Eastern Railroad Discussion > MGA Waynesburg Southern Branch Part 1

In my last post I covered the southern end of the Loveridge Secondary and the Loveridge mine. Now we are going to check out the terminus of the Waynesburg Southern Branch. In particular the Blacksville #2 and Federal #2 mines. I have posted pictures here of the Blacksville mine a few years ago. I included a few because I noticed the addition of a new train scale since my last visit a few years ago and a SD-70 on point of a loading train at Blacksville. How could I pass up a SD-70 leading a train. Right now Blacksville seems to be loading at least one train a day. Federal #2 is different and has been difficult for me to catch trains coming or going. Right now loading is very sporadic. Sometimes only twice a week. This took several months and some luck to cover. Probably my most frustrating foray so far. With coal taking a big hit lately I figured I would take pictures of anything I thought would be interesting. Both part 1 & 2 have lots of pictures and I will date them. So we are going to follow by date with the oldest first. So here we go:

1. Early morning we see N77 with CSXT #330 & 728 head south on the Miracle Run Branch with 102 empties to load at Federal #2 mine. We are a little south of tiny Bula, WV. 2-24-17

2. Again N77 at Luther Park road crossing. We would not have the time to see this train leave loaded. 2-24-17

3. Later in the afternoon we are north of Pine Bank, PA. at the Jones road crossing. N79 with CSXT #681 & 326 head south with 129 mtys to load at Blacksville #2 mine. 2-24-17

A lot more pictures to follow............

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4. The sun is fighting me but I wanted to get the Somerset Railroad cars as I have not seen them very often. Same N79 as in image #3. 2-24-17

5. At the intersection of Jones and Shady roads north of Pine Bank, PA. stands this unique building. Possibly a school house of days gone by. 2-24-17

6. We are now in Blacksville, PA. at the PA WV border. Depending on where you are you can be in WV. or PA. Here is MP 25 of the Waynesburg Southern Branch that went to Blacksville #1 mine. Long shut down. They used to dump fly ash down the mine but that has stopped several years ago. This dirt road will eventually lead to a locked gate. 2-24-17



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/17 07:59 by jmbreitigan.

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7. To the left and up the hill from image #6 is Lake Wilma, looking Northeast. 2-24-17

8. After arriving at the Federal #2 mine, N77 power runs around the train to get ready to load. 5-3-17

9. After arriving at the mine, the same train, N77 CSXT #59 & 888 runs around the train to get ready to load. The actual loadout is further to the right out of the picture. 5-3-17


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10. This is a spot I have waited so long to get a train. Even though it was cloudy I was not going to pass this up. Same N77 with CSX#59 & #888 head north with 100 coal hoppers. Only 80 have been loaded at Federal #2 mine today. 5-3-17

11. After some issues with CSX #888 second back, N77 is headed North again approaching the Chestnut street crossing in Brave, PA.. There was some nice sunlight on the rock cut above and to the left, but a cloud blocked that as N77 showed up. 5-3-17

12. Federal #2 mine ( ERP Federal Mining Complex, LLC ) taken from a hill behind Miracle Run United Methodist church. 5-8-17


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13. N06 with NS #2552 & #7007 inching through the Blacksville #2 mine load-out. 5-13-17

14 Loaded N06 approaching the train scales. This is the scale that was added since my last visit. Also they have improved the surface of Shamrock road. 5-13-17

15. N06 on the train scales as shown by the amber light. 5-13-17


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Wow, great coverage! Photo 10 is definitely IOTD material.
Dan

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16. On the Waynesburg Southern branch near Pine Bank, PA. N06 with NS #2552 & #7007 heads North with 100 coal hoppers loaded at Blacksville #2 mine. 5-13-17

17. On the Wana IT, N08 with CSXT 3339, 172 & 715 approach the scales with a long string of empty coal hoppers. Just ahead is the switch for the balloon track through the loadout at Blacksville #2 mine. 5-15-17

18. On the Waynesburg Southern Branch, N06 approaches WY 10, headed south to load at Blacksville #2 mine. 5-31-17


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19. At the same spot as in image #18 but looking the other way. A telephoto shot of the North end of White cottage siding on the Waynesburg Southern Branch. Very difficult to get close to it. 5-31-17

20. This is an early morning shot but we were waiting for N06 to load at Blacksville #2 and it has just stopped raining and I took a shot in late afternoon light. CP COT at mile 16.7 looking South. Hot Box, Hot Wheel and Dragging Equipment Detectors are located here. 5-31-17

21. Finally the N06 has loaded. Twilight is turning to dusk as N06 crosses over Toms Run Road north of Pine Bank, PA. after being loaded at Blacksville #2 mine. 5-31-17.


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22. Same train as in image #21.

This is the end of Part 1. I will post Part 2 soon.
John M Breitigan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/17 04:06 by jmbreitigan.

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John, absolutly excellent coverage of an area seldom seen by most of us TO members!!! Great narrative and photos.
Photo #10 just proves there are locations here in the east that allow one to capture more then the head end power and half dozen cars.
Great series on my favorite part of railroading.... COAL DRAGS!!!!

NSSpike  AKA.."Coal Drag Daddy"

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

Fine looking photos John .You did a fantastic job covering the MGA.

Randy

John. Great pictures. Do you have any knowledge as to the "rime or reason" of the N series of trains on the Waynesburg Southern. I know that NS keeps the N numbers until shire oaks and then changes to the NS numbering system. I assume similar with CSX. If I remember it had something to do with NS having th lower numbers and CSX having the higher numbers. Also N numbers are used by NS sometimes on the east/west slope helpers.

r

Great coverage.
Thanks for posting these.
Bob

NSSpike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> John, absolutly excellent coverage of an area
> seldom seen by most of us TO members!!! Great
> narrative and photos.
> Photo #10 just proves there are locations here in
> the east that allow one to capture more then the
> head end power and half dozen cars.
> Great series on my favorite part of
> railroading.... COAL DRAGS!!!!
>
> NSSpike  AKA.."Coal Drag Daddy"

In Part 2 I got a NS train from that hilltop in image #10 in late afternoon which was what I was after and I finally scored.
John

Thanks guys. I am happy you enjoyed what I am trying to present.

rhotond, in answer to your question about train symbols. NS does use the lower N numbers starting with N01 ( Federal #2 ) CSXT starts at N52 according to the info I have that may not be up to date. NS symbols stay until Shire Oaks yard and CSXT until Newell yard. Lately CSXT has been using N77 as a symbol for the Federal #2 mine run. In all my visits to the MGA that symbol is a new one for me.

One item I forgot to mention. If you are in the town of Blacksville, check out the Creek & Rail Cafe. It has been open for only a few years and the food is good. Before that places to eat in the area where not too great as anyone that has been down here would know. I am sure PittsburghMike can back me up on that. My wife always comes with me knowing we will be stopping at that cafe : )
John

First pix ----------- OUTSTANDING!!!
Ed K. cp Laurel Run

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Great shots of territory I will likely never see. Photos 1 and 10 are my favorites for sure. Thanks for the cool tour! === === = === JLH

Nicely done John. I haven't been down that way since the day of the MGA 8025 chase, lol.

GREAT stuff..!! I enjoyed seeing those 2 EMDs pulling that coal train.

I'm looking forward to Part 2.

Thanks for the great story, John.

You enriched the fine pictures with a lot of context.

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