West Virginia update

Here are a few notes of CSX interest gathered during a visit to southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky in October.

CSX is now dispatching the Vaughan Railroad. The Vaughan Railroad extends off the former C&O Gauley Subdivision at Rich Creek Jct., MP 6.9. It comprises former C&O trackage from Rich Creek Jct. to Vaughan, 5.9 miles. The remainder up Twentymile Creek to the Fola Mine, MP 22.0, was built privately in 1994-1995. The current DTC blocks are as follows: Rich (MP 6.9), Belva (MP 7.3) and Vaughan (MP 12.7). CSX is generally loading one, often two trains per day at Fola. Norfolk Southern is getting two or three trains per week. From what I understand, the CSX crews originate at Quinnimont yard (not confirmed).

Big Eagle Rails SW1500 No. BER 01 (former Winifrede Railroad No. 13) was loading hoppers at the Emerald Processing plant at the end of the former Winifrede Railroad. GP35 JTPX No. 5022 (originally Canadian Pacific 5022), leased from Joseph Transportation, Inc. (David J. Joseph), was working the rail/river transfer at Winifrede Jct. No sign of the GE Alco rebuild No. 1, but I was told it was still there and in service. Several new (to BER) hoppers were located at the dock and at the loadout. All are painted a lemon yellow and stenciled with BER reporting marks. Several former Winifrede hoppers were also being loaded. These have also been restenciled for BER.

Maintenance-of-way activity was taking place on the long out of service Laurel Fork Subdivision (Clothier to Hampton) in the Coal River District. An employee on the MofW gang that I spoke with indicated that a mine would soon reopen and begin loading trains. Signs indicate the operation is now owned by Wind River Resources.

Norfolk Southern's Stone Coal Branch tracks are shiny. It is apparent that the old East Gulf plant (now Left Fork Processing LLC) is back in business and loading. While heading up through "the Gulf," I noted approximately 50 CSX hoppers sitting on the Helen siding. It appears that CSX is still getting the lions' share of the business from East Gulf Since abandonment of their own line through Gulf Switch, CSX uses the parallel former Virginian Railway Winding Gulf Branch from Amigo to Pemberton.

CSX has applied to abandon the Rupert Subdivision on the former NF&G between Rupert Jct. (MP CAH 7.2) and Clearco (MP CAH 20.8), a distance of approximately 13.6 miles in Greenbrier County, WVa.

-Ron Stafford

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