Eastern Railroad Discussion > Marion NC/Ashville NC rail traffic?

I will be in the Marion and Ashville NC area in the next several weeks into a weekend.  What does the rail traffic look like?  Best spots etc... to railfan?

Thanks,
Russ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/19 14:16 by CSX1346.

http://frograil.com/tours/csx/clinchfieldSouth.php

http://frograil.com/tours/ns/S-Line.php

Here are links for the Clinchfield and the NS Swannanoa line.  I can't speak to the number of trains on these lines now.

There's not a whole lot at present, but there are a few.
M-F there is a P87 east in the 7-9am.  It takes empty chip cars to Bridgewater (east of Marion) and it returns usually mid afternoon.  It also works a couple other places between Old Fort and Marion. Not necessarily every day.  Sometimes they will also pick up cars that have been set out usually from an over tonnage 135, also as needed. They usually have a pair of dash9s at present.
We used to get a coal load and returning empty almost daily,but they are running down the Piedmont Div main at present because of heat restrictions the Mountain during the summer.  When it gets above 80* they won't let them run.
There is a daily 135 westbound usually through in the afternoon.  Sometimes P87 and 135 are nose to tail, other times not so close.

Then there are 123 eastbounds, usually one a day, sometimes none, sometimes more than one.  They come from Decatur IL so if they run into problems along the way, they get held up. Also sometimes they are affected by the heat restrictions, and sometimes they run after dark when its "cooler".  Sometimes they have a DPU, but not always.
Also every once in a while P89 (yard switcher) may run out to Grovestone and switch out an asphalt plant. They are busy this time of year with lots of road paving.  They are the yard switcher with smaller 4 axle power. 
Since this PSR is in effect there are some days the yard in Asheville is EMPTY empty!!  You can go by a few hours later and there might be three trains in there.

Also I almost forgot Blue Ridge Southern 31 comes in from Canton (west of Asheville) late morning to early afternoon with cars and then they pick up cars to take back to Canton. (The main customer is a paper mill in Canton)  In the pm 6-7 BLU  W44 comes in from Hendersonville and swaps out cars. (they work nights.
Hope this helps a little, but it's the railroad, anything can happen!!
Mike



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/19 18:06 by lapklub.

As far as the Clinchfield stuff goes:

Q692 usually runs north in the morning, usually around Marion or Spruce Pine at sunrise.

Q693 usually SB through Marion around 11-2 pm.

Coal loads/empties for Brice or Plant Marshall or empty Ethanol can show up at anytime. Also some grain has been moving as well. Those are all unpredictable.

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