SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY RAILROAD

Crossing over the South Fork South Branch of the Potomac River. Two venerable locomotives push 32 loaded grain cars towards the Pilgrim’s Pride mill seen in the distance on Monday, August 10th. 12 additional cars will be set off for Petersburg, WV. B&O 6240 built as C&O 6240 in the standard C&O paint in 1957 was transferred to the B&O and into Chessie colors and remains so to this day. B&O 6604 built in 1955 for passenger operations and numbered 751 was then painted into Chessie colors until its arrival in the early 1990s when it was painted back to it’s original B&O livery.

Near Pancake about halfway between Romney, WV and the entrance to the “Trough.” This is probably the most remote open spot on the entire line as the river makes jagged turns and the nearest road is about 3,300 away on a ridge on the other side of the valley. Photo taken Monday, August 10, 2020.

The heritage duo pushes 44 cars on a South Branch Valley Railroad southbound across the South Branch of the Potomac River south of Springfield, WV August 10, 2020

The head end of a South Branch Valley Railroad southbound makes the days first crossing of the South Branch of the Potomac River just south of Springfield, WV on Monday, August 10, 2020

The train begins its upgrade assault out of Green Spring, WV. The days helper engines include SBVR 6240 and 6604 wearing the South Branch Valley’s predecessor paint schemes.

The days helper engines include SBVR 6240 and 6604 wearing the South Branch Valley’s predecessor paint schemes.

Making one of the many crossings of it’s namesake, the South Branch Valley Railroad is seen over the Potomac near Romney, WV.

With the small community of Vanderlip behind them, the South Branch Valley RR runs along the bottom of High Apple Mountain as it approaches Romney, WV.

The days train on the South Branch Valley Railroad passes north thru Vanderlip just west of Romney, WV on its way from Moorefield to Green Spring on Wednesday August 21, 2019.