OPPOSITE TOP: NS No. 8114 wearing “origi- nal” Nofolk Southern livery brings empty train 813 westbound through the Matoaka Tunnel on a muggy August 20, 2015, morning. Remnants of electric catenary structure could be found at the tunnel portal.
LEFT: Train U86 with a long string of empties in tow crawls across the trestle at Ingleside soaring high above I-77 with light snow falling on November 1, 2014. The two locomotives are really struggling to maintain traction with the tough winter conditions making the ascent to Princeton much more difficult than usual.
OPPOSITE BELOW: Three a.c. units thunder across Garwood Trestle on a beautiful Septem- ber 19, 2015, shoving hard on the rear of 100 tidewater coal loads that make up Train U86.
I wanted. It was time to hit the road for Princeton and spend time savoring the last few hours of this magnificent railroad. The first day provided a westbound empty hopper train led by NS No. 9455 with one of my best friends at the throttle. We caught up to the train at Kegley, Matoaka, Garwood, and Bud as he headed west across the line. The reality of the impending line closure had not really begun to sink in. The next day came and went quickly
as we kept ourselves occupied with a train coming down from Deepwater. Following that, the P-D was dead since a work train taking up newly dropped ties had the line plugged up for a large portion of the day. I captured a night shot of the train we had chased earlier from Deepwater at Covel, and I savored every moment of that experience. The sound of those locomotives piercing the quiet night air and the scene of the lead locomotive shooting huge headlight beams through the thick atmosphere were awesome. I paused when the pushers came by and just listened. The distinct sound of flange squeal around tight curves and the sound of ACEs in notch 8 filled the air, then slowly retreated into the night. Now just 28 hours away from an official closure, I thought to myself: This could be the last eastbound hill run I ever see. It turns out I was right. Later that
night, we found out NS had already began routing trains via the Guyandotte River Line and it had no more plans to send any loads up the hill. That was it. The only thing I could hope for was a train of empties the next day. My wish was granted as we found
an empty Train 811 coming west from Roanoke with No. 1110 in original Norfolk Southern paint in the lead. A U85 Elmore crew was waiting at Kellysville to do a quick crew change
before heading to Elmore. I knew this would probably be the last coal train (and it was). I made a mental note as I started the chase to saok it all in. Much sooner than I wanted, I found myself at Bud, just outside Elmore, finishing up the chase. I was getting ready to leave Elmore and
I heard the yardmaster make mention of a hill run on the scanner. Could it be? I quickly found out it was light engines that would go east to Kellysville and return light with seven empty gondolas. I knew it would be well after dark by the time they got back, but I wanted to get a shot of the very last train across the line. So I set up and got a night shot of them returning to Elmore, just an hour and half before the line closed. And then, silence.
Reflections I made so many wonderful memories
on the old Virginian Railway over the years. How can somebody be so broken up over a railroad closing? When you do something you love, it becomes a part of you. When that something is gone, a part of you is also missing. That’s the best way I can describe how it feels. Norfolk Southern hasn’t completely
given up on the Virginian. Hi-rail trucks make weekly inspections of the rails, and maintainers keep block signals and grade crossing protection in good working order. This piece of mountain railroad can be called up for service at a moment’s notice, and perhaps it will in the future. But for now, the rails sleep.
Samuel Phillips, 20, hails from Radford, Va. He has been taking photos since he was 5 years old and the desire has never left. He loves mountain railroading and spending time with all his friends enjoying the hobby.
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