Louisville
and Nashville
Prototype Photos
A pig train rolls through coal country at Morley, TN -Jay Thompson photo
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 A trio of L&N SD40-2s leads a southbound unit coal train across a bridge at Byington, TN in late summer of 1981 -Jay Thompson Thanks to Robert Thompson for scanning his father's photos and adding the descriptions, click here to view more of Jay Thompson's photos on Flickr |
 A trio of GP38-2s lead a train across a wooden trestle near Turtletown, TN in the early days of Autumn 1980. This is on the Old Line, or the "Loop", that ran from Etowah to Atlanta via Copperhill, TN and Blue Ridge, GA -Jay Thompson |
 Three L&N SD40-2s sit in the yard at Etowah, TN on June 13, 1980 with a northbound (empty) ELFX unit coal train -Jay Thompson |
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 A GP9 with a big yellow nose and an ex-Seaboard Coast Line C420 lead a "Green Train" northbound through Dent, KY in the last days of spring 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 L&N ALCo C630 1426 sits with an SD40-2 in Hazard, Kentucky on a hot, overcast day in July 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 Two Detroit, Toledo & Ironton EMDs idle in the Hazard, Kentucky yard with an L&N C420, May 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 This DT&I GP38 was in Hazard, KY on May 15, 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 An ex-Penn Central/ex-Pennsylvania/now Conrail SD35 sits with an L&N C628 at the engine facilities at Hazard, KY in May 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 Two ALCO C420s sit in Blackey, Kentucky, both with northbound trains, as the crews discuss the days work. No. 1374 is an ex-Seaboard Coast Line unit while 1324 is an ex-Monon unit, Apr 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 An L&N GP18 and RS11 assist South East Coal Company's three GP38-2s with a string of coal cars in Hazard, KY in April 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 Two Southern Pacific U33Cs are bringing an empty string of coal hoppers into the Hazard, KY yard on a cool March day in 1979. In the late 1970s and early 1980s there was a lot of foreign power on the L&N, mostly Southern Pacific and Canadian National -Jay Thompson |
 Two Alco C420s drag a load of coal hoppers across a bridge near Red Star, KY, on their way from a mine to the yard in Hazard, Mar 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 L&N SD40-2s 3568 and 3611 with an L&N and a Southern Pacific U-boat leading a southbound mixed freight at Elkatawa, KY on a snowy February 14th, 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 A couple of six-axle units, an EMD SD40-2 and an ALCo C628 shove a unit coal train up the mountain near Ekatawa, KY on a snowy, cold day in February 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 Four six-axle units trudge north through the snow on a cold February day in 1979. L&N SD40-2 3562 leads the way, followed by a Canadian National SD40, a Southern Pacific U33C and (out of sight in the shot) an L&N U28C, Feb 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 On Janaury 24, 1979, Southern Pacific U33C 8593 and Louisville & Nasville C628s 1400 & 7520 and a southbound L&N unit coal train roll through LaFollette, TN in a snowstorm. -Jay Thompson |
 In a snowstorm, SD40 1253 and SD40-2 1262 blast out of a tunnel and across a bridge with southbound train #129, a hotshot TOFC train, Jan 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 Two six-axle EMDs shove a southbound unit coal train up the grade at Habersham, TN June 7, 1978. Notice the caboose on the end of the train is a Seaboard Coast Line cab. -Jay Thompson |
 A pair of sequintally numbered Canadian National SD40s crosses the Coke Oven Bridge at La Follette, TN with southbound L&N train #129 May 25, 1978 -Jay Thompson |
 A big six-axle Alco C628 and a GE U30B power a string of empty coal hoppers north through Habersham, TN and back to the coal mines of eastern Kentucky, Apr 1978 -Jay Thompson |
 L&N SD40-2 3557 leads SDP35 7036 (ex-SCL 7036) and an unknown GE U-Boat out of a tunnel and across bridge #64 at Morley, TN in March 1978. It's evident from the snow and ice that it's still winter in the mountains of Tennessee. -Jay Thompson |
 L&N SD40-2 3574, Canadian National SD40s 5041 & 5040 and L&N SD40 1256 are on the point of a unit coal train at Edgemoor, TN in March 1977. They are unloading at US TVA's Bull Run Steam Plant -Jay Thompson |
 Five ALCO C420s lead a southbound train through the mountains at Kilsyth, TN in October 1976 as the photographer's son, Robert, waves (Robert scanned in all of these photos for us to enjoy) -Jay Thompson |
 The Clairfield Local worked the Trevilion Branch, which was a joint L&N/Southern line from Morley, TN to Fonde, KY. L&N locals originated out of Lafollette or Morley while Southern locals originated out of Jellico, TN. On June 8, 1976 L&N C420s 1309 and 1322 (ex-Monon 505) switch the coal tipple at Anthras, TN. -Jay Thompson |
 On June 8, 1976 L&N C420s 1309 and 1322 (ex-Monon 505) switch the Copper-Glo tipple at Clairfield, TN. -Jay Thompson |
 Shot from the cab of an ex-Monon C420 (Monon 505, L&N 1322) near Arco Junction, TN in June 1976 as the units were switching the coal tipple at Anthras, TN -Jay Thompson |
 Shot from the cab of SCL C420 1213L (ex-SAL 111, to L&N 1352). This is the end of the line on the Trevilion Branch, the west end of the wye at Fonde, KY -Jay Thompson |
