CSX ES44AH #3248 leads eastbound power plant coal train C760-18 through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 2:38 P.M. on August 20th, 2025. This 109 car coal drag originated out of Grafton, West Virginia, after loading at Core Natural Resources' Bailey Mine near Graysville, Pennsylvania. After loading, the train ran to Newell, Pennsylvania, under an "R" symbol mine run. From Newell to Grafton, the train received a different "R" symbol, probably R125 or R126. The train then departed Grafton heading west via the Bridgeport Subdivision, Short Line Subdivision and Ohio River Subdivision. After getting a new crew in Huntington, West Virginia, the train was ready to had back east towards Virginia. Eventually, the train will arrive at Duke Energy's Cliffside Plant near Brice, North Carolina.

A venerable AC4400CW leads westbound empty coal train E221-13 through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 4:40 P.M. on May 15th, 2024. With 221 empties, this empty man is heading to Peach Creek, West Virginia, from Newport News, Virginia for loading at Ramaco's Emmett facility and Alpha Metallurgical's Hutchinson complex. Once loaded, the train would become C211-17 for the trip back to Newport News. This was the first freight train I would end up catching during my stay at 11 Scott Lane in Meadow Creek.

CSX empty coal train E895-16 rumbles westbound through Charleston, West Virginia, milepost CA 482, with 130 empty coal cars bound for Princeton, Indiana, on August 18th, 2025. The train departed Newport News with 210 cars, 80 of which were dropped at Quinnimont, West Virginia, to be loaded at Core Natural Resources' Beckley Pocahontas Loadout near Eccles, West Virginia. The other 130 cars will be loaded at Gibson County Coal's Gibcoal Loadout near Princeton.

Two SD70MACe rebuilds lead westbound doubled up empty grain train G228-14 through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 9:25 A.M. on May 16th, 2024. With 161 covered hoppers, this empty grain shuttle is destined for Avon, Indiana, for loading at Total Grain Marketing's Co-Op in Casey, Illinois, and Legacy Farmer's Co-Op in Custar, Ohio. The train originated at Rocky Mount, North Carolina, with empties from Bunge North America's facility in Teachey, North Carolina, and Nash Johnson & Sons Farms complex in Rose Hill, North Carolina. 

*Nick A. Jobe Photograph*

CSX L211-16 breaks the early morning silence as it blasts through the community of Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 6:22 A.M. on Friday, May 17th, 2024. Destined for Clifton Forge after leaving Russell, Kentucky, the day before, L211-16's next stop is Hinton, West Virginia, where it will receive a new crew before proceeding east. With a consist made up of a majority boxcars, today's L211 has cars destined for businesses such as the Westrock MWC LLC paper mill in Covington, Virginia, as well as the Georgia-Pacific LLC paper mill at Big Island, Virginia. Also included in this 182 axle local are cross tie gondolas for Stella-Jones Corporation of Goshen, Virginia. These gondolas will be transported there by the Buckingham Branch Railroad which will pick them up at the interchange point in Clifton Forge, Virginia. The was the last train I would end up seeing on my multi day trip to the New River in West Virginia. The house I was staying in, 11 Scott Lane, is located just to the right of the photographer out of frame.

*Nick A. Jobe Photograph*

Two CSX locomotives running in "Elephant Style" haul coal ferry move R225-16 through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 11:01 A.M. on Thursday, May 16th, 2024. Usually operating between Thurmond, West Virginia, and Hinton, West Virginia, today's R225 has 110 loaded hoppers interchanged from R. J. Corman Railroad Group's Dunloup Creek Branch at Thurmond. These coal hoppers were loaded at Pax, West Virginia, on the Dunloup Creek Branch at a coal loadout known as "Hopkins" which is operated by Pioneer Fuel Corporation. Heading to Hinton after departing Thurmond not too long ago, this train will be resymboled as C206-15 for the rest of the journey east towards the coal exports piers in Newport News, Virginia. This future C206, like most trains loaded at Hopkins, is heading to the export piers owned by Dominion Terminals in Newport News.

A pair of CSX GE units haul loaded coal train R227-14 passed the Fairbanks Morse steam era coal loader at Thurmond, West Virginia, at 12:15 P.M. on May 15th, 2024. This 220 car drag, like all the other Hinton, West Virginia, bound ferry moves, originated at one of the many coal origin yards. In the case of R227, this train ran out of Peach Creek Yard near Logan, West Virginia. The first half train loaded at Ramaco's Emmett Loadout while the second half loaded at Alpha Metallurgical's Hutchinson Loadout. After the train reached Hinton, it was resymboled as the C111-13 for the rest of the journey to Newport News, Virginia.

A pair of CM44AC's lead eastbound loaded coal train R228-15 through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 11:51 A.M. on May 16th, 2024. This 110 car coal drag is destined for Hinton, West Virginia, after originating in Danville, West Virginia, early that morning. This train loaded at Black Hawk Mining's Wells Prep Plant near Wharton, West Virginia, on CSX's Pond Fork Subdivision. Long ago this plant was owned by the Eastern Associated Coal Corporation and later the Patriot Coal Corporation. After arrival into Hinton, the train was resymboled as the C135-14 for the rest of the journey to Newport News, Virginia, and the Pier IX coal piers.

SD70MACe #4722 is on the point of eastbound doubled up coal train R229-18 as it passes through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 12:16 P.M. on August 20th, 2025. This 220 car drag originated out of Elk Run Junction, West Virginia, and had loaded at Alpha Metallurgical's Marfork Loadout near Whitesville, West Virginia. When the train reached Hinton, a new crew hopped on and the train was resymboled as the C208-16 for the last leg of the trip to Newport News, Virginia. This train, like most other Marfork unit trains, is destined for the Dominion Terminal Associates coal piers at the mouth of the James River.

AC4400CW #5, the oldest AC44 still operating as of 2025, leads eastbound loaded coal train R272-18 through Meadow Creek Yard in Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 8:35 A.M. on Tuesday, August 19th, 2025. This 110 car drag is destined for Hinton, West Virginia, after originating at Peach Creek, West Virginia, around midnight early that morning. The train loaded at Ramaco Resources' Emmett Loadout in Emmett, West Virginia, just north of Gilbert, West Virginia. Once the train got to Hinton, it was resymboled as the C138-17 and combined with a B407. Both cuts are destined for Pier IX in Newport News, Virginia. Emmett is one of the most productive facilities in Logan County and ships just about a train a day.

Two Amtrak locomotives, old and new, haul P050-19 "The Cardinal" through Meadow Creek, West Virginia, at 11:34 A.M. on August 20th, 2025. Although it can't be seen, the private Pullman passenger car "Blue Ridge Club" is on the tail of this train. That car, and the rest of the consist, brought the total axle county to 36, confirmed by the Sandstone Defect Detector at MP CA 366.1. The train still has a ways to go before terminating in New York City.

Amtrak P42DC #187 rushes P051-15, the westbound "Cardinal", passed the CA 385 milepost in Thayer, West Virginia, at 7:33 P.M. on July 15th, 2022. This was taken during my first trip to the New River Gorge after graduating from high school in 2022 but was unfortunately the only train I got while I was camping at Thayer.