Big South Fork Scenic Railway

[@roysanders4801]

Thank you for making this. It's the best one I've seen from down there. Been there 6 to 8 times and can't get enough of this part of Kentucky. THANK YOU !!!!!

[@KevinFryAdventures]

Thank you for the nice comment and watching! I love that part of Kentucky as well.

[@ccrx6700]

Excellent presentation! Looks like an awesome place to visit.

[@KevinFryAdventures]

I appreciate your comment! Thank you for watching.

[@bigjimslade6250]

I really enjoyed this video for a trip down memory lane in an area that my grandparents called home. They lived in the camp at Barthel back in the early 1920’s before leaving to work for Fordson Coal in EKY. Other family members remained in the area & worked for Blue Diamond until the strike in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s. I was fortunate enough to ride J611 (Powhatan’s Arrow) on an excursion from Lexington to Stearns for the grand opening of the Big South Fork Scenic Railway around 1985. I will never forge Chicken Man on the train.

[@KevinFryAdventures]

Thank you for sharing your story! It is such a beautiful area & the mining history just fascinates so much. Thanks for watching.

[@richardevans9003]

I still have a souvenir flag from the late 80s. The locomotive is white/cream. I also remember that there was a part of the track/ride still to be developed. Like they still needed to do blasting or something.

[@Johnny_Yuma]

Fantastic scenery, machinery and edifices. Makes me want to take a trip cross country to experience it. This also gives me a lot of ideas on things to do on my HO train layout. Thanks for taking the time and effort to put this video out here. This also makes you reflect on the hard life those miners had providing a living. We should not complain on trivial situations in our own lives!

[@KevinFryAdventures]

It is such a beautiful part of our country! I definitely enjoyed this trip & highly recommend it. I appreciate you watching.

[@richardevans9003]

Indeed! Very "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"

[@rockycoyote]

Hey Kevin, that was an interesting trip! It's great the history of the coal camps is being preserved, along with the railroads... and access to some very scenic areas is being made available.

[@KevinFryAdventures]

Thanks for watching! This was my first visit to a coal mine & it was so interesting! I have so much respect for miners.

[@ejwa12]

I went there back in 2019, right before the pandemic shutdown. At that time the train only passed by Barthel and went all the way to Blue Heron. Since then part of the mountain slid into the creek and took part of the track with it. That's why the train stops at Barthel now, which is good for them since Barthel is privately owned and operated.

[@KevinFryAdventures]

I really enjoyed the train ride & learning about the coal mine & camp. It is a beautiful area & I can't wait to uo back! I appreciate you watching.

[@briannorman3817]

Well done Kevin!!

[@KevinFryAdventures]

Thanks Brian!

[@premakidd7518]

I used to ride bulldozer along side my dad william Billy Jay Kidd son of Ruby Jewell Bell and Neal Kidd post master co-op Kentucky at Blue Diamond Coal Wash Company that his brother and Operator Robert Gene ‘Bob Kidd’ operated. Miss them

[@KevinFryAdventures]

That is so cool! I really enjoyed the ride & learning a little bit about mining. I appreciate you sharing your memory!

[@cody7321]

Are there restrooms on the train?

[@KevinFryAdventures]

I did not see any restrooms aboard the train. The ride we took was shorter (due to storm damage to the track). It was about a 40 minute ride to Barthell Coal Camp which had a large amount of restrooms. Thanks for watching.