A personal favorite is the Guilford Rail System, now known as Pan Am Railways. I have long sought after good shots of this operation, as it is very aged in appearance and like a step back in time. Local AY-1 at Ayer, MA.

This RUED (Rumford, ME-E. Deerfield, MA) was a nice consist, and worth the wait on an extremely hot summer day at Ayer, MA. A much more in-depth feature on my trips to the GRS will be forthcoming.

I have been skunked by this operation MANY times, witness this "train of the day" WAED (Waterville, ME-E. Deerfield, MA) dead on the main at Wachusett, MA. Beautiful weather and help from a friend well-versed on GRS could not help this one...when 3 of 5 units are dead on a grade, you strike out!

Buckingham Branch Z631 on the scenic west end of the system, passing Nicelytown, VA. This is the former C&O North Mountain Subdivision, now BB's Richmond & Alleghany Division.

Z631 departing CSX's Clifton Forge, VA yard for Staunton, VA. Historic equipment in the background belongs to the C&O Historical Society.

Another "timeless" shortline scene-- minus a few modern details, this view at Niceleytown, VA still looks much as it did 50 years ago.

BB GP16 #2 undergoing a main generator change at the company's Staunton, VA shops.

BB train Z629 prepares to head east from Doswell, VA.

Interchange underway with SVRR and CW crews, plus a local railfan enjoying the sight.

SVRR just north of Weyers Cave, on a calm fall morning.  DGRV is the reporting mark for the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR of West Virginia, the operator of the SVRR.

SVRR also utilizes a Cat-powered ex US Army BLH RS4TC.  The unit is used for local switching at Staunton, VA and occasionally helps out on the road. 

The SVRR interchanges with the Chesapeake Western, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NS, at Pleasant Valley, VA.

Shenandoah Valley RR local works the co-op at Weyers Cave, VA.

Buckingham Branch GP40 #5 leads train Z799 from Charlottesville through Gordonsville, VA under the classic C&O cantilever.  BB assumed operation of the former CSX Piedmont, Washington, and North Mountain Subdivisions in December 2004.

BB 5 arriving Louisa, VA where blocks with be swapped with train Z629 from Doswell, VA.

Z629 working the sand facility at Beaver Dam, VA with GP16 # 2.  See photos of the original 16 mile Buckingham Branch in south central Virginia further down the page.

BB 5 eastbound through Green Spring, VA.  In addition to BB locals, this line still sees CSX overhead traffic (mainly coal empties) between Richmond and Clifton Forge, VA.

X710 crosses the Tygart Valley River departing Grafton.

X710 arrives at the CSX yard in Grafton, WV.  A&O has a fleet of 20 SD50s, most of UP heritage.

X710 crossing the massive Pleasant Creek viaduct south of Grafton.

X710 with empty hoppers, ready to depart Grafton.

Train X710 with northbound loads on the Appalachian & Ohio at Hopewell, WV.  A&O operates the former CSX Cowen and Pickens subdivisions in north central West Virginia.

X713 at Teters, WV.  Note the ex B&O color position light signal, making the history of the line very evident.

A brace of 5 ex Conrail GP38s loads a coal train at RJ Corman's Clearfield, PA yard.

RJ Corman GP38 2761 of Southern Railway heritage at Clearfield, PA.

Everett RR GP16 works an elevator south of Roaring Spring, PA on an October morning. 

Working hard up the grade to Roaring Spring, PA.

EV 1712 (ex CSX, same number) heads south through Resevoir, PA on the Everett-affiliated Hollidaysburg & Roaring Spring RR.  Though both are operated by the EV, the HRS operates between its namesake cities, and the EV operates from Roaring Spring to Martinsburg and Curryville and from Brooks Mill to Sproul.

EV 1712 switching at the end of the line in Martinsburg, PA.

Switching Appleton Papers mill at Roaring Spring.  The mill dates back to 1865.

EV 1712 at Brooks Mill, where the train will split to the east and head for Martinsburg, PA.

Norfolk Portsmouth Beltline 1400 switches Berkley Yard in Chesapeake, VA.  NPBL is jointly owned by NS (57%) and CSX (43%), with NS providing long term assigned power.

NPBL GP15-1 1451 rests between duties at Berkley Yard.  NS recently transfered 6 ex CR GP15-1s to the NPBL, displacing several MP15s that formed the roster for many years.

Eastern Shore GP10 2000 eases down the spur from Bayshore Concrete in Cape Charles, VA with a dimensional load and empty cement hoppers.

ESHR 2000 passes a lone trawler, docked for the day in the Chesapeake Bay.

Cape Charles yard and ferry dock, as seen from "the hump," a local name for the bridge over the east end of the yard.

ESHR 8096 and 2001 at the company shops in Cape Charles, offering a look at old and new paint schemes.

ESHR 2014 works the yard at Little Creek, VA, the southern terminus for the car ferry from Cape Charles.

