Eastern Railroad Discussion > CSX Cranberry Grade..change is in the wind.

With word filtering out that CSX is planning to make signal improvements (ie eliminate CPLs) on the Mountain Subdivision's fabled Cranberry Grade in northern West Virgina, I made the trek a few weeks ago to pay one last visit to document the CPL's and tower before the removal of these classic B&O era landmarks.

I arrived a Rowlesburg just in time to miss a light helper heading west to meet a drag over the mountain at Newburg, which meant I had a while to wait, but at least i knew something would be coming eventually. I took advantage of my time to check out impending changes to the landscape. New signal masts were in place but turned to the field in Rowlesburg, and emplacements for new signal bridges were underway at McMillan.
1. Rowlesburg (M&K to us old enough) Tower still looks prim and proper with its banner proclaiming "The only way is the safe way"
2. After about 90 minutes, I could hear the drag, U813 making its way down Cheat River Grade. I moved to the west end of the Cheat River Bridge to shoot the train making its way through the interlocking.
3. "CSXT U813, Engine 164, appproch medium, medium clear Rowlesburg"

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4. U813's pusher glides over the Cheat River, read to start the steep climb to Terra Alta WV.
5. Fortunately for me, there is a 10 mph slow order through the area where the signal work is being done...not great for a drag trying to make a run at the grade, but good for a photographer trying to get ahead of the train. I caught up with the pushers as they passed the classic twin mast CPL's at McMillan. The new signal bridge towers straddle the tracks just outside the boundaries of this photo.
6. With the drag clawing its way out of the slow order, I had plenty of time to set up at Amblersburg ahead of him. There are no new signals at this location, meaning its likely they will either remain in place or more likely be eliminated completely if CSX decides to lengthen the blocks.

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I drove uphill to get well ahead of the train, venturing into McGuire's Crossing just west of the summit at Terra Alta.
7. After a bit of a wait, the drag could be heard clawing uphill, and the signal at McGuires lit up a clear indication.
8. Just uphill from McGuires, the track curves nicely to light up late morning eastbounds. Here's the drag making the pull up the final miles toward the summit at Terra Alta amid late fall colors..
9. As the drag passed, I could hear a westbound empty train calling signals approaching from the west. The trains met at Terra Alta, and soon the westbound bracket signals at McGuires were lit for westbound movements on both tracks: the helper off the drag dropping back on track 2, and the hopper train coming down track 1.

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10. I was hoping for a side by side "race" down the mountain, but alas, it was not to be, the helpers came coasting down track 2 about 30 seconds ahead of the empty train, E729, seen here passing through McGuire's cut and past the signals.
11. Heading back west, I made my way to Amblersburg in time to lens the E729 rolling down track 1 just behind the helpers on track 2.
12. Since the track narrows to a single main at Rowlesburg, someone was going to have to wait. I managed to get the B242 helper crossing over at McMillan, 2 to 1...the hopper train can be seen coming to a stop in the distance.

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So is there a better or best time of day to shoot a train coming past the tower at Rowlesburg this time of year?

Is that a FRED on the front of 725...Scoob

13. After a bit of a wait, the empties took their turn, charging across the river towards Cheat River Grade. Empty hoppers seem to stretch forever past the former MK Jct Diesel shop as the tower looks on in the distance.
14. The tower clued the helpers in that another drag was out of Grafton, and another wait was in store for me. Later that afternoon, the light had swung around enough for me to get a backlit image of the drag coming into the interlocking at Rowlesburg veiled in brakeshoe smoke and diesel exhaust from the dynamics.
15. I headed up to Terra Alta to wait for the drag, but was already dangerously close to the window that I'd need to hit in order to me to arrive at the agreed upon hour back home. Since Mrs PittsburghMike is very gracious about my expeditions, I elected to get home on time for once, and NOT wait for the drag, but I'll leave you with a clear signal at Terra Alta instead, beckoning another drag like its done for so many before as the tower stands sentinel in the background, waiting for the wrecking ball.

If you want to get out and see this stuff, go now, as its reportedly less than a month before cutover date.

Thanks for looking!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/10 18:40 by PittsburghMike.

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scoobydoobydoo Wrote:
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> Is that a FRED on the front of 725...Scoob

Yep.

Some nice images there!

Super photos Mike...thanks so much for posting. Being a huge signal fan who's made several trips to Cranberry Grade to see CPLs, I was curious to see what the new arrangement at Rowlesburg would look like, but the proof that the guard is changing is not a pretty sight. The trains will still struggle up the grade, but the Mountain Sub won't be the same for me...

