West Virginia Gallery

The RJ Corman crew takes the handed off CSX empty coal train up the hill from Thurmond, West Virginia to Pax to get loaded at Pioneer Fuel Company.

Millions of tons of railroad coal traffic has beat over this rail in Thurmond, West Virginia.

A quiet dreary early morning at Hawks Nest State Park comes to life as an empty CSX coal train skirts along both banks of the New River.

The deafening horn echos of the old buildings of the once mighty town of Thurmond, West Virginia.

Loaded hoppers full of coal are behing Norfolk Southern power as they curve through the city of Welch, West Virginia heading east towards Bluefield.

A CSX manifest snakes along the New River and through the old historic town of Thurmond, West Virginia. The tracks that cross the river are operated by the RJ Corman Railroad.

Norfolk Southern 9127 pulls the grade at Landgraff, West Virginia during a thunderstorm downpour. The old N&W CPL signals can be seen in the background.

a Norfolk Southern hi railer truck sits between Roderfield Tunnels as an autorack rushes by led by NS 9776.

CSX 627 leads west past the Prince, West Virginia Amtrak station after a few rain showers as the setting sun ends the day.

CSX 324 can be seen out the window of an old home in Thurmond, West Virginia.

A RJ Corman crew takes CSX power and empty coal hoppers up the hill to the Pax, West Virginia to the coal loadout. Here CSX 324 can be seen as it has just entered the Pax Tunnel.

Inside the art deco inspired Prince, West Virginia Amtrak station. Here you can see the tile Chessie system logo that is part of the floor.

Amtrak Cardinal train #50 arrives at the art deco inspired Prince Station in West Virginia.

The sun has yet to rise in the New River Gorge as a CSX coal train snakes slowly along the banks of the New River.

The reflection of a westbound CSX coal train can be seen on the New River near Ansted, West Virginia.

Amtrak Cardinal train #50 arrives at the art deco inspired Prince Station in West Virginia.

The only lights on this moonless night are from a little cabin in the woods and a CSX coal train snaking along the New River inside the New River Gorge.

A row of houses in Kyle, West Virginia face the Norfolk Southern's Pocahontas Division. Here a freight can be seen working up grade heading east towards Bluefileld.

Empty Norfolk Southern coal train glides west through the old coal town of Keystone, West Virginia.

Empty Norfolk Southern coal train glides west through the old coal town of Keystone, West Virginia.

Norfolk Southern 7640 breaks the morning silence as it rushes west out of the Elkhorn Tunnel on the Pocahontas Division near Maybeury, West Virginia.

A RJ Corman crew takes empty coal hoppers up the Loup Creek to Pioneer Fuel Company in Pax, West Virginia.

Norfolk Southern 7717 pulls a string of coal cars through the town of Gary, West Virginia on their way towards Welch. The local church can be seen on the hillside towering over the town below.

Coal is what this part of West Virginia is made from and it can be seen here in Maybeury. Norfolk Southern Top Gon coal carry coal across the Pocahontas Division while a endless parade of coal trucks wind through the valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.

One of many Norfolk Southern coal trains work up grade towards Bluefield, West Virginia past this old church sitting in the rain in Switchback.

A CSX led RJ Corman coal train is almost to Pioneer Fuel Comapny in Pax, West Virginia.

A RJ Corman employee protects a crossing as an empty coal train heads up the line to Pax, West Virginia.

Norfolk Southern 8864 moves a string of filled coal hoppers from the Teco Mine just west of Hurley, Virginia as darkness has long ago started to set in on the hollar.

Switchback, West Virginia has seen better days even though the coal that has built this area continues to pass by on its way to Bluefield and points beyond.

Norfolk Southern 8864 moves a string of filled coal hoppers from the Teco Mine just west of Hurley, Virginia as darkness has long ago started to set in on the hollar.

In the early morning hours a CSX coal train creeps along the New River as the sun's rising light just starts to fall into this West Virginia hollar.

The ghost town of Thurmond, West Virginia sits in an eerie silence only awakened by passing CSX coal and freight trains.

The ghost town of Thurmond, West Virginia sits in an eerie silence only awakened by passing CSX coal and freight trains.

Children get pick up for school in the early dawn hours in Keystone, West Virginia while a Norfolk Southern coal train glides downgrade through the dark town.

A quiet dreary early morning at Hawks Nest State Park comes to life as an empty CSX coal train skirts along the bank of the New River.

An abandonded service station sits in disrepair in southwestern West Virginia with the only hope being a sign nailed to the door. Save Coal Jobs, Vote Griffith.

An RJ Corman Pax coal train works up the grade out of Mt. Hope, West Virginia towards an industrial lead with a very steep grade.

CSX coal hoppers flash by the Prince Amtrak Station in West Virginia.

CSX coal hoppers flash by the Prince Amtrak Station in West Virginia.

CSX coal hoppers flash by the Prince Amtrak Station in West Virginia.

CSX 324 leads an empty RJ Corman coal train to Pax to get loaded as it climbs the hill through Harvey, West Virginia.

A shadow of the unique light fixtures around Prince, West Virginia can be seen against the glass like finish of the aluminum CSX coal hoppers traveling along State Road 41.

Hoppers get loaded on a side track in CSX's yard just outside of Prince, West Virginia.

Never ending strings of coal hoppers travel this grade through Switchback, West Virginia.

The graceful arc of brightly colored containers swing out of the mountain and through the town of Welch, West Virginia. A severe spring storm is quickly moving across the area as well. Jeannette Walls, the author of The Glass Castle, lived in one of the homes on the right.

The steep valleys throughout West Virginia do not allow for much room for homes, roads, rivers, and railroads, like seen here outside of Welch.

The morning sun breaks over the mountain tops as coal cars rush through Northfork, West Virginia.

Norfolk Southern 9398 takes a intermodal train east thanks to the Heartland Corridor project. The wonderful Elkhorn Inn is on the right located in Landgraff, West Virginia.