Southern's Catawba Unit Train in 1968

[Ponce de Leon]

One of the magazine editors contacted me a few days ago seeking a color image of a Southern Railway "radio train" (a coal train, that is) taken in the 1960s. I started looking through my shots and--of course--found quite a few color shots in the '70s and '80s, but very few in the '60s. I had several black and white shots, but the color choices were slim pickin's. I did find a couple of shots that hopefully will fill the bill, and they've been uploaded.

However---I also located this four-shot sequence taken on October 24, 1968 at Baum Hollow Trestle at East Stone Gap, VA. This is the eastbound Catawba Unit Train, or Extra 3064 East this day. This train alternated out of the Westmoreland transloader at Appalachia with the Belmont train--both consigned to Duke Power steam plants in the Carolinas. The Catawba train was only 60 cars, but it got three SDs on the point, and two "slaves."

The photos were taken on Kodacolor-X negative film (very grainy, very slow)---and I wrote them off as "duds" because I was "hosed" by a dark cloud at the last minute. I couldn't get enough elevation because of the steep bank and trees, so the compositions are also crummy. But----in looking at these now, you do get a sense of the raw power of this train crawling up the grade, with exhausts standing tall and sand billowing around the trucks. It was a sensory experience, for sure.

These will surely not make the cut for the magazine, but I thought the JREB folks might enjoy these throw-away shots from 46 years ago...

[blacksheep]

 might as well throw 'em away. 3064's not runnin long hood forward and you can't hardly tell the first slave unit is a Central of Ga. unit. just kiddin. i bet that was a cool place to be standin. i like those old shots,got any more?