Coal Train In Middle Of Street! Big Eagle Railroad In West Virginia, Short Line Railroad Hangs On!

A real West Virginia railroad coal branch line with tracks in the middle of a street. This is a West Virginia short line railroad called Big Eagle Railroad operated by the Kanawha River Railroad since 2019. CSX has an interchange with the 6+ mile line near Chesapeake, WV along the Kanawha River. Tracks have sectional stick rail and the maximum train length is 28 cars. The line literally sits right next to the highway in a few spots, goes under the CSX main line and is curvy and steep. The line ends at a coal loadout with a 4 track yard. This was the Winifrede Railroad until the line closed in 1989. After a decade it was reopened and called the Big Eagle Railroad. Coal business has waxed and waned over the years and today it is used as needed. When the line was originally built in 1854 the coal was shipped from the loadout to the Kanawha River where it was shipped by boat. Today the railroad leases 2 locomotives, both of which are GP38-3s. They were built by EMD. #2109 was built in August of 1972 and #2115 was built in October of 1976. Communications are on 160.605 and there is no EOT. This video shows the loaded train going along Sunny Side Drive in Winifrede. To me it looks like a section of street running track the way the road is on both sides of the track. The next scene we see the empty train returning to the loadout as it is passing the historic engine house. There is a track that runs through the engine house and maintenance equipment was on the track while I was there and the doors at both ends were open most of the day. The outro shows the empty train returning to the loadout as it goes under the CSX main line near the town of Chesapeake. Don't miss the slide show at the end also! This video is a preview of a couple longer videos that I plan on making about this railroad. This is one of the most interesting railroads that I have ever seen. Luckily this line is still in operation with the current war on coal. Coal power plants keep getting shut down due to strict EPA regulations and with cheap natural gas available. Also, wind and solar power is hurting the coal industry. Until about 2009 it seemed like coal was safe for decades. Today I'm having a difficult time finding coal trains to film. I spent 2 and a half days trying to film a coal train going through Natural Tunnel, Virginia and there were only 2 that went through and both were at night. I use to visit there about 20 years ago and I saw coal trains every couple hours or so. I sure hope the Big Eagle Railroad will be here for years to come. I was really lucky that the day I was here they had about 112 car loads to ship out. It took 2 days to get the coal to the CSX. This line does not run everyday. I plan on having 2 longer videos of this railroad since I filmed them in most of the interesting locations on the line. Don't miss my future videos of this line! Filmed July 26, 2021.
Thanks for watching!
Please thumbs up and watch another JawTooth video to help my channel.
Check out my steam train playlist for some really cool videos including the Big Boy! I also have other railroad videos of all types including short lines, street runners and cabooses in action. Please watch another video to help support my channel:
Train Passes Through Crowded Neighborhood! • Train Passes Through C...
Female Engineer On Street Running Train! • Female Engineer, Stree...
Closest House In America To A Railroad Line! • Closest House Ever To ...
Stung By Hornets For Playing Electric Guitar Under Nest!! • How Not To Destroy A H...
Man Carries Bike Across Moving Train! • Man Hops Moving Train ...
Abandoned Railroad Coming Back To Life! • Abandoned Railroad Com...
Most Dangerous Railroad Employee Action Ever!! • Most Dangerous Railroa...
Jerk Flips Off Railfan! • Railroad Conductor Fli...
Stupid Railfans Way Too Close To Fast Train! • Railfans Being Stupid ...
Street Running Steam Train! • Street Running Steam T...
Circus Train, Last Year Of Operation! • Final Circus Train! R...

[@kennethhall289]

That engine was rocking back and forth

[@allenwright95]

Good video nice puppies

[@UweJMeyer]

Trains and the US forever connected.Without the trains this nation would never become this powerfull nation. Greatings from Germany and like ever perfect pictures👍

[@jeeptjxwrangler1088]

Great video! Loved the photo of the tractor trailer and the train! 👍🏻🇺🇸

[@LeitoCristofoli9022]

Excellent video friend Jaw, like 616.

