Eastern Railroad Discussion > Fall in far SWVA and Southeastern Tennessee

Between October 21st and October 24th, I spent some time along NS's Knoxville East End District and Pulaski District. This thread depicts the epitome of the pictures I took in gorgeous Autumn weather.

Photo 1: NS 29W blasts through downtown Johnson City, TN on a beautiful October morning as the horn echo's off the surrounding buildings disrupting the stillness of a peaceful Sunday morning.
Photo 2: The stillness of a quiet Sunday morning is abruptly ended as 29W roars through the quaint Tennessee hamlet of Limestone with a train of autoracks rushing toward Knoxville.
Photo 3: NS 16T awaits the approaching 29W in the siding at Rader, TN on a beautiful autumn morning.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 4: Two older Dash8's command NS train 16T as it throttles up and out of the hole at Rader, TN after meeting 29W, the train still has 60 miles to go before reaching the end of its run at Bristol, VA
Photo 5: As seen through a barbed wire fence, NS 16T picks up speed after meeting 29W in the hole at Rader, TN as a pair of older GE veterans command the train.
Photo 6: On a gorgeous morning in the beautiful community of Bulls Gap, TN, NS 38Q is pictured rolling east past an increasingly rare Rock City barn as he treks toward Bristol with a heavy manifest train in tow.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 7: Situated just east of Morristown, TN on a fine autumn afternoon, finds NS 202 blasting east toward Bristol on the former Southern Knoxville East End District as he splits the soon to be replaced signals at Russelville.
Photo 8 &9: Two different perspectives depicting northbound CSX hopper trains at Boones Creek, TN as they follow each other closely up the former Clinchfield RR mainline.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 10: On a balmy autumn evening situated along the Holston River in Bluff City, TN, the sound of an approaching train permeates the air and reverberates off the surrounding hills as hot intermodal train 202 blasts toward Bristol with a trio of GE's powering the train.
Photo 11: In late afternoon light, NS 38Q works uphill into the hamlet of Piney Flats, TN with a heavy laden manifest train in tow as the train permeates the afternoon air with the sound of the train grinding away at the last mile of the hill that started 5 miles back.
Photo 12: After meeting 202 and 38Q, a super short 22A blasts through rural scene situated at Piney Flats, TN as the train prepares to make a fast run to Knoxville to make up time after his 3 hour delay while waiting in the hole for the two apposing eastbounds.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 13: At sunset, NS 39Q rolls past the beautifully restored Bristol station as the sun sets over the surrounding hills. The train has just made a set off and pick up and the current crew now proceeds off the Pulaski District and onto the ex Southern RR Knoxville East End district spanning from Bristol, TN to Knoxville, TN.
Photo 14: NS V40 highballs into the hamlet of Glade Spring as the train passes through the control point at Washington on a beautiful October 22, 2012 day. An old GP60 and highhood SD40-2 power the local manifest as it makes its 5 time weekly trek from Bristol to Rural Retreat and back.
Photo 15: As the sun sets over the quaint community of Meadowview, VA, NS 38Q permeates the quiet evening air with the piercing sound of a train blasting through town on a balmy October 22, 2012 day.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 16: NS 16T blasts through the community of Glade Spring on a gorgeous fall morning with a SD70M commanding the short manifest train toward Roanoke and points to the North.
Photo 17: As cool clouds loom over the town of Bristol, NS 202 has just crossed the Virginia/Tennessee state line and proceeds into the yard for a quick crew change before charging east toward Roanoke
Photo 18: NS 202 charges through the historic town of Abingdon, VA at an impressive 60 MPH with a hotshot intermodal train in tow.

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Photo 19: NS 22A whizzes through the community of Meadowview, VA as it passes the beautifully restored depot situated trackside in the quaint community. The crew is less than 45 minutes away from completing the 140 mile trek from Roanoke to Bristol and handing the train over to the Knoxville East End to continue the journey toward Louisvile, KY.
Photo 20: On a pleasant October morning, NS 16T rumbles through the quaint hamlet of Glade Spring, VA with a very short manifest train in tow behind the trio of GE's heading up the train. Fortunately, most of the control points along this district still feature the old N&W CPL's which are quickly fading away due to multiple track upgrades.

Thanks for viewing and hope you enjoyed the photos from my endeavor!

Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

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Just great Samuel - you have captured the very essense of those places. That old barn advertising Rock City must have been there for 100 years. Calendar shots. Thanks for posting.

Doug

Samuel, great work as always. Composition is first rate. I liked that old fire truck in your second image.
John



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/12 04:57 by jmbreitigan.

An amazing set of images, you have a great eye for composition.
JB

The next time you go to limestone,stop by the Art gallery there,They have some nice train pictures and glass work of trains.Scoobydoobydoo

Thanks for posting these. This is one of the best multi-photo groups I've seen on Trainorders. Strangely, with so many beautiful shots, the one with the locomotive between barbed wire stands out. It is truely creative.
Bob

Thank you all very much! I appreciate the positive feedback guys. You don't know how much it means.

Scoob-I will remember that the next time I am in Limestone. Sounds like a cool place.

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Samuel Phillips
Radford, VA
Photography by Samuel Phillips

Another FAAAANTASTIC set of pics!!!!!! Well done!!! Thanks for sharing.