SBVR grain train crossing South Branch of the Potomac River at Ridgedale, WV on a cold February morning.

SBVR grain train at Romney, WV.

SBVR grain train southbound through Grace, WV.

Rounding the curve at Romney, WV. 

SBVR grain train at Moorefield, WV approaching the Pilgrim's Pride elevator, the line's main customer.

South Branch Valley RR SD9 180 at Moorefield, WV shops.  SBVR bought three ex BLE SD's from LTE in late 2003.

NECR train 608 switching the yard at Palmer, MA.  This is a very busy interchange with CSX, seeing up to 500 cars a week and service 7 days a week.

NECR train 610 heading north through Stafford Springs, CT to interchange with 608.

NECR train 610 rolls south for New London through S. Coventry Station, CT. 

QARG blasts south through Leesport, PA on a sunny Saturday morning

RBMN SD38-2 2003 is specially decorated the road's 20th Anniversary, and prepares to the lead the QARG to the NS interchange at Reading

Reading & Northern QARG (Tamaqua-Reading) makes a setoff at Port Clinton, PA

RF&P GP7 101 was rebuilt and repainted in her as delivered livery by the RF&P in 1984 and donated to the Old Dominion Chapter NRHS in 1986. 101 sees occasional freight service as well as handling excursions on the Buckingham Branch.

RBMN 3200, a former SP SD45R, has joined the R&N roster along with many former UP SD40-2s

A classic shortline scene on the Buckingham Branch, caboose and all. 2004 should be a monumental year for the BBRR, as they are planning tolease over 200 miles of mainline trackage from CSX in Virginia.

BBRR #1 works the Westvaco woodyard in Dillwyn, VA. Westvaco is the BBRR's largest customer on their 16 mile line, and plans to expand in2004.

BBRR #1 crossing the James River at Bremo Bluff, VA heading for the CSX interchange.

Another angle of the train. #1 is an ex L&N GP7, typified by the pipe extending from the radiator grill.

Winchester & Western's Sandman rounds the curve at Gainesboro, VA in run 8 with 16 sand loads from Gore, VA.

Sandman at Hayfield, VA enroute to Winchester.

Sandman heading westbound for Gore at Hayfield, VA with empties for Unimin.

Sideview of the WW's handsome paint scheme.

Sandman eastbound through Round Hill, VA.

Like a ghost in the fog, this image is timely as the Alleghany & Eastern officially ceased to exist 1/1/04, absorbed into the Buffalo & Pittsburgh. DuBois, PA.

JBRI southbound at Sykesville, PA.

B&P RIJB (Riker, PA - Johnsonburg, NY) making a pickup at Riker Yard in Punxsutawney, PA.

RIJB at track speed on the curve at Sykesville, PA.

RIJB arriving DuBois, PA where a setoff will be made.

BAR 203 arrives at S. Lagrange, ME on a clear morning after a fresh snow.

BAR 225 arriving at Northern Maine Jct. after a roundtrip to Searsport. The clear day is ending, as the next snowstorm approaches from the west

Guilford Rail System intermodal awaits a fresh crew at Northern Maine Jct. for the trip south to Ayer, MA.

SLR's M420W's were all stored with the exception of one lone holdout in February '02, having been sidelined by newly arrived GP40's. A few have found new shortline homes.

SLR GP9 62 works the large Safe Handling, Inc. transload facility at Lewiston, ME on a cold February morning.

MDDE 1202 heads through the town of Hurlock, MD enroute to Cambridge, MD from Seaford, DE.

MDDE 1202 passes one of the many large farm homes on Maryland's scenic Delmarva Peninsula near East New Market, MD.

It's 7:00 am, 32 degrees and Maryland & Delaware RS3m 1202 begins the day on the Seaford line at the company's headquarters in Federalsburg, MD.

Lexington & Ohio GP9 #206 (of BN heritage) leads the East Local eastbound at Elkchester, KY. As of late March 2003, the LXOH was sold to R.J. Corman.
Photo by Chris Starnes

LXOH 206 is dropping downhill into Lexington as it is about to cross Viley Road.
Photo by Chris Starnes

LXOH GP9s #7738 (former IC) and #206 (former BN/NP) sit in Versailles on a warm Friday afternoon.
Photo by Chris Starnes

Juniata Valley SW9 #2106 leads a short train through street running in downtown Lewistown as it heads back for the railroad's yard and interchange with NS.
Photo by Chris Starnes

Juniata Valley #2106 switches one of the industries in downtown Lewistown on a rainy April afternoon.
Photo by Chris Starnes

Bangor and Aroostook train 225, the Searsport local, is seen at the southern terminus of the BAR system at Searsport, ME. 

One of the interesting things about railfanning shortlines is that heavy maintenance is often done outdoors due to lack of indoor facilities at smaller companies.  Maryland & Delaware 2628, a rare round roof CF7, is on jacks minus its front truck at the company’s Federalsburg, MD shop.