[@vincentcalvelli6452]

Great catch Jawtooth

[@RailfanNetwork]

Those tracks look like something out of a Jason Asselin video! Hope you're having a great week!!

[@danielulz1640]

I was thinking that same thing.

[@train1962]

Very nice location.The wild and wooly hills of West Virginia.Thanks Brian.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Another great video. Thanks for your time. Cheers Jaw! 😊👍🇺🇸

[@josettesciberras1613]

Happy adorable dogs. Some very cool trains what more do i want???🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@donharsh5469]

Awesome locomotives Jaw Tooth watching now and enjoying the video 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🚂👌😎❤️ video

[@JawTooth]

Thanks Don!

[@guildpilotone]

Wow, those locomotives are really rockin' side to side!

[@JawTooth]

Yes they are!

[@mylespintar9186]

Another nice presentation JT ! Always enjoy seeing the coal trains.

[@JawTooth]

Thanks Myles!

[@markduncan6690]

How cool are the towns and villages - that are trackside! Good Work!

[@Morcaiden]

Beautiful horn on that GATX locomotive - iike clarion call! Another great one, JT - thank you!

[@JawTooth]

Many thanks!

[@davidmcclintock7819]

This is a great video!And your right,I to think it's street running.I also agree with you that "it's America's railroading at it's best."

[@carypyke935]

Those locomotives are beautiful..almost like they knew you would be there.

[@trapdriver7006]

I would count it as a street running railroad as it runs down the middle of the street. I love watching watching your shortline videos .👍😃😃😃😃😃😃🚂🇬🇧

[@andrefane5499]

Amazing videos jaw tooth keep up the good work

[@richarddelgado8913]

Awesome video watching the coal train running through between the houses. Beautiful scenery too.

[@ronturner5560]

nice finish showcasing your faithful dogs, I bet they're all train enthusiasts.

[@danbedford5419]

Good video jawtooth, nice to see coal train

[@thomaswilt4194]

I would it "holler street running". Like to see the locomotives a rockin' and a rollin' on the track. Beautiful background scenery. A+ video JT.

[@williamralph5442]

These old West Virginia mountain towns have so much history. Good job JT

[@arnesw2647]

Quiet bumpy tracks! Pretty coal 😂👍

[@musclecarmitch908]

Great video Jawtooth! I've always loved seeing the coal trains in the mountains! Thanks for sharing!

[@robertdean9392]

Elevated railbed with tracks. 2 parallel dirt roads on either side of tracks. Not a street running track, but nice catch Jawtooth.

[@carlaustin7398]

Makes you wonder if the tracks or the road was there first. Thanks for sharing.

[@libby5335]

Another cool video. When the tracks go down the middle of the road like that, it brings back memories of a simpler time!

[@JawTooth]

Couldn't agree more!

[@granny4190]

Super cool Jaw Tooth! 😁

[@horror-metal-mike4320]

Very AWESOME locomotives pulling a coal train! The historic engine house is COOL to! Thanks JT!

[@AndreiTupolev]

The railroad runs through the middle of the town.. That's a lovely view looking straight down the track there towards the distant hills. That looks a picturesque little town with some nice timber houses.

[@pulaski1]

Not street running, but every bit as cool - this is history being captured, as the days of coal trains in WV are numbered, and lines like this will soon be decommissioned and removed - as many already have been.

[@ericdelgado3395]

I hope Hillary don't get her way I don't think coalminers care to learn line code lol NOT that they couldn't I went to school for it but I just couldn't handle being inside for 8-19 hours crazy lol

[@Enjoyer.762]

@@ericdelgado3395 "Workin' class" Potato Joe Biden doesn't actually care about the working class. He lies to voters. His largest political donors are Wall Street hedge funds and Silicon Valley.

[@richarddrum9970]

There are numerous locations in WV and KY where access to rural communities was originally provided by the railroad with gravel and dirt roads following as part of the maintenance access for the railroad. Most everyone worked for the railroad or the coal company and the train was access to work. Thanks Jaw for this unique video.

