The Fairmont Subdivision was constructed as part of the Baltimore and Ohio's original mainline between Baltimore, MD, and Wheeling, WV, during the mid 1850s. Over the next century, the Fairmont Subdivision became a major line in northern West Virginia with numerous movements of freight, coal, and passengers between Grafton, WV, and Fairmont, WV. A large thirty three track classification yard and locomotive servicing facility had been constructed at Fairmont during the early years of the 20th century, to handle this huge amount of traffic, in addition to the regions booming coal mining industry. In Fairmont, the line connected with three other B&O subdivisions: the MR subdivision to Lumberport, WV, at Gaston Junction, the FM&P subdivision to Connellsville, PA, and also the Paw Paw Subdivision to Grantown, WV, with both joining the Fairmont sub near the Fairmont Shops at WD Tower. Because of it's connections, the Fairmont line prospered with these other lines and later withered away with them. In 1969, the No. 9 mine at Farmington, WV, exploded, killing over seventy miners and ending the loading of two coal trains a day out of Fairmont yard.
This event was identified by one prominent local historian as the downward turning point for both the Fairmont Yard and Subdivision. Other mine closings soon followed as coal became scarce, along with the disappearance of much local freight traffic due to the construction of the nearby Interstate 79 in the 1970s. During this same time period, the original B&O main to Wheeling had been cut near Burton, WV, resulting in the detour of the little remaining traffic north over Sand Patch. By 1985, the only major mine still served by the railroad was Martinka Mine near Powell, which loaded AEPX trains bound for the power plants on the Ohio River via the MR Subdivision at Fairmont. Several smaller industries also existed around Fetterman, WV, but for the most part, the Fairmont line's traffic consisted of Martinka and 'bridge' trains. In 1989, the MR subdivision was closed due to a derailment and would never be re-opened, with all Ohio River bound traffic routed south to Grafton and then over the Bridgeport Subdivision to Lumberport. A year later, the Fairmont yard was closed on May 7th, 1990, with the control of the interlocking at WD Tower transferred to D Tower in Grafton. At this point, the only remaining traffic between Powell and Fairmont were through coal trains running over the FM&P and Fairmont subdivisions between Connellsville and Grafton, usually amounting to one or two trains in each direction a day. This situation changed six months later in December of 1990 when a landslide on the FM&P between Fairmont and Morgantown occurred, resulting in CSX's abandonment of it. Shortly thereafter, former FM&P coal drags bound for Pittsburgh and other northern destinations were re-routed over the Monongahela Railway's East Division between Rivesville, WV, and Brownsville, WV. To simplify matters, he remaining two mile stub of the Paw Paw subdivision between WD Tower and Catawba Jct in Rivesville was consolidated into the Fairmont Subdivision, forming the current twenty six mile line which is still in use today. In 1997, a large paper mill was built across the Mon river from Rivesville, the American Fibers plant, which began receiving shipments of boxcars via the remaining two mile section of the FM&P sub, now termed the AFR Industrial Track. Until the summer of 1999, about one through train a day in each direction used the Fairmont line north of Fetterman. However with the Conrail Split on June 1st, 1999, the Fairmont Subdivision gained a renewed lease on life as several new CSX trains bound for or from the Monongahela coal mines served out of the CSX yard at Newell, PA, began heading north and south along the Tygart and Monongahela Valleys. Because of this increase, the Fairmont Subdivision's right of way and track has been extensively adjusted and relaid for it's new role, with more improvements planned in the near future. As a result of these ongoing improvements and a new traffic base, the Fairmont Subdivision's future is right on track.
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In the mid-summer of 1985, a train load of coal bound for the B&LE is passing through Fetterman with Chessie #4116 up front. Fetterman use to have more tracks than it's current two, as evident from the XXX cars in storage on the several old yard tracks in this view.
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A V975 with ACW44 #131 and #7016 has just entered the Fetterman Yard Limits at Fetterman with a loaded coal drag. The train is using the old #2 main, now termed the Fetterman Running Track, where drags like this V975 are commonly parked before a crew takes them east over the Mountain Subdivision to Cumberland.
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An AC6000 is a rare unit on the Western Allegheny Division - let alone on the Fairmont Subdivision. CSX #647 is sitting at the front of U800 with 90 loads of B&LE bound coal behind the Rex Hide Chemical plant on June 5th, 1999. This could very well be the first AC6000 unit to ever run over the Fairmont Subdivision.
