At the rarely photographed location of Tuscarora, Maryland, CSX loaded autorack train M216-31 rolls by at 12:44 P.M. on Saturday, September 3rd, 2022. Tuscarora is just east of Point of Rocks and is a pretty secluded community, although there were a bunch of dudes riding around on 4 wheelers. For the first few trains that passed here, I was trying to figure out what was the best angle in terms of lighting. Finally got everything to work for this 158 car long, well, car carrier. I really like how at this spot you can look down the rails for quite a ways. Will definitely shoot here again.

A venerable CSX YN2 AC4400CW leads westbound empty autorack train M217-27 through Weverton, Maryland, at 2:50 P.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. This empty autorack train is heading to CSX's O'Bannon Yard in Lousiville, Kentucky, to be filled with more cars for the trip back east. Note that the train is crossing from track 1 to track 2 at the Weverton crossover. Westbounds usually run on track 1 all the way to Cumberland meaning that there must be a train on the track 1 close by. This M217 had 492 axles which is pretty average for this train. 

A relatively rare extra move, CSX X371-03 rumbles through Brunswick, Maryland, at 5:45 P.M. on Saturday, September 3rd, 2022, with a personally significant locomotive on the point. For those who don't know, AC4400CW #5113 was one of three locomotives on coal train N720-28 when I caught it in March of 2022. To give a quick summary, N720-28 had only 3 months left to run, and I was able to chase it from Point of Rocks, Maryland, to Bel Alton, Maryland; approximately 100 miles. With 87 cars and two locomotives, this manifest was rather short for Metropolitan Sub standards. Regular M371's and M372's can sometimes total over 600 axles and are some of the longest trains on the subdivision.

CSX loaded coal train C670-13 grinds through the curve at Lander, Maryland, eastbound at 8:21 A.M. on Thursday, August 18th, 2022. One of the rarer trains to traverse the Metropolitan Subdivision, this loaded coal train originates all the way in Southern West Virginia in the town of Danville, West Virginia. With 100 cars of vintage West Virginia black diamonds, this train will continue the final leg of its trip to Baltimore arriving at its destination in Curtis Bay later that day.

100 cars of Appalachian black diamonds hug the curve on track 2 in Weverton, Maryland, at 11:10 A.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. In a rather unusual power arrangement, two locomotives are on the head end with one more on the rear giving a good old push. The only idea I have is that this C726-22 is an unconventional train maybe from a smaller mine which would call for a deviation from the standard power layout. Since I caught this C726 in July, I have yet to hear this symbol used again. I did hear an E726 run once but other than that, no word. Even with the unusual power layout and symbol, this train is yet another Curtis Bay export coal train though the origination point is unknown to me as of now. *As an addition a year after this catch, I've learned that this train may have originated at Bailey Mine in Southwestern Pennsylvania and is heading to the CONSOL export piers in Baltimore. All CONSOL bound trains run as 100 car single barrel trains due to yard constraints in Baltimore.

The sunlight has yet to clear the trees as CSX loaded coal train C776-04 cruises through Lander, Maryland, at 10:59 A.M. on Wednesday, July 6th, 2023. A sort of "zombie" train, the symbol C776 had been brought back from abolishment for this train after formerly being assigned to coal trains for the Chambers Cogeneration Plant in New Jersey. When Chambers shut down in May of 2022, this symbol was abolished permanently, or so we thought. This C776-04 is the first train to use this symbol since the last Chambers coal train ran in May of 2022 but is obviously destined for somewhere else. That somewhere else is Buffalo, New York, where the coal will be shuttled to nearby Lackawanna, New York, to be dumped and loaded into a barge destined for Stelco's Hamilton, Ontario, facility in Canada. Previous to the running of this train, all coal trains for Stelco ran north via the River Line in upstate New York as the C616. The reason for this new route through Maryland may be becuase of where the coal itself was mined. Those C616's that ran the River Line all originated at Newell, Pennsylvania, and so may have loaded at Bailey Mine in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This C776 loaded at Sentinel Mine out of Grafton, West Virginia. Due to the different location, it may have been faster to ship east through Maryland.

