Thurmond, West Virginia (10/3/180

[chatanuga]

On Wednesday, October 3rd, I made my fourth trip down to Thurmond, West Virginia.  On this trip, I did like I've done before and had my camera mounted in the windshield of my Jeep to record the drive to later and sit back and enjoy without having to pay attention to the road.

The first segment is from the last rest area in Ohio on US 35, crossing the Ohio River into West Virginia, exiting at WV 34, and stopping at the BP station in Hurricane to top off my gas tank.

Leaving the BP station, I then headed east on Interstate 64 into Charleston and then headed south on Interstate 77.  At one point, the CSX New River subdivision is to the right of the highway.  In all of my trips through there to Thurmond as well as my trips to visit friends down in North Carolina, I've never seen anything happening on that area of track.  On this trip, not only was track maintenance getting done, but a westbound CSX coal train was rolling through as well (on the right around 29:45 in the video).  Passing through the tolls, I then stopped for a late lunch at the rest area that was being remodeled on my 2016 trip.

Leaving the rest area, I then exited the interstate at WV 612 to head to Thurmond.  At about 12:25 in the video, I discovered the "wild" in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia as three turkeys casually strolled out into the road in front of me, ignoring my horn.  On Thurmond Road, I passed an RJ Corman work crew unloading new ties (about 31:30 in the video) and a crew working on the bridge over the New River (about 41:40).  When I arrived at Thurmond, there was a short CSX work train off to the right waiting to head south.  I then did a quick drive around Thurmond, but by the time I got back to the station, the work train had departed.

I then took a stroll around Thurmond, catching an eastbound 75-car coal train rolling through downtown.  A little while later, a CSX worker in his truck came through doing some work and then got off at the crossing to clear the tracks for a westbound 110-car coal train.  He then got back on the tracks (with some struggle on the narrow crossing) and continued on.  Amtrak's Cardinal later came through running about 20 minutes late, making a station stop to pick up a man heading home to Texas.

I then headed back to the interstate and headed back north, stopping at the northbound travel plaza for a late dinner at Burger King.

I then continued north on Interstate 77, passed through the tolls, and in Charleston headed west on Interstate 64.  I then exited at WV 34 to stop at the BP station to top off my gas tank again.

I then continued north on WV 34 and then took US 35 back into Ohio, stopping at the first rest area after the Ohio River

Kevin