I knew this was the end. I spent every free moment through the end of September shooting photos and spending time on the P-D. September 28 came much faster than


52 JANUARY 2016 • RAILFAN.COM


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