CSX - Maintenance of Way Are Us - 10-16-2023
Here are some ballast and track inspection trains photographed during the spring and summer of 2023.
1. CSX 123-322 departs Shelby with work train W086-13 with instructions to dump 61 Herzog ballast cars between Fords Branch and MP 84 (Allen). 04-19-2023. Shelby KY.
2. Herzog Contracting 6864 has a load limit of 190,000 and a volume of 2,537 cubic feet. It was built 06-1976. HZGX MWB 6864 hopper. Shelby KY.
3. HGZX 6871 is the same. HZGX MWB 6871 hopper. Shelby KY.
4. Ditto for 6896. HZGX MWB 6896 hopper. Shelby KY.
5. HZGX MWB 8537 hopper has a load limit of 212,000 but identical volume of 2,537. It was built 01-1982. Shelby KY.
6. W086-13 dumping just west of FO Cabin. CSX 123-322. FO Cabin KY.
7. Dumping at the east end of Pauley passing siding on the main line. CSX 123-322. EE Pauley KY.
8. CSX 123-322. EE Pauley KY.
9. HZGX 7727 dumping at Coal Run Jct. CSX 123-322. Coal Run Jct.
10. CSX 123-322. Coal Run Jct.
11. Dust are us! CSX 123-322. Coal Run Jct.
12. HZGX 6861 is the last car. CSX 123-322. Coal Run Jct.
13. CSX employee following ballast train. 04-19-2023. CSX 123-322. Coal Run Jct.
14. One big advantage for me on being retired is that I can see these trains pass by my house. CSX 9969 leads e/b track geometry train W003-17 approaching FO Cabin just east of Pikeville on 05-17-2023. FO Cabin KY.
15. Arriving Shelby on the switching lead. CSX 9969. Shelby KY.
16. CSX 9969 GP40WH-2 is ex-MARC #69. It was rebuilt for commuter service, but previous to that it was Penn Central GP40 3051 and originally NYC same number. Shelby KY.
17. CSX 994365 “Hocking Valley”. Shelby KY.
18. CSX 994366 Track Geometry Car TGC3. Shelby KY.
19. The info I dug up says “Hocking Valley” is the crew dormitory car. It was originally a Union Pacific coach built by Budd in 1960. Gateway Rail Services Inc. of Madison IL, rebuilds passenger equipment and did these two for CSX prior to 2014. 394365 has two 80-kw generators (one is a backup), private baths, showers, cherry wood cabinets and a commercial grade stainless steel kitchen. I don’t know how many people comprise the crew, but obviously they take long duration tours of the CSX system doing their inspections. CSX 994365. Hocking Valley. Shelby KY.
20. TGC3 is supposedly ex-MARC 191 “Hagerstown Inn.” Originally 994366 was a PRR “Inn” series sleeper then converted to a coach for further use on PC, Amtrak and MARC. Budd built them circa 1949. CSX 994366 TGC3. Shelby KY.
21. W003-17 is backed onto the SV&E SD for the night. 05-17-2023. CSX 994366 TGC3. Shelby KY.
22. The other side of “Hocking Valley.” CSX 994365. Shelby KY.
23. Little smoke stack is for the generator. I presume the cars get their power from the CSX 9969 when coupled. The generators suffice when not coupled. Shelby KY.
24. CSX 9969 GP40WH-2. Shelby KY.
25. CSX Track Geometry car GMS-2 running as e/b work train W002-31 at Harold KY on 07-31-2023.
26. W002-31 e/b at Wagner on siding. CSX GMS-2. Wagner KY.
27. W002-31 will pull onto the Coal Run SD at the junction. CSX GMS-2. Wagner KY.
28. Although late in the day, W002-31 inspected the Coal Run SD up to MP 21 (Goff mine). The subdivision is out of service past Goff. CSX GMS-2. Coal Run KY.
29. CSX GMS-2 tied up in Coal Run Yard, but the next morning it was heading east on the siding toward Shelby. Presumably GMS-2 is not self-sufficient like W003 for an employee had a vehicle at Coal Run. 08-01-2023. WE Pauley KY.
30. CSX MW ballast hopper 966387 at Ronceverte WV on 08-21-2023. Load limit is 176,600, volume is 1,643 cubic feet, and it was built 01-1971. Ronceverte WV.
31. CSX MW 967120 is an ex-Conrail class BH1D built 12-1986. It has a load limit of 201,700 and a capacity of 2,300 cubic feet. Ronceverte WV.
All for now.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young