[@RodrigoSousaFerrovias]

Great video my friend! Super like 👍 👍👍

[@eugeneellison6479]

Awesome video as always 👍 keep em coming!!!!!!!!

[@ЖеняСладкий-в5з]

New video !!!! Nice !!!)))

[@garyquelch888]

These are my favourite videos the streetrunners excellent JT thanks for going out and getting these mate appreciate it 🇦🇺🍻🇺🇸

[@JawTooth]

Glad you like them!

[@Sven_Okas1967]

Wow, the train wobbles as nicely as a camel caravan, yes, the short lines really have something. Greetings from berlin/ Germany. Sven

[@marinusapeldoorn6631]

As a Dutchman I was looking in astonishment to the unevenness of the tracks. This would not be possible in our part of the globe Sven.

[@Sven_Okas1967]

@@marinusapeldoorn6631 yes, if this line were in Germany, the residents on the line would immediately cry out for the Federal Railway Authority and demand the immediate closure of the line because the line is too unsafe. with more of these railway lines here in Europe and good operator concepts and we would have fewer trucks on our roads and more clean air.

[@marinusapeldoorn6631]

@@Sven_Okas1967 have to tell you in all honesty, the wobbling of the train scares the hell out of me. I guess the train engineer must feel like being in a cakewalk. Alles gute für dich aus Apeldoorn, NL

[@Enjoyer.762]

@@Sven_Okas1967 Residents in West Virginia towns like the one in this video barely have any jobs because of the closing of coal mines. Whatever mine this coal comes from is at least keeping some people in employed in that small town. Nobody will be complaining or risk putting themselves out a job. The mine and short line rail operation will likely close up within the next few years. There is serious poverty in that region (Appalachia) of the US. The neo-liberal ruling class does not care about that region. The neo-liberal ruling class does not care about these people (mostly white working class).

[@BOATNIAGARA]

nice this video , the short lines have some charm !

[@MrPeerum]

Have a nice weekend Brian,also the familie. greetz:Peer en Tony.

[@JawTooth]

Thanks, you too! Tell Tony we said greetings!

[@MrPeerum]

@@JawTooth i do that,i see here saterday.Brian.

[@surrayajuttcharity]

Nice 👍 sharing

[@chesterraybon3442]

It's as close as a street runner as you can get. Have family in the hills of VA., WV and TN and back in the day ( 60's and 70's ) there were a bunch of little towns that two roads ran on each side of the tracks. I sure miss them. Can't wait for the full length movie. Take care. 😎👍👌

[@RocknOut]

Sweet. Keep the coal moving✌

[@jamesinman1198]

Those blue locomotives were awesome and cool! Nice freight trains!

[@JawTooth]

Thank you very much!

[@RogerThunderhandsGilbert]

If you say it's street running then it's street running...cause you the boss! LOL! If I had trains running through my front yard as kid,,I would have been as happy as a clam!

[@yrunaked4]

Great video JT, personally I wouldnt call that street running because the ROW is not shared with the lanes of traffic. You have shot other places similar to this as well as others that have actual rails in the pavement. The scenery there is beautiful. Cheers Rob

[@jimhenry9368]

Another informative video Jawtooth. Appreciate your hard work.

[@damian.rosario]

Nice captures my friend Jaw of the freight trains, liked it 😉👏👏

[@mikepenrod544]

Not normal street running, But still very cool. Love watching your videos!

[@thomasmackowiak]

Thank you for documenting the Big Eagle Railroad and for sharing this video with us! I am looking forward to whatever video(s) that you might be putting out on the Big Eagle Railroad.

[@MarkTheLostTraveler]

I Might not call that a street running. More like tracks splitting a dirt road. Ive always wonder how do you go about finding out all the info on all the trains you find. Like how did you know about this one coming. Thank you Mr. Tooth and be safe out there.

[@dawtrek1656]

Such beautiful country.

