A little off the top
When brand new rail is connected to an existing one there is going to be the problem of matching the top of the rail heads to form a smooth running surface. Since... (more)

Having visited a car repair shop somewhere along the system recently, this aggregate hopper stands out from its neighbors with a fresh coat of paint. But what’s really surprising and noteworthy... (more)

As the sun peaks through a sucker hole at just the right time to illuminate the area, aggregate train K736 makes its way into Opelika past the former WofA coaling tower and across the NS mainline ... (more)

A surprising 6000 foot long Q619 with 97 cars of freight makes its way into Opelika passing a house most railfans wouldn't think is too close to the tracks.

NS 336 crosses a typical railroad looking fill as it heads to Columbus with a three pack of NS power.

Spikes
When a tie replacement is under way, one of the other fundamental things being replaced other than ties are spikes and lots of them as evident here. An original Atlantic Coast ... (more)

A pair of UP visitors pull today’s Q619 into downtown for a meet with X786 which is waiting patiently in the siding south of here. ... (more)

The northbound lite power move of X786 is seen about to roll south out of the siding at Opelika after a meet with southbound Q619. S... (more)

This year’s Pie Day finds a pumpkin flavored unit sitting in the transfer yard with a full moon overhead. While foreign power pulling run through trains is a very common occurrence in today’s... (more)

Resting on the Opelika siding, A746 waits for a crew which will be arriving in a few minutes to begin its nocturnal operation. Since the CSX MoW has a curfew in effect for their tie replacement, ... (more)

As the CSX tie replacement MoW project gets into full swing, the 8059 is again seen parked along the WofA at night. This nig... (more)

Several years into the CSX era, a Chessie B30-7 teams with another B-boat and two geeps to lead a northbound out of the late afternoon sun and past the old West Point coaling tower and an ex-SCL M... (more)

A scene of a sb freight nearing the NS crossing contains a few archaic elements, like the SCL and L&N work train cars, and the trackside phone box.

A crew member steps across the Southern as local train #5 works the sidings and interchange tracks around the depot.

Red gold
Labeled as calcine or iron oxide, this byproduct from the heydays of smelting at Copperhill, Tennessee has now found new way to get to metal producers overseas; that is by usi... (more)