When I was a teenager, as now, I was very much involved in my church, First Baptist, Ellijay, GA.  My church established a relationship with a small Baptist Church start in Logan, West Virginia about 1978.  I was then fortunate to travel to the Logan area three consecutive summers for week-long mission trips there.  I caught my first sight of a “Chessie” system paint scheme when we crossed the Big Sandy River on I-64, there around the Ashland production facility at the state line.  I was pumped! 

We arrived in Logan and I was wide-eyed!  I’d never seen so many “diverging routes” in one place.  Everywhere we went, there were tracks alongside the roads.  Not just spindly 70 lb. rail, I mean nice looking track with signals! 

As we went about our work, we set up at Rum Junction Baptist Church, just southeast of downtown Logan.  Now a location named for a junction had to be a railroad hotspot – and it was.  I’d never seen unit coal trains until then. Lots of C&O paint still around, a little B&O here and there, then those rainbow-like Chessie diesels with that oddball outline shape on the inside of the C.  My only other view of these colorful creatures had been on the pages of a Christmas catalog.  Did I mention there were lots of yellow cabooses???  With cupolas, not bay windows!

I don’t remember when I learned that strange shape in the C had it’s beginnings as an artistic logo for the C&O of Chessie the kitten.  “Sleep like a kitten on the C&O.”  Certainly my hometown L&N/Family Lines or the down-to-business sleek black and aluminum Southern locomotives paled in comparison to the Chessie.  I do have some old photographs and pictures, but not nearly enough. 

Seems I always get around to pontificating on the subject of taking more photos of the rail action around us.  I guess it’s how I deal with the regret of not doing it enough when I had the chance.  Seems I still love to take that worn-out shot trackside – totally uncreative.  But, I hold out hope that it may prove beneficial in a historical way someday. 

With the ease of seeing by satellite that area in West Virginia where friends and I created so many great memories of mission work and trains, I have lately discovered that many of those roadside tracks are gone and that most of the ones remaining dead-end into what looks to be inactive mining facilities.  Peach Creak Yard holds many empty and possibly stored coal hoppers. 

Now, here’s the benefit of having a network of friends with the same interests.  Thanks to Fred Ripley and his knowledge of the C&O and connected rail lines, I know some of those trains passing through Rum Jct, were possibly bound for connection with the Virginian or N&W several miles south at Gilbert, WV.  Sadly the C&O bridge that once connected the lines is out of service.  I know where a lot of that coal from all those diverging routs was going and which direction. 

SO, KEEP TAKING PICTUES, AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH  YOUR RAILROAD BUDDIES!  You never know what little enjoyable nuggets of information you might stumble across.  See related photo on the following page in Photo Gallery.