Went up to the Marble Festival this past Saturday with a friend of mine in hopes of us both shooting something moving along the former Baltimore & Ohio #railway Ohio River Subdivision. Got up to New Martinsville and managed to catch either the Natrium or the Benwood local coming back to Brooklyn Junction. Led by ElectroMotive GP40-2s 6490 and 6156, CSX local freight L14828 through downtown New Martinsville, West Virginia after working one of the few chemical and drywall plants between here and Benwood. We thought our day of getting anything else was already done but we were wrong. Come to find out that a loaded coal train had been called out of Grafton for 1100 that morning. After getting dinner at our favorite pizza place and loafing around in town for a bit. Our coal train came in right as we were making a pit stop at one of the local gas stations.

Our first shot of this C034 coal train was at Paden City, West Virginia located maybe five miles from New Martinsville. Accelerating out of the yard limit heading south, timetable west, CSXT 4531 leads Saint Albans, West Virginia bound C034 past City Park at Paden City. The chase was on after that shot! Wound up making it to Sistersville, West Virginia in just enough time to get a photo of it and nothing more. After Sistersville, we were one to the small town of Friendly, West Virginia for another shot. Here we see C034 coming around the S curve just north of Friendly.

Whenever you shoot trains on the Ohio River no matter the weather or time of day. You almost always have to get a shot at Saint Marys, West Virginia. This is the only section of true street running in the state of West Virginia. The Ohio River Subdivision runs right down the middle of Second Street in town. It also has a permanent ten mile per hour speed restriction for any train going through town. After waiting probably twenty minutes for the train to get there after we arrived. CSXT 4531 trundles through Saint Marys, West Virginia as it basically rolls right down the middle of Second Street.

Last shot wound up being one we stumbled upon while going up to the Marble Festival before shooting anything on the line. After chasing this thing from New Martinsville and down the Ohio River Subdivision. On the final leg of their journey from Grafton to Parkersburg, West Virginia. CSXT 4531 rolls through Waverly, West Virginia just a few minutes before it got into Parkersburg for a crew change.

#trains #railroad #railways