CSX Cumberland - Grafton Chessie SD50 Finale August 1990 - Part 3

This video documents CSX Transportation locomotives sighted at various CSXT yards in the state of West Virginia in August of 1990. You will see locomotives on location in Rowlesburg, Grafton, Burnsville, South Charleston, St. Albans, Peach Creek and Danville, West Virginia as well as Pikeville and Martin, Kentucky. A lot of Chessie System activity on this one as we showcase the Chessie System SD50's working as intended in coal train service between Grafton and Cumberland. You will also see a very packed Grafton yard! If you like watching the early stages of CSX, including the Chessie System SD50 series, then this video is for you.

[@ChessieKitten]

Thank you so much for this! The Chessie System logo was a big part of my train watching when I was an 11 year old girl. I would look for it on every passing train and even count how many I saw!

[@rainmancw9022]

Spent alot of time in Cumberland yard with my dad and his back in the day. Yep, the good old days. This is very nice stuff. Good memories

[@buckeyfan7623]

This brings back memories of childhood I remember seeing those grizzled chessie and seaboard veterans man do I miss those rainbow days lol. Also the chessie sd50 is one of my favorite locomotives I have several in HO scale including a CSX patched unit.

[@clearlycaribbeanreb7176]

Buckey Fan Same, great memories!

[@jackmomma7481]

I was fortunate enough to live right along the Fairmont subdivision in Kingmon 1978 to 1981... then we moved in at my grandfather's house in Colfax across the Tygart River with the tracks easily visible from the large living room window and balcony Then we moved to Grant Town around the fall of 1981 where once again, the tracks and Federal 1 mine were visible from the porch. I remember seeing lots of blue Conrail, some Monongahela, an occasional P&LE, and Chessie as well. The line from Rivesville to Loveridge was extremely busy in those days I lived close to the once active MR subdivision around 1985, but then moving to Kingmont where the Fairmont subdivision runs through the back yard in 1986.... . at MP 299

[@Mumbles19852007]

I miss the rainbow days too. I lived in Orange Park FL and the CSXT mains ran behind the house. Watched everything from Chessie, seaboard, to CSX bright future aka YN2 roll past. Even seen a couple B&O as well as C&O units. Life was much simpler for me then, being 5 when this video was shot.

[@Med0sproductions]

EMD heaven

[@Skywarriorguru]

Love the footage from Grafton

[@wescreek3324]

Chessie also went through St. Thomas Ontario too was neet to see the big cat

[@zachariassiefker9249]

Very nice! Absolutely love this video! It’s very cool to see what CSX’s Grafton Yard in Grafton, West Virginia, looked like back in 1990, 9 years before before I was born in 1999! Just seeing all the classic EMD’s and Chessie System paint scheme is just awesome! Even the B&O and early CSX paint schemes are cool too! Also, the classic B&O and Chessie System cabooses! I also like the B&O CPL signals that are seen in the video and the CSX Chevy work truck between 16:20 and 16:21! Awesome!

[@Mumbles19852007]

I got lucky. Born in 85, I got to see alot of the different schemes at the beginning of CSX. Also helped that my Grandfather was a chief dispatcher for them. Good Ole days. Man, I'm old.

[@Plymouth-Interlocking]

love these old videos. Sent you a PM on RRfan

[@christopherstory2136]

Fantastic catch! Miss the mighty SD50s. From what I recall, the 50s were the last delivered in Chessie paint. They were part of a large order by "holding company" CSX for the member railroads. Note that contiguous 8xxx numbers were on all of them delivered to Chessie and Seaboard but delivered to the subsidiaries in their own paint and markings. CSX at the time of the order did not officially merge all the individual companies yet... CSXT markings were applied after all the legal entities merged into CSX and rosters combined. The 50s just needed markings since their numbers already reflected the projected number schene at the time. (I believe Chessie finally ceased to be a subsidiary legal entity when C&O and B&O merged in 1987 (WM a yime before that....

[@Mumbles19852007]

B&O SD50 #8595 was the last engine that was ever purchased by the Baltimore and Ohio. It was suppose to go to the B&O RR museum, but someone in upper csxt management screwed up and sold it.

[@shemreed]

GP40-45 because of trucks two axles. SD50 has three axles per trucks.😊 Happy New Year 🎊

[@1978garfield]

I feel bad for the paint shop guys of that era. Must have been depressing shooting primer gray over the Chessie colors. They couldn't even use L&N gray. Went with plain old primer gray instead. I am glad the stealth paint job didn't stick around for long. Cool seeing the GP30s working. I have always liked them.

[@MyVideos-fm7ug]

This is also around the time of the death of the caboose. The B & O… C & O… and WM schemes were becoming fewer and fewer as well, but not without the addition of Seaboard System and Family Lines becoming more prevalent. In fact, I remember in 1994 seeing Q316 fight the grade through Tunnelton with 4 in the lead and 3 helplers in the middle, with the 2nd helper being Family Lines 3008 - one of the rare BQ23-7s

[@Mumbles19852007]

In 1994, I lived in South Eastern Virginia. All we saw was Norfolk Southern junk. Depressing black engines.

[@Counselor77]

Kinda sad to see those old GP30 units become slug units.