Having witnessed the steam excursions originating this spring in Bristol, Va., and Grundy, Va., only one word comes to mind when describing them: awesome! Norfolk Southern and the Tennessee Valley Rail Museum went above and beyond to put on a fabulous show for railfans and individuals riding the train. Beautiful Spring weather dominated all three weekends, which I'm sure to those of you who were there, was a welcomed experience after the long and harsh winter many of us experienced.
The Bristol trips were a repeat of last year's excursions: Bristol to Radford and return on Saturday, and Bristol to Bulls Gap and return on Sunday. Saturday's trip was especially nice due to pristine lighting in both directions. Sunday's trip was special due to the fact that Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 630, a 1904 Alco product, was running across home rails the entire day. Passing several old Southern landmarks, like depots, photographers had the opportunity to capture intriguing visions of the past. Trees and flowers were also blooming a lot more for the Bulls Gap trip, opposed to the Radford trip where most everything was brown.
Even though the Bristol trips were nice, by far the most spectacular of the trips were those out of Grundy, traversing the Buchanan Branch. Words cannot adequately express actually being there in person to witness the event. The stunning scenery, and best of all, listening to No. 630 assaulting steep mountain grades was amazing.
I've heard more than person state the Grundy trips were some of, if not the best, 21st Century Steam excursions yet. I would undoubtedly agree. To make the Grundy trips even better, it was the first time steam had polished those rails since the late 1950s. It also presented many with an opportunity to explore new territory that few railfans can say they've visited prior to the event.
Nothing beats steam and mountain railroading. That's a winning combination that produces stunning pictures and a memorable railfanning experience. Adding to the already gorgeous mountain scenery, the Levisa Fork River valley was gleaming with fabulous spring greens and a plethora of red buds scattered throughout the area. Two trips per-day also gave photographers the opportunity to shoot different locations and work with different lighting conditions. The beauty of mountain railroading is the fact a train in either direction can be shot any time of the day thanks to the line's curvature. One has the opportunity to shoot back-lighting, nose lighting, side lighting, or whatever suits the photographer.
I applaud Norfolk Southern and TVRM for doing these trips out of Grundy. What an awesome decision and unique place to choose.
Photography
After all the passengers have safely boarded the train, Southern No. 630 puts on a show as it departs the station at Bristol, Va., for the trek east to Radford, Va. Several freight cars can be spotted for the 6-day-a-week local job out of Bristol which serves several industries east of town on the Pulaski District.
Chugging upgrade through the hamlet of Glade Spring, Va., Southern 630 puts on an awesome show sound-wise and photographically, as it splits the classic Norfolk & Western CPLs situated at the east end of a passing siding. The train is making excellent time and running ahead of schedule, as it approaches MP 381 which means the train is only 27 miles from the station at Bristol.
Rolling through the quaint town of Limestone, Tenn., at track-speed, Southern 630 parades past the decrepit depot situated in the downtown area, throwing out a good plume of smoke. Sadly the depot has seen better days, but makes for an interesting shot as the train has just passed the halfway mark between Bristol and Bulls Gap.
After departing Bulls Gap 30 minutes prior to this scene, Southern 630 parades through downtown Greeneville, Tenn., with its train wrapped around a sweeping curve just west of the old depot at MP 58. The train has just crested one of the steepest grades on the Knoxville East End District known as "Greeneville Hill". It's not unheard of to see heavy freights or intermodals get down to a crawl, or even stall in the right conditions, while assaulting the grade.
With beautiful Spring greens dominating the hillside, Southern 630 crosses the Levisa Fork River as it prepares to pass through Weller Yard just west of Grundy, Va. Passengers boarded this train nearly 10 miles to the east of here, and as soon as it clears the Weller Yard limits, it will be full steam ahead to tackle the steep grades that lie ahead.
Silhouetted by late afternoon sun, Southern 630 rolls downgrade between Raitt and Hurley, while making its run to Devon. The train has just crested the severe grade back at 3,766 feet long Raitt Tunnel, and is now rolling downgrade on a 1.8-percent descent.
Passing the largest load-out between Grundy and Devon, No. 630 rolls downgrade past mountains of coal near Hurley, Va., with late evening light basking the scene. Under normal circumstances, its not uncommon to see a train parked here awaiting a crew after being loaded. How fascinating this area is with its gorgeous scenery and interesting history!
Crossing a small viaduct, Southern 630 rolls through Woodman, Ky., after turning its train on the wye at Devon, W.Va. The road in the foreground is a former narrow-gage right-of-way owned by the Big Sandy & Cumberland Railroad in the early part of the 20th century. The scenery along this stretch at Woodman is stunning. Almost like the east's own mini form of the Rocky Mountains!
A huge thanks goes out to Norfolk Southern and TVRM for putting on three weekends of fabulous excursions. Also to anybody else involved a big thanks to you as well. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and the pictures attached. Feel free to leave your feedback in the section below.
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