An uncommon 100 car C784-24 led by a trio of General Electric products grinds through the curve at Weverton, Maryland, at 1:59 P.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. I say uncommon as the majority of Baltimore bound export coal trains tend to run as two 100 car trains combined together. Not this time though for whatever reason. Weverton is the western division point of the Metropolitan Subdivision where the Met meats the Cumberland Sub. Here the C784 will enter the Metropolitan Sub and then take the Old Main Line Sub at Point of Rocks before entering the Baltimore Terminal Sub and onward to Curtis Bay. *As an addition to this catch, I have come to believe that C784 is used for coal trains bound for Raven Power's Brandon Shores Cogeneration Complex in Baltimore. Due to the destination of these trains being Curtis Bay, I always assumed they were for export. It's interesting to note that because Brandon Shores does not have direct rail service, the coal is barged from the Chesapeake Coal piers to the plant.

A few spectators stop to marvel at this massive 200 car C785-20 as it rushes through Point of Rocks, Maryland, at 1:16 P.M. on Thursday, July 21st, 2022. A nice surprise was the #3415 "Georgia Road" sticker unit leading this export coal train to Curtis Bay in Baltimore, Maryland. Usually, export coal trains to Baltimore operate similarly to this C785 photographed here. Three locomotives on the head end followed by 100 loaded hoppers and then three more engines followed by yet another 100 coal cars. This cost-based measure necessitates one train crew to operate what is basically two trains hence the term "doubling". This train was probably "doubled" in CSX's Keyser Yard in Keyser, West Virginia.

A trio of GE six-axles lead CSX double barrel coal train C788-14 through Duffields, West Virginia, at 2:55 P.M. on Saturday, October 15th, 2022. Presumably loaded at the Harrison County loadout, this 200 car loaded hopper train is destined for the export piers at Curtis Bay in Baltimore, Maryland. Note the stone building to the right of the lead locomotive. This is the original Duffields Train Station predating the Civil War. Many historians note this building as the oldest surviving passenger station in the entire country.

CSX empty coal train E315-25 is seen heading west crossing over from the Metropolitan Subdivision to the Cumberland Subdivision at Weverton, Maryland, at 9:56 A.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. With 115 cars in tow, today's E315 was rather normal unlike some of the other coal monsters that have been running to and from Cumberland. Anyway, E315 might have one of the longest journeys of any train on the Met beginning at Cross, South Carolina, and running all the way to Grafton, West Virginia. Throughout that trip, this train would traverse the Cross Subdivision, Charleston Subdivision. South End Subdivision, North End Subdivision, RF&P Subdivision, Metropolitan Subdivision, Cumberland Subdivision, and finally the Mountain Subdivision. 

CSX empty coal train E730-12 hustles through Lander, Maryland, westbound at 10:15 A.M. on Saturday, February 12th, 2022. The Metropolitan Subdivision in the Winter is pretty awesome to railfan due to the sound of the trains being audible from miles away. I remember hearing this empty man blowing his horn at Point of Rocks which is a good 2 miles east! Notice the second locomotive on this 110 car hopper train. That is none other than 30 year old CM40-8 #7774! It's also quite a sight to see four locomotives operating in "Elephant" style. Basically, it's when all the locomotives on the head end face the same way.

As the sun begins to set, CSX westbound empty coal train E780-06 passes through Weverton, Maryland, at 6:33 P.M. on April 6th, 2022. An uncommon single barrel empty hopper train, this E780 had only 100 cars heading back to the northern West Virginia coal fields. Destined for Grafton, these empty coal hoppers will once again be loaded for the return trip back to the coal piers in Baltimore. 

