Images by A.J.'s photostream  

The empty Cumberland Mine (CMYX) coal train heads west, back to the mine at Kirby. Here, 22 pushes from the rear across Bridge 4, which spans Whiteley Creek. The 40-car unit train set has a secondary air line, which I believe is to control pneumatically-operated hopper doors for unloading.

Thanks to fellow Pittsburgh railfan Brad Morocco for the great info on Cumberland Coal operations.

The loaded Cumberland Mine (CMYX) coal train crosses Whiteley Creek as it heads east toward Alicia, on the Monongahela River, where the coal will be transloaded to barges.

Thanks to fellow Pittsburgh railfan Brad Morocco for the great info on Cumberland Coal operations.

A two-engine helper set kicks up a maelstrom of spindrift as it races eastward up Track 2, through the steep rock cut at Cassandra, in a steady light snowfall. In the distance, on Track 1, an eastbound manifest freight (with its own helper set shoving from the rear) works hard to conquer the West Slope of the Allegheny Mountains. These helper sets are a vital part of the operation to get an endless parade of eastbound and westbound trains over the hump of the Appalachians.

A fast piggy-back (truck trailers on flat cars) train emerges form the west portal of the 3600-foot Allegheny Tunnel at Gallitzin, Pennsylvania. This is the summit of the former Pennsylvania Railroad's trunk route through and over the Appalachians. Norfolk Southern now owns the line, on which it operates upwards of 60 trains every day between the East Coast and America's heartland.

A helper set scoots up slope on Track 2 at Cassandra. Helper sets push the rear ends of heavy trains both east and west over Allegheny Summit.