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CSX #8628's headlights illuminate the early morning fog at Valley Falls State Park on May 23rd, 1999. In tow are 90 B&LE cars as the SD-50 heads up the Tygart River valley towards Grafton.
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CSX #8471 is in the lead of a Newell Turn as it passes over Colfax's eastern crossing. This train was southbound for Grafton with leased hoppers for loading on the Cowen Subdivision the next day.
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It's 3pm on June the 22nd and CSX #7749's horn is in full use as it and fellow CW44 #7891 pull E168-21 through Colfax, WV.
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SD70MAC #723 and ACW4400 #26 storm across the Kingmont Road crossing on Sunday, May 16th, 1999. Behind the two engines are 160 B&LE empties bound for the Brooks Run mine on the Cowen subdivision. E168 and it's northbound loaded counterpart: U800, are regular trains over the Fairmont subdivision.
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N102 bound for Florida is crossing the Monongahela River on Bridge 112 with ACW44's #77 and #269 as the power. Taken on June 5th, 1999.
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Photo by Terry E. Arbogast Under a brilliant blue sky, B&O GP30 #6923 and a C&O SD40 lead an eastbound Grafton Turnaround on the No. 1 Running Track at Gaston Junction during September of 1987.
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It's June 2nd, 1999, and the Conrail Division hype is in full swing! This is post merger train E979-02 making a rare apperance. CSX SD40-2 #8222 has passed under the out of service Low Level road bridge and is now passing under the High Level bridge which is out of the photo above. A dip in the track can be seen about four cars behind #8222 - this dip was constructed in early 1999 to reportedly heighten the maximum clearance to allow large power plant generators to be shipped via rail.
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A southbound E127 with two ACW44s in the lead is passing through the cinder flats of the once bustling Farirmont yard on it's way to Grafton in March of 2000. Over the past few years a rather dense hayfield has grown over Fairmont Yard, leaving one to wonder if CSX will create a new marketing division, CSX Agriculture, to handle the proceeds should they ever decide to harvest it!
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Photo by Terry E. Arbogast. Several sets of power are laying over in Fairmont Yard near the Yard Office on October, 7th, 1987. At this time, these units could find their way to Connellsville, Grafton or even New Martinsville.
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Although this photograph's quality isn't the greatest, it was included to illustrate just what Fairmont's yard was like before it closed. Taken in the summer of 1985, 16 seperate coal drags sit in the yard waiting to be dispatched. In the background are two Chessie GP30s tied in behind a caboose putting a drag together. Also of interest is the blue coal car to the left - this train is the 1985 version of the modern B&LE - CSX train, which still uses those same cars.
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CSX #26 and two Conrail units provide the power for Conneaut bound coal on train U800-17. The head end of the U800 is passing through the timetable location known as WD Tower. The Fairmont roundhouse use to be located to the right of the units but it along with the yard tracks and a massive coaling tower were torn down in the early 1990's. The track to the left of the units use to be the FM&P subdivision until it's abandonment in 1991 - it now serves a paper plant as the American Fibers Industrial track.
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At the front of a line of NYC empty hoppers bound for Newell, PA, three CSX SD50s pass over the wooden trestle spanning Hawkinberry Road and creek. This trestle is the last major speed impedement on the Fairmont subdivision - due to a dip on the bridge, the speed limit is reduced to 10mph. US Rt 19 is in the foreground with the Monongahela River less than a foot to the left - a very narrow strip between the road and river.
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Eastbound CSX #389 has just entered the Fairmont Subdivision from Norfolk Southern rails at Catawba Junction as the unit leads a V975 south towards Grafton. The DTC signs denote the beginning and the end of the FAIR block, while the green switch marks the east leg switch of the Catawba Wye.
[Click here for a timetable of the Fairmont Subdivision]
[Railfan Guide to the Fairmont Subdivision]
Before northbound CSX trains reach Norfolk Southern at Catawba Jct. in Rivesville, WV, they radio ahead to NS's Mon Valley Dispatcher for clearance over his railroad. Some days clearance can take less than half a minute while others can take several minutes. Below is a scanner clip of a crew onboard CSX train U800-04 trying to get clearance north over then Conrail, which involved several miscommunications with the Mon Valley Dispatcher.
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It's a busy day around Fairmont, WV as three different trains - an E918 coming from Newell stopped at Rivesville, a B810 American Fibers Turn and also a train in Fairmont's yard whose crew is in a taxi trying to find out how to reach the yard!
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