[@davidmorris7696]

My neck of the woods JT. Glad to have you here! Just got back from Cass last week, for the Bald Knob trip.

[@williamgibb5557]

Almost pure street running but still close enough. Still better then boulevard street in Vineland,NJ. Don't ever say a car can't run the tracks because someone will certainly prove you wrong! Is chasing trains your full time job or just your passion?? Thank you for ALL your efforts and videos.

[@darrellsmith8542]

great video !!! Off the beaten path ! Awesome !

[@Chessie1985]

Love the coal trains JT!!

[@Chessie1985]

@@JawTooth You're welcome!!!

[@mugiwaraluffy7846]

Just found your channel through a Lack Luster video, but my whole family on my father’s side are huge railroad enthusiasts, use to go train chasing with my uncle back in the day, I live near Cumberland, Maryland on the West Virginia side and if you’ve never been here it’s a great place to check out for everything train, we’ve got the CSX plant, old Western Maryland railroad, and Potomac Eagle all within a few miles

[@EH-nw6bu]

Jaw Tooth. Being that I am from WV, there are several locations where a set of tracks split a community where there is a dirt road on either side of the tracks. Could you call it a street run? Sure, because the access to the houses is separated by the tracks. It is also very common on short lines to see the tracks in a state of repair such as these. The short line railroads can barely afford to keep a revenue service operational. But you once again have shot a great video, thanks for your efforts to create great content!

[@craigpalmer5693]

Awesome video jaw tooth west Virginia beautiful state two locomotive haul coal cars 29 loads heavy stuff miles long keep it coming friend bless you be safe driving

[@JawTooth]

Thanks! Will do!

[@nateleonard5270]

That train sure was rocking on these tracks

[@paulbergen9114]

Thanks for the historical perspective of what happened to the Winfriede RR. In today's reduced coal market its amazing they still have a niche. A friend of mine who cant get enough street running would classify this as boulevard running with a raised ROW and the fantastic bridge scene at the end is side of road running ESP if you can reach out and touch the train. Thanks for putting this one on the "Big Screen"

[@bernie2231]

I love living on five acres on a mountain, but I wish that I had a friend or relative that lived by train tracks like that. Watching a train go by the house like that would be soooo cool!

[@JawTooth]

That would be cool!

[@larrycurran8036]

Looks like street running to me. Jason would like this - they're rocking. 😺

[@PlanetMojo]

That area looks like SW Wisconsin. There are street running trains in all of the little towns around here because of the hills and the Mississippi River forces everything to be in one place. On your journey this summer, go up the Mississippi River, there are some very cool trestles and of course lots of street running.

[@cmdrflake]

Hoo Wee! Looks like a great little line indeed. Keep ‘em comin’ there, son!

[@djburland]

It's like looking at the past, a massive coal load

[@JawTooth]

It reminds me of the coal load out across the road from my aunts house in Kentucky when I was about 14 or so. It's all gone now and you can't tell it was there. I want to film as many of these as I can while they are still in use

[@danbelzile4203]

Another good video jaw tooth👍🍩☕

[@craigslater9380]

Great train video with a beautiful location. Gotta love it!

[@chrisryan5339]

Great locomotives thanks. Chris from England

[@MrBillCNW]

I like the paint scheme on those locomotives that’s a nice looking blue

[@charlesw3354]

Its cool, very beautiful place, saw the new loco video its nice, thx for the videos- Comrade Perevezchenko

[@SpongeBobNumberFan-tx8un]

Good morning

[@lamarbrown7733]

Think you jaw tooth for filming this video for us I really enjoyed watching it think you sir

[@shanefitzhugh465]

I could easily live there and just watch trains go by.

[@brucepartington3309]

Hi Jawtooth. That is a beautiful location, I look forward to your other videos of that line.

[@JawTooth]

More to come! I got behind a little so it will be a couple days or so

[@ricmeister73]

Wow, cool! Nice looking locos and great scenery. Not exactly street running but close to it. Sure was a wobbly set of tracks on that first clip son. Thanks for finding these gems for us JT. You're the best.

