Louisville & Nashville 4-6-2 No. 240 leads a northbound local passenger train across the big bridge over the Red River south of Winchester, Ky., in May 1952. Photo by Ed Theisinger […]
Steam over the Red River valley
Tag: Appalachia
Infrastructure fund to acquire Ohio-based regional Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway
NEW YORK — The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — at 840 miles the largest independent regional railroad in the U.S. — is being acquired by FTAI Infrastructure in a billion-dollar deal, the companies announced today. FTAI, which owns short line and terminal switching operator Transtar, will pay The Wheeling Corp. $1.05 billion to acquire […]
Pennsy Mike in Appalachia
Interstate Railroad 2-8-2 No. 15, a former Pennsylvania Railroad L1s Mikado, makes a smoky departure from IRR’s yard at Andover, Va., in May 1952. Photo by Ed Theisinger […]
Motorcar mania
Nicholas, Fayette & Greenbrier motor 122 is loaded at Rainelle, W.Va., with LCL and mail, plus a few passengers. The motors required a four-man crew: engineer, conductor, freight handler, and mailman. NF&G, owned by New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio, ran its motors on four routes. James R. Greene photo […]
CSX derailment in West Virginia leads to Amtrak cancellations
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — Derailment of a CSX coal train early today (Sunday, Aug. 3) has led to cancellation of Amtrak’s Cardinal in both directions between Huntington, W.Va., and New York. The St. Albans Fire Department, which responded to the incident at 12:33 a.m., said in a social media post that no injuries were reported; […]
Western Maryland Scenic announces plans for RailFest 2025
CUMBERLAND, Md. — The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has announced plans for the 2025 edition of RailFest, its event celebrating heritage railroading, community, and mountain adventure. RailFest 2025: A Return to the Rails, is set for Sept. 12-14. Planned events include: — A “Sunset on the Mountains” train departing Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. […]
Monongahela monstrosity
Pittsburgh & West Virginia’s Connellsville, Pa., line was rife with major bridges. Biggest of all was this colossal crossing of the Monongahela River, seen in March 1950 supporting a 2-6-6-4 and freight 99. The three main spans had a lower level for the Monessen Southwestern, but it never used them. Ralph E. Hallock photo […]
Steam queen
With the westbound Pocahontas in tow, Norfolk & Western J class 4-8-4 No. 611 passes the tower at South Norfolk, Va., in July 1957. The locomotive still steams occasionally for Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke. H. Reid photo […]
Norfolk Southern donates to West Virginia flood relief
ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has donated $25,000 to support recovery efforts from June 14 flash flooding in West Virginia. The July 1 donation to the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley will support the foundation’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund, assisting nonprofit organizations involved in relief efforts, including supporting individuals affected. A storm brought 4 […]
Mountain meet — Pennsy
Pennsylvania Railroad GP9s on westbound piggyback train TT1 pass J1 class 2-10-4 No. 6166, which has stopped on the main line near Johnstown, Pa., to take water from an overhead spout, in September 1956. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Homemade muscle
Norfolk & Western Y6 2-8-8-2 No. 2130, one of the road’s distinctive homegrown designs, works near Elliston, Va., 20 miles west of the road’s headquarters in Roanoke. It was one of 35 such locomotives built 1936–40. W. A. Akin Jr. photo […]
News photos: Wheeling & Lake Erie unveils U.S. 250th birthday locomotive (updated)
BREWSTER, Ohio — The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway has unveiled a red, white, and blue locomotive to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. In a social media post, the railroad says the design was inspired by Norfolk & Western’s bicentennial locomotive in 1976, but with “a bold Wheeling twist, including chevron […]
