ACH Photos

ACH Photos Photos from somewhere out there on the high iron

In May of 1950, the Norfolk and Western released the Class-J 611 from its east end shops in Roanoke, VA. The 611 would g...
05/30/2026

In May of 1950, the Norfolk and Western released the Class-J 611 from its east end shops in Roanoke, VA. The 611 would go on to a storied career pulling N&W’s hotshot passenger trains before the railroad transitioned to diesel. Saved through the efforts of many, it’s now an iconic piece of American railroading. Seen here passing the big spring mill in Ellison, VA back during the 21st century steam trips.

25A hotshots through Boyce on a beautiful spring morning. Since 1881 the community and the railroad have coexisted, crea...
05/29/2026

25A hotshots through Boyce on a beautiful spring morning. Since 1881 the community and the railroad have coexisted, creating scenes like this one.

Boyce, Virginia is emblematic of so many small towns across Virginia. The community in fact owes its existence to the Sh...
05/29/2026

Boyce, Virginia is emblematic of so many small towns across Virginia. The community in fact owes its existence to the Shenandoah Valley railroad, which later became the Norfolk and Western, now today's Norfolk Southern railroad. As it was in the 1800s, it is today, with trains thundering through the center of town, hauling goods to far away places. On a gorgeous spring morning, southbound hotshot 25A begins the parade of trains as it passes by Charles Snead woodworking. The quiet of a mountain town is temporarily disrupted by far off horns, crossing gate bells, and the whoosh of JB Hunt intermodal, only to be replaced once the flashing rear end device of the train passes by.

C227 winds through the Alleghenies with a load of West Virginia black diamonds in tow. The cloudy morning was perfection...
05/26/2026

C227 winds through the Alleghenies with a load of West Virginia black diamonds in tow. The cloudy morning was perfection for sand patch, and the sound of the dynamics, smell of the brakes hanging heavy in the mountain air, made for a hell of a show.

There are some places on the railroad where a cloudy day is what you need, and sand patch can certainly be one of them, ...
05/26/2026

There are some places on the railroad where a cloudy day is what you need, and sand patch can certainly be one of them, which is how I found myself there on a recent Saturday. While the day may have been damp and dreary, the greens of the Alleghenies were electric as the scanner crackled to life. The wait was not long as we soon heard the far off sounds of horns and dynamics as a loaded coal train descended the mountain. Not long after hearing them, C227 was snaking their way down the mountain through Fairhope with a heavy coal drag in tow. The smell, the sounds, the whole experience really makes you appreciate why those of us devotees of the Iron Horses love this stuff so much. Sand Patch is one of those places that never gets the credit it truly deserves for how good the show is.

On a hot and hazy May afternoon, CSX transportation's P001 cruises down the 1 track in Alexandria at Slater's Lane. The ...
05/19/2026

On a hot and hazy May afternoon, CSX transportation's P001 cruises down the 1 track in Alexandria at Slater's Lane. The Office Car Special is returning from a trip to New York, and has been highballing south to get back home. The sharply painted train is one of the nicest Class-1 OCS trains polishing the rails right now, and always a treat to see when they roll through town.

As I was eating my lunch yesterday, I discovered through our excellent Facebook groups around Virginia that a C315 was o...
05/07/2026

As I was eating my lunch yesterday, I discovered through our excellent Facebook groups around Virginia that a C315 was on its way from Cumberland with the 4720 “ONE CSX” unit leading. I didn’t figure there wasn’t much hope in seeing it, so I went about my day and figured I’d watch it go by my office window. As 5 o’clock rolled around, I realize the coal drag wasn’t by yet. Fortuitous delays on the railroad allowed me to capture C315 rolling through CP RO in the beautiful afternoon lighting yesterday around. 5:30. Working right by the tracks sure does have its perks sometimes.

In 2023, I joined a few friends for an amazing couple of days on Minnesota's Iron Range. Canadian National Railway runs ...
05/04/2026

In 2023, I joined a few friends for an amazing couple of days on Minnesota's Iron Range. Canadian National Railway runs a unique operation here, shuttling iron ore and taconite pellets from mines up range to the docks in Duluth. From there, they are loaded on lake freighters and shipped to their final destination. A cloudy afternoon finds us in the small hamlet of Munger, Minnesota as yet another train departs Proctor yard headed up range. In the lead is the 909, which was painted in its original iconic Bessemer orange. At the time of our visit, this was a mostly EMD operation, the reason we chose to go. As of this post, most of the trains are now powered by modern locomotives, marking the passage of an iconic era in American railroading.

90's Kids: On a picture perfect afternoon, Amtrak 164 leads a regional through Jones crossing. Located down a dirt road ...
05/01/2026

90's Kids: On a picture perfect afternoon, Amtrak 164 leads a regional through Jones crossing. Located down a dirt road in Woodford, Virginia these are some of the last old school intermediates left on the railroad. Vintage paint, vintage signals, and a gorgeous afternoon.

L134 Hammering Home: The EMDs are wound up and humming as CSX L134 hammers the diamond at Doswell. After finishing their...
04/28/2026

L134 Hammering Home: The EMDs are wound up and humming as CSX L134 hammers the diamond at Doswell. After finishing their work in Milford, the Richmond based local is racing back to Acca ahead of the afternoon passenger parade. The BD Desk had a tight slot to fit them, and let em know it was now or never, and the old iron got a workout hustling home.

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