Doubled up westbound empty coal train E793-04 splits the eastbound signals at Weverton, Maryland, at 1:25 P.M. on Thursday, July 6th, 2023. With six locomotives and 187 empty hoppers, this coal train will make a stop at Keyser, West Virginia, to split in half before running the last leg to Grafton, West Virginia, to be loaded once more. At Keyser, the second half of this train would go on to become the E794-04. Note the YN2 AC4400CW trailing 2nd on the headend. These old GE units from the late 1990's are slowly being rebuilt and repainted meaning that every chance I get to see one could be the last. 

CSX empty coal train E794-03 rumbles through Lander, Maryland, westbound at 12:48 P.M. on Friday, March 4th, 2022. Something odd about this train that I noticed while it was passing was that there weren't any DPUs. It seems every coal train that runs nowadays runs doubled up and has some insane axle count numbering in the 800s or 900s. This coal train's axle count was only 418 Axles. That accounts for 100 empty coal cars and three six axle locomotives. Hey CSX, notice how this train made good time from Baltimore to Cumberland! That's what happens when you run normal sized trains. 

A clean Wabtec rebuild leads loaded aggregate train B451-27 at Weverton, Maryland, at 7:10 P.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. Now the only Bladensburg rock turn, B451 used to share duties with the B453 but as of August of 2022, B453 is no more. Crew issues as always. With the usual 45 cars of loaded stone, B451-27 has a short journey to Washington D.C. and then back and will make the trip in about 4 hours.

CSX loaded aggregate train B456-15 with ES44AH #3012 on the point blasts through Point of Rocks, Maryland, heading east at 1:33 P.M. on Wednesday, August 17th, 2022. Today's B456 has 54 cars of crushed stone for Aggregate Industries in La Plata, Maryland, on the Popes Creek Subdivision. One of only two remaining mainline trains to run the Popes Creek Sub. This is the only consistent train to venture into La Plata now that the coal trains are done.

CSX loaded aggregate train B458-27 creeps across the grade crossing heading east at Weverton, Maryland, at 1:01 P.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. Another rare Popes Creek Subdivision train, this rock train is headed to the other aggregate unloading business on the line known as Chaney Enterprises in Waldorf, Maryland. Interesting to note that these Waldorf bound trains only began operating again two or three years ago after many years of being abolished. Maybe CSX can drum up some more business on the Popes Creek Sub to keep things moving? A man can dream.

CSX ES40DC #5426 leads two others on the point of eastbound loaded ethanol train B769-19 as it crosses the canal access parking road in Point of Rocks, Maryland, at 11:34 A.M. on Thursday, May 23rd, 2024. Interchanged in Chicago off the Iowa Interstate Railroad, this pipeline train loaded at Poet Ethanol Products' Menlo, Iowa, facility. Like the majority of Metropolitan Subdivision ethanol trains, this 390 axle unit tanker is destined for Kinder Morgan's bulk terminals facility in Curtis Bay.

Led by CSX ES44AH #782 and two other General Electric products, unit loaded grain train G099-25 rushes past the eastbound Weverton, Maryland, signals at 11:44 A.M. on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024. G099 is the ferry run symbol for grain destined for the Miller Milling Pasta Plant in Winchester, Virginia, on CSX's Shenandoah Subdivision. Today's train has 101 loads of wheat loaded at Viterra USA Grain LLC's facility in Wichita, Kansas. Note that at the Weverton interlocking, the train is crossing from track 1 to track 2. This is in preparation for entry onto the Shenandoah Sub at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. By far the heaviest and longest train to traverse the Shenandoah Sub, this G099 weighed a total of 14,381 tons and stretched 6,079 feet. After catching him at Weverton, I was able to chase him down the Shenandoah Sub a few miles. Engineer Sims and conductor Cahill went on duty at 9:00 A.M. and had the train in Winchester by 2:14 P.M. 