[@JawTooth]

Thanks 👍 I will have more of this railroad

[@steverusie6986]

I always think of street running as being on the same surface that the cars are on, but I don’t think the term is defined so I will go along with what you want to call it. The colors on the locomotives are great! Start the video son!

[@JawTooth]

Well said!

[@mikedurhan9941]

It is "street running" only to the extent that speeding down the grassy median in a car is "interstate traveling"......... But, I appreciate the trouble and expense you went to, to create this video. That is a cute little community in W.V. Great rail action. Thanks.

[@JawTooth]

Great point!

[@danwelsh8709]

That train rocks like the pulp trains Jason Asselin videos in the UP of Michigan! Great catch Jaw Tooth!

[@JawTooth]

Cool, thanks!

[@torchandhammer]

Back in the day, if the train was moving slow, people would have their kids climb up and throw down a bag or two of coal for the family furnace. Edward Abbey wrote about doing that as a kid and not getting off in time before the train sped up and he ended up miles away before he could get off again.

[@yrunaked4]

what do you mean back in the day?? I did that 2 days ago, 🤣🤣🤣

[@jackgreen412]

I live kn upper East Tennessee and heard a story about an elderly gentleman here with a mangled arm. Seems locals would climb onto slow coal drags and pitch off coal. Story is railroad policeman got rough with him and inflicted the damage.

[@mhbpodnk]

Might not be street running but sure worth sitting on the front porch viewing

[@bradbradley1121]

Awesome video Jawtooth

[@JawTooth]

Thanks!

[@scottchilds978]

cool video.....hey, if a train runs down the middle, it's a street scene....thanx Jaw Tooth

[@Eddy63]

If it's going down the middle of the road , I'd call it a '' Road Runner '' Beep Beep ... Lol ... Awesome live action Son ...

[@clydemarkham7915]

Great video

[@tomsdotter3228]

Great video!

[@kenz5469]

Correction...28 cars. Nice video!

[@Patric5590]

Awesome video 👍🇺🇸😎

[@JawTooth]

Thanks 👍

[@joelchristensen9503]

Great photo! My 4 year boy always says, "oh but wait there is more of course there always is" at the end of every train we see. Would send you a clip of him to put in one of your videos.

[@JawTooth]

That would be awesome! My email is [e-mail] and we could see if that would work. I think I could take it from my email to the video editor

[@robertbate5790]

Fantastic set of videos JT. Thank you. Like the livery on locos, very smart. Looks pretty fresh too. Filming main lines is good, but more like this line while they are still around would be great too! 🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@JawTooth]

Glad you enjoyed it Robert! I want to get as many lines like this as I can while they are still in use. I have seen too many of them vanish in my life

[@kcgrailgilbert8466]

That is a awesome locomotive like the blue color

[@kenworcester4387]

I would not call it a street runner since the track is above the street instead of being level with it. Really neat - no track like that anywhere around where I live.

[@glloyd1987]

NICE! Another rocker and a roller on some crappy tracks. This irritates me very bad for some reason! Thanks for sharing sir

[@russelltrupia4479]

We have tracks like that in Tulsa OK. They run in the middle of a busy highway. You are 2 for 2 with the videos great shots.

[@TheCheffydave]

Great Video,awesome shots, especially like the end, that train is real close to the road! Well done JT! You losing weight? LOOKIN GOOD SON!

[@williamsantangelo]

Wow clean Diesels short train neat!!!

[@granny4190]

Oh I should have waited till it was done. That covered bridge reminded me of my area, New England. Cool scenic railroad too. And good ol RJ Corman. B&O cabooses and Whitewater Valley, N&W Steam train, CSX horn salute. On and on. Great lunchtime video treat! Thanks.

[@JPBSR1]

Good looking locomotives

[@albertvieira6635]

Nice video keep up the good work job well done like I told you my friend likes your videos too and he watches on Roku and he likes your videos to