Mountain Sub

[OldViking]

With the rapid decline in coal loadings is there any news on the status of CSX's Mountain Sub?

Any speculation as to what CSX might do with this historic stretch of railroad if there is no rebound in coal traffic? 

 

[BaltACD]

There is still coal traffic moving on the Mountain Sub, up to 4 loaded trains a day, plus 1 or 2 merchandise trains each way.

[csxns]

BaltACD

plus 1 or 2 merchandise trains each way.

Will this stay if the coal ends.

[BaltACD]

csxns

BaltACD

plus 1 or 2 merchandise trains each way.

Will this stay if the coal ends.

Unless they would be rerouted, the traffic will most likely continue to exist.

[OldViking]

Would CSX maintain a double-tracked, signaled railroad for just 6 trains a day? 

[BaltACD]

The Mountain is not fully double track at present and is a shadow of what it was in the heyday of being B&O's route to Cincinnati and St. Louis.

[CatFoodFlambe]

Wonder if this operation would a candidate for short-lining or "shared assets" operation of the remaining CSX/NS Central Appalachian coal traffic?

[BaltACD]

Traffic on the Mountain sub has not changed significantly over the past decade.

[JayPotter]

One of the prerequisites for another operator of the Mountain Subdivision would be the ability to maintain the track in the condition necessary to withstand the amounts of tractive effort that the locomotives produce when moving eastbound tonnage traffic.  CSXT considered that factor in 2004 when it was seeking other potential operators for its "B&O cluster" (i.e. the lines through Grafton, West Virginia).