CSX loaded grain train G111-24 heads east at Weverton, Maryland, at 11:14 A.M. on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. Today's G111 had quite the lashup with recently repainted AC4400CW #455 on the point followed by a pair of YN2 C40-8Ws. Along with the three locomotives on the head end, the train had 105 cars of midwestern grain for the Miller Milling pasta plant located just north of Winchester, Virginia. Like all G111s this train would terminate in Brunswick Yard and then the loads would be taken south via an R115 or R116 ferry move.

Recently repainted ES40DC #5262 leads continuous welded rail train W028-02 eastbound past the signals at Tuscarora, Maryland, at 10:23 A.M. on Saturday, September 3rd, 2022. With 34 cars of interconnected rail-holding railcars, this maintenance of way train flies by the signals heading to a destination now lost to time.

A YN2 AC4400CW leads eastbound road local L198-27 across the Appalachian Trail crossing in Weverton, Maryland, at 2:49 P.M. on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024. L198 was created when CSX bean counters decided that M332 wasn't needed to extend all the way to Curtis Bay. Just another useless change to justify employment. Anyway, this L198 included a large cut of autoracks added from M276-24 which had terminated in Cumberland, Maryland. Called out of Cumberland at 9:00 A.M., this train departed the yard at 10:17 A.M. Originally consisting of 63 cars, after working Brunswick, Maryland, the train grew to 104 cars. I was able to surprisingly catch him again leaving Brunswick many hours later on his way to Curtis Bay in Baltimore where he terminates.

Relatively new CSX AC4400CM #7242 leads brand new manifest train M331-14 west through Point of Rocks, Maryland, at 8:48 A.M. on Saturday, October 15th, 2022. Originally a Cumberland, Maryland, to Avon, Indiana, manifest, this train had been expanded to Curtis Bay in Baltimore, MD, on October 11th. To my knowledge, this was the first time M331 had run in daylight on the Metropolitan Sub as the previously three M331's had run around midnight. Not a super long train with only 71 cars, however note the two priority loads directly behind the power. I wonder where those high and wide transformers were going? In July of 2024, M331 was cut back to originating at Cumberland from Curtis Bay ending its time on the Met. Eastbound counterpart train M332 was also changed to terminate at Cumberland. Both trains were replaced by long distance locals L198 and L199. The last M331 was M331-12 which left Curtis Bay on July 12th, 2024.

With three locomotives and 80 loads of pulverized West Virginia coal, now abolished CSX utility coal train N720-28 cruises through Point of Rocks, Maryland, on a cold winter morning at 9:46 A.M. on Friday, March 4th, 2022. Although possibly mistaken for an export coal train due to the train consisting of all company hoppers, N720's were actually domestic coal trains that ran from Grafton, West Virginia, to the NRG Energy Morgantown Generating Station of Morgantown, Maryland, on the CSX Popes Creek Subdivision in Southern Maryland. A train running on its last legs, Morgantown was planned to close in June of that year meaning an end to N720 as a coal train. Having this knowledge and the opportunity to chase this train, I would embark on a journey of epic proportions to chase this train across the entire state of Maryland finally ending my trip at the small hamlet of Bel Alton, Maryland, just north of the dying power plant. Truly a day I'll never forget and probably never surpass.

CSX OML local D786-12 crawls through Lander, Maryland, with a pair of standard cabs and a train of various MOW equipment at 9:17 A.M. on Saturday, February 12th, 2022. GP38-2 #2742 has lived through some of the most tumultuous times in railroad history including the bankruptcy of Penn Central of which itself was an asset. The majority of the MOW equipment would be dropped off at Point of Rocks while the train would continue east to Frederick.

Nearly three decade old P42DC #19 leads P030-21, the eastbound "Capital Limited", through Brunswick, Maryland, at 11:43 A.M. on Wednesday, December 21st, 2022. Hauling 5 superliners, this Capitol Limited is typical for a post covid consist of this train. Beginning on November 10th, Amtrak consolidated the Capitol Limited with the Silver Star creating the Floridian. Thus, after 101 years of service, the Capital Limited was finally retired from service.