Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. Text and photos are his.
Woke up to a brilliant summer day in Williamson, WV....and NO TRAINS
running!!! Continued east on WV 49, following the N&W main the best as
possible through Lobata, where we found on old ex-Southern GP-30, Matewan,
WV and into Iaeger, WV. Found a train switching in the yard, but it didn't
appear to be anywhere near ready to depart. Also found one of the many
remaining coaling towers that still exist on the railroad, as well as the
Iaeger, WV police department!! (no, they were not interested in our
activities!!) Continued to follow a very 'dead' (operationally speaking)
main into Bluefield, WV/VA. Was surprised at just how barren the yard and
shops were...nothing like they were when the N&W 1218 was running in the
area. Finally found a loaded coal train preparing to depart for Roanoke,
and headed to Oakvale, WV and shot it passing the Methodist Church there.
Chased it to Glen Lyn, VA and then headed for Christianburg, VA. Saw a
light engine heading east, otherwise it was quiet. On to Montgomery Tunnel
where we found a manifest that had suffered an engine malfunction with their
Dash 9-44C. Heard on the radio that they were going to be over-taken by
another train, so we set up a shot under the I-81 bridge. Then on to
Roanoke, VA and the Yard at Shaffer's Crossing where among the lines of
stored C-44-9W's and lease return GP38's, we found the SDP-45 from Conrail
in rough, but blue paint. Then it was over to the shops where we found the
two system unique units 8500 & 8501 sitting outside.
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