Dave

toledopatch Wrote:
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> So is there a better or best time of day to shoot
> a train coming past the tower at Rowlesburg this
> time of year?

Not really. As I'm sure you are aware, the main line does not pass directly by the tower and is instead hard by the mountain to the south of the tower. Since the tracks run west southwest to east-northeast, the sun never illuminates a morning eastbound this time of year...and you can't do westbounds due to the proximity of the river and if you shoot from the other side of the river like I did, you can't work the tower in. Your best bet would be to get a helper movement past the tower if a crew is just coming on duty and they board power tied up in the yard, but even this isn't easy to do, since the helpers often change crews on the main.

Great photos Mike, I was planning on making the trip this fall going from Grafton to Cumberland and take a week.
But..........Blew out my right shoulder then my right knee and to add insult to injury throw in a heel spur for ...fun.

Mike, again Great Photos, love the CPL's and if you don't mind I'll use these as reference. Looks like I'll go after the first of the year no foliage and maybe some snow.


thanks for sharing

alan, a grafton

agrafton Wrote:
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> Great photos Mike, I was planning on making the
> trip this fall going from Grafton to Cumberland
> and take a week.
> But..........Blew out my right shoulder then my
> right knee and to add insult to injury throw in a
> heel spur for ...fun.
>
> Mike, again Great Photos, love the CPL's and if
> you don't mind I'll use these as reference. Looks
> like I'll go after the first of the year no
> foliage and maybe some snow.
>
>
> thanks for sharing

Alan, you are welcome to use for reference, just please don"t repost. Feel better soon.

MIKE:
Thanks for the fine train AND CPL tour. But I have a question. Wht are so many CPL's being replaced. I know out west, many of the old SEARCHLIGHT signals are also being replaced. Is it a case of maintenance problems on the old, or is it another reason??

Frank, in Tennessee

Very Nice Thank You

GP30Frank Wrote:
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> MIKE:
> Thanks for the fine train AND CPL tour. But I
> have a question. Wht are so many CPL's being
> replaced. I know out west, many of the old
> SEARCHLIGHT signals are also being replaced. Is
> it a case of maintenance problems on the old, or
> is it another reason??
>
> Frank, in Tennessee

THere are others that can answer the technical aspects and reasons better than I, but I suspect there are a number of issues at play at least with the CPLs vs a Safetrans:

-fewer bulbs to maintain
-new equipment has lower failure rate and should be easier to maintain
-the newer signals are generally built to be easier and safe for the maintainers to work on
-I suspect the goal of CSX is also to eliminate some of the intermediate signals and make longer blocks. The signal system was set up for a lot more trafic than this line now sees, and having longer blocks means less maintenance, without any likely negative impact on today's operations.

Fantastic. I want to be there.

Mike,

Those are some awesome pictures from my favorite piece of railroad thanks so much for sharing! To echo the sentiments of others here, I too have many fond memories of watching man and machine doing battle with Cranberry. The CPL's and the isolation/seclusion of the Rowlesburg area really gave the line a timeless feel. Its quite an interesting contrast to see the most powerful, modern locomotives CSX has to offer pulling 10,000 ton coal drags by ancient CPL signals and interlocking towers.

On one hand, it appears that the line has a bright future with CSX continuing to modernize the line and invest in the infrastructure. Just a few years ago they were looking to sell or lease it and there were even rumors of abandonment. Now, there is talk of diverting more coal to the West End once CSX begins its National Gateway Clearance project on the Keystone Sub.

On the other hand, the remnants of the B&O continue to fade away. To me, Rowlesburg/M&K always seemed like one of those places that didn't change much at all over the years and, for a while, seemed like it never would. There isn't a gas station or stoplight there. The town is literally buried in the mountains far away from any major highway. When crossing the old road bridge over the yard you wondered if you were going to make it to the other side without falling through. The train crews/MOW employees/tower operators are usually friendly and don't look at railfans as terrorists. But, unfortunately, time has caught up with M&K. First, it took the branch, then it took the road bridge, now its taking the tower and CPL's.

I will miss pulling into Rowlesburg on a clear fall morning and hearing over the radio, "CSX Operator Rowlesburg to the Helper B241, You're going to Hardman for a drag." The 2 percent grades and trains will still be there, but the place will never be the same. Thanks again for the pics Mike.

Luke Sittler



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/10 21:59 by ljs252.

These are excellent photos, Mike. Thanks for posting.

Great pics as always Mr Mike. I will be making another attempt to stump you here in the near future :)