CSX - Lotts Creek and Danger Fork branches
These images cover the final decade of the existence of these coal branches.
1. CSX 6340-1788 and a former B&O GP38 head a shifter through Bulan on 06-24-1988. CSX Lotts Creek.
2. Cypress Mountain Coal’s Sigmon tipple (siding name) at Hiner. GUAX hoppers belong to Georgia Power. 02-12-1991. CSX Lotts Creek.
3. CSX 8622-8700 (SD50/SD60) have the “Hazard #3” mine run at Sigmon this 02-12-1991. CSX Lotts Creek.
4. Georgia Power train loading at Sigmon tipple. 02-12-1991. CSX Lotts Creek.
5. The Sigmon tipple is on the west side of KY 1146 between Bulan and Hiner at the location marked “Conveyor.” Hazard North, KY, 1:24,000 quad, 1992, USGS.
6. This was the first bulletin in which Chessie and Seaboard mines were included. CSX Mine Bulletin 09-1986.
7. CSX Mine Bulletin 09-1986. Part 2.
8. CSX Mine Bulletin 09-1986. Part 3.
9. Cyprus-Amax Coal’s Sigmon tipple and plant. Looks like the load-out on the right has been totally replaced with a batch-weigh system on the left since the 1991 view. Coal trucks come off KY 80 and dump in the bins on the hill. 02-10-1996. CSX Lotts Creek.
10. R&M Mining’s Barry tipple, Duane (Bulan). This may have been the old Ajax tipple. 02-12-1991. CSX Lotts Creek.
11. CSX SD50 8622 and SD60 8700 pass an abandoned tipple (may be Hilton) between Darfork and Walkertown along KY 1440. 02-12-1991. CSX Lotts Creek.
12. Hazard #3 has GUAX and GGPX (Georgia Power) loads. CSX Lotts Creek.
13. CSX 798-842 bring SCWX (Santee-Cooper) empties up the branch at Darfork on 11-15-2008. CSX Lotts Creek.
14. Passing Duane (Bulan). CSX Lotts Creek.
15. The grade stiffens here to about 2.5 percent heading up to Hiner. CSX Lotts Creek.
16. Frasure Creek Mining of Scott Depot WV, now runs the Sigmon load-out. 03-05-2010. CSX Lotts Creek.
17. Sigmon load-out and plant from the opposite direction. All of this is now gone. 03-05-2010. CSX Lotts Creek.
18. CSX Huntington-West Div. #1 emp. tt. for 01-01-2005. Prior to this back to the 1960s L&N, SBD or CSX didn’t bother to list branch lines in former L&N territory. Early on L&N did when they had scheduled passenger or locals working on the branches. Lotts Creek Ext.
19. CSX 901-778 start down Lotts Creek at Bulan with 50 BNBX and BBFX loads from Sigmon. 03-05-2010. CSX Lotts Creek.
20. The connecting track of the Duane wye is almost buried in the mud behind the white truck. The crossing appears paved over. When I took this photo there was nothing active up Jake’s Branch, so there was no need for the wye. Sigmon was the only active mine on the line. 03-05-2010. CSX Lotts Creek.
21. CSX 901-778 have mine run C843-08 (Corbin Div. mine run) at Tesley. CSX Lotts Creek.
22. C843-05 crosses the North Fork of the Kentucky River at Walkertown. I took this from the KY 476 bridge. CSX Lotts Creek.
23. Coming off the bridge, C843 passes through the community of Wabaco. Within a mile they will enter North Hazard Yard. CSX Lotts Creek.
24. CSX 818-111 look ready to load a KUCX (Kentucky Utilities) train on 11-02-2011. CSX Lotts Creek.
25. The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore
When I was a curly headed baby
My daddy set me down on his knee
Saying boy you go to school and you learn your letters
Don’t become no dusty miner boy like me.
And I was born and raised in the mouth of a Hazard holler
Where the coal cars rolled and rumbled past my door
But now they stand in a rusty row of empties
‘Cause the L&N don’t stop here anymore.
Now I used to think my daddy was a black man
With script enough to buy the company store
Oh but now he goes to town with empty pockets
And Lord his face is as white as a February snow.
Never thought I’d ever live to love that coal dust
Never thought I’d pray to hear those tipples roar
Oh but God I wish the grass would turn to money
And feel my greenbacks in my pockets once more.
Last night I dreamed I went down to the office
To get my payday like I’ve done before
But those kudzu vines they were covering over the doorway
And there were weeds and grass growing right up through the floor
written by Jean Ritchie and sung by Kathy Mattea and Johnny Cash
The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore – Wikipedia
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young