 In the late afternoon of June 28, 1976 southbound train #813, a hotshot fast freight consisting of a mix of TOFC and autoracks, passes the old coaling tower at Chaska, TN. This is where helpers would be added to southbound coal trains -Jay Thompson |
 In May of 1975 Seaboard Coast Line C420s 1235L (ex-SAL 134) and 1234L (ex-SAL 133) work a mine run on the L&N near Williamsburg, KY. The "L" in the number indicates that these units have been transferred to the L&N by SCL and will soon be renumbered to L&N 1374 and 1373, respectively -Jay Thompson |
 A rare L&N SD35 leads an SD40-2 and another EMD unit across an overpass at Kingsport, TN. These three L&N units are hauling a southbound Clinchfield RR unit train. Long before the Family Lines paint scheme came into being for the SCL, L&N, Georgia, Clinchfield and West Point Route, it was already common to see units from one line pulling trains on another line -Jay Thompson |
 A rare L&N SD35 and what appears to be two more SD35s lead a loaded unit coal train south near Faber, KY in August 1974 -Jay Thompson |
 Evening comes early in the mountains, as evidenced by the numerous shadows in this shot. SD40 1234 leads another EMD across bridge #65 near Morley, TN -Jay Thompson |
 A couple of ALCO RS3s on a southbound mine run cross Bridge #64 near Morley, TN on a cold winter day in the early 1970s -Jay Thompson |
 An ungainly looking lashup including U28C 1527, SD35 1210 and 2 unidentified RS3s rolls through Big Stone Gap, VA with empties, Aug 1969 -Donald Haskel |
 The CV local, running as train 179, is captured from the cab of Southern F7A 4182 at St Charles, VA, 13 Aug 1969 -Ron Flanary |
 SD35 1217 on train 864 at Appalachia, VA, 1968 -Ron Flanary |
 RS3 159 taking on sand at Hazard, KY, Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 U25C 1511 on the point of a coal drag -Stuart Thayer Collection |
 C628 1413, SD35 1209, C630 1426, and RS3 159 wait at Hazard, KY, Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 C630 1426 in front of the old coaling tower at Hazard, KY, Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 Old and new Alcos at Hazard, KY, Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 RS3 162 at Jackson, KY on the EK Division waiting for three helpers to attach, 3 Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 RS3 162 on Northbound coal extra at Chenowee Tunnel, KY, 3 Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 Three F-units shoving hard on extra 162N. The boost was needed to get over Elkatawa Hill (pronounced Elk-a-toy) 3 Aug 1967 -Ron Flanary |
 2 RS3s, a U28C, and a U25C on train 65 at Appalachia, VA, 1966 -Ron Flanary |
 4 RS3s await their next assignment at Loyall, KY in 1966-Ron Flanary |
 A Northbound "turn" (left) and train 91, the CV local, pass a Hubbard Springs, VA, 1966 -Ron Flanary |
 L&N 250 ton wrecker 40016 at Appalachia, VA, 1966 -Ron Flanary |
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 Brand-new RS-3 105 at Nashville, TN, Oct 1957 -Stuart Thayer Collection |
 RS-3 176 idles in Etoway, TN in the early 70s -Jay Thompson |
 GP7 551 at Nashville, TN, date uknown -Stuart Thayer Collection |
 On May 7, 1979 L&N GP18 902 (ex-L&N 462) idles at Hazard, Kentucky -Jay Thompson |
 This high-nosed ALCo RS11 found at Dent, Kentucky, worked local coal runs between the mines and Hazard, KY, Jun 79 -Jay Thompson |
 L&N GP35s like 1116 were mainly used on non-coal field lines, but there are always exceptions to the rule that would see a GP35 used as mine-run power (location unknown), Apr 1978 -Dan Bourque collection |
 SD40 1240 sits in the Hazard, Kentucky yard in July 1979, still wearing the paint scheme it was delivered in almost nine years earlier -Jay Thompson |
 Hazard, Kentucky must mean ALCOs! Hazard was one of the last refuges for these beasts, and the L&N worked their 4-axles hard hauling coal from the mines to the yard in Hazard and then the bigger ALCOs (plus EMDs and GEs) hauled the trains to their destinations out-of-state, 30 Apr 79 -Jay Thompson |
 April 1979 found ALCo C420 1355 and another ALCo in the Hazard, KY yard. This unit is ex-Seaboard Coast Line 1216, ex-Seaboard Air Line 114 -Jay Thompson |
 Another C628 at Corbin. 1401 was the first L&N C628, but it is wearing its second paint job, Aug 1976 -Dan Bourque collection |
 L&N C628s were the epitome of coal train power in the 70s. 1410, painted in the all-gray "stealth" scheme, idles in Corbin, KY awaiting its next assignment, Aug 1976 -Dan Bourque collection |
 Most of the big ALCOs seemed to operate out of the coalfields of eastern Kentucky, hauling coal south and bringing the empties back north. C630 1427 runs through Typo, KY on the L&N's EK sub, 19 Jul 79 -Jay Thompson |
 One of GEs most powerful locomotives in the mid-70s was the 3000 hp U30C, here represented by L&N #1559 in Etowah, TN, Oct 76 -Jay Thompson |
 L&N slug 2053 (built from an ALCo RS unit) and RS3u 1350 (ex-L&N RS3 184, nee-L&N 218) working the Corbin, Kentucky yard. The RS3 was rerated to 2000 hp when rebuilt, May 75 -Jay Thompson |
 A 70T PS3 hopper still wearing its "DIXIE LINE" slogan at Hazard, Kentucky in June of 1979 -Jay Thompson |
 PS-3 3-bay on the scrap line at Louisville, KY -Stuart Thayer |
 PS-3 2-bay on the scrap line at Louisville, KY -Stuart Thayer |
For more related photos, try the Family Lines, Seaboard System, and CSX pages
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