CSX Action Grafton, WV & 17 Mile Grade 1991

Took a side trip to Grafton WV on one of my Sand Patch trips. Grafton is on what they call the "West End" and is the source of all of the coal trains that come into Cumberland. This day was not very busy but I did catch some action. Of note is the shot of the CSX man manually writing down the car numbers of the incoming coal train. I guess it is done by computer now. The last scene is of a west bound merchandise freight climbing up the east slope of 17 mile grade.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

That CSX man is the late Hayward L. Wittman. He was the 2nd Trick operator at D Tower in those days. After CSX abolished a lot of the clerks, they started having operators check trains and then fax the forms to a data center somewhere (maybe Cumberland or Baltimore). That was Hayward's Jeep with the camper top parked nearby. A true American and a Grafton original - and a friend to railfans and historians.

[@babyhars93]

Thank you for the info. We did not have a chance to speak with him as he was busy writing down the hopper car numbers.

[@clearlycaribbeanreb7176]

Awesome story

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

Neat! Love the old footage!

[@heavyobject4809]

awesome video! love this era thanks for sharing

[@Counselor77]

My Son was an engineer for Watco and his crew would operate a coal drag between Cowan, WV, and Grafton, WV about 150 mile stretch.

[@jeffbrown3963]

Would have liked to have seen this before the main line to Saint Louis was abandoned. Always heard Grafton was a busy place back then! Nice video.

[@alanwinters5197]

Grafton would be in the western end of the cranberry grade. The "17" mile grade is on the eastern slope from Piedmont WV to altamontd

[@timofeegraaay8165]

That coal drag is coming off the Cowens sub from Buckhannon. Perhaps even Sago Mine which would have a horrific disaster about 20 years later. My family had several coal miners who worked in mines in Upshur and Barbour counties.

[@tommythomason6187]

Those SD50s were good looking engines. I read that Chessie downrated them from 3500hp, to 3000hp and they performed well from therein. CSX continued this practice, calling the locomotives SD50-2s.

[@nawmtu]

Chessie + Seaboard = CSX 😞