M&K Junction originated in 1907 when the Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad established a connection with the B&O's mainline near the confluence of Salt Lick Creek and the Cheat River. As part of the West End's conversion to mallet steam locomotives, M&K Jct became an important location on the St. Louis mainline when a new helper facility was opened during 1913 which replaced a previous helper base at Rowlesburg. A small yard was built on the east side of the new facilities which handled the dispatching of empties to the M&K branch mines and the shipment of Cheat River coal to points east or west. In its heyday during the last battles of WW I and then the Boom following the Second War World, more than fifteen mallet steam locomotives were based out of M&K Junction to help trains climb the heights to the east, Cranberry Grade, and west, Cheat River Grade. A large tower was constructed at the throat of M&K Junction to control its very complex interlocking plant, requiring three or more men to work the 68 Armstrong switch levers inside. When this tower was opened in 1913 the original call letters were "MJ" but with the closing of R Tower across the Cheat River in Rowlesburg, the letter was transferred. R Tower remained "R" until 1954 when the more modernized current brick tower was constructed gaining the call letters "MK". This designation lasted until the CSX Central Dispatching era in the late 1980s when Jacksonville termed the tower, Rowlesburg...
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In 1949 a similar helper facility at Hardman was closed resulting in its locomotives and crews being transferred east to M&K Junction and bringing Newburg Grade under the control of the "River Rats", the B&O slang for the M&K crews. Dieselization had a profound effect on the Junction, as evident when seven sets of four F7 units arrived in 1949. With this reduced need for crews and individual locomotives (each F7 set was basically viewed as one locomotive), the B&O rebuilt the M&K facilities for diesel units in the early 1950s which effectively ended the steam locomotive's career in helper service on three grades of the West End. The same improvements in diesel technology resulted in the M&K Helper locomotives changing over time with the introduction of more modern power, ranging from the venerable covered wagons (F7s) of the 1950s to GP9s and finally the almighty four unit SD35 helper sets of the 1970s and early 1980s. However, the mainline traffic did not keep pace with these technological advancements and when the new EMD SD50 class of diesels arrived on the West End in 1984, only two sets of helpers were kept on duty at M&K Junction. The situation worsened in 1985 with the closure of the St. Louis mainline which ultimately resulted in CSX closing the M&K locomotive servicing facilities the following August. The remaining helper sets were then serviced in Grafton as a consequence and usually placed on eastbound trains at either East Grafton or Hardman. 1985 was also the year when the double tracked Cheat River bridge was washed away by a major flood resulting in a single track bridge being built in its place. As a result of the reduction to only one main track over the Cheat River, the mainline between the eastbound M&K Shop signal and a point just west of the Buffalo Street Xing in Rowlesburg was also reduced to single track with both of the new interlockings controlled by MK Tower. Following a major derailment on Cheat River Grade in 1989, the switch at the east end of the double track in Rowlesburg was removed resulting in a continous single maintrack between Blaser and M&K Junction. Several years later in 1993, CSX returned the helper sets to M&K Junction, now called Rowlesburg by CSX, for dispatching over their old territory, although the locomotives' servicing remained in Grafton. Currently only one helper crew is kept on duty at Rowlesburg which work under the control of MK Tower. Mine turns working the Whitetail Mine at Austin on Newburg Grade are also based at Rowlesburg, inaddition to minor switching duties on the Kingwood Subdivision. The yard at M&K is also used as a location for setoffs, pickups and layovers by through trains between Grafton and Cumberland resulting in the possibility of finding several sets of power and different trains working in the yard at the same time. The future of operations at Rowlesburg remains unclear due to CSX wanting to close the tower, although before this can be accomplished the interlockings at M&K and McMillian will have to be converted and probably simplified before Jacksonville can take over. It would then be likely that CSX would move the Rowlesburg Helpers back to Grafton and then possibly stage Whitetail Turns out of Grafton's yard, in effect eliminating all but through operations at Rowlesburg. Fortunately several major factors would have to come together for all this to take place and with CSX indicating it wishes to first rid itself of the remaining towers in West Virginia's eastern panhandle and at Sand Patch, Rowlesburg may well survive as an active location well into the future - knock on wood.
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Two sets of power are idling at M&K Junction on March 8th, 2000, as the Rowlesburg (MK) Tower overlooks the yard. The two ACW44s next to the enginehouse on the Passing Siding are serving as the Rowlesburg Helper while the three SD60s on the "Grocery Track" next to the tower have drawn the duty as the Kingwood Subdivision switcher power. The weed grown area to the right of the three yard tracks was once the location of the helper servicing facilities.
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Photo by Randy Strogen. Four EMD SD-35s are revving up for the push up Cranberry Grade as the set passes under the M&K Shop signals in August of 1980. The SD35s were the main stay of the Rowlesburg and Hardman between the late 60s and early 80s before being displaced to the Cowen Subdivision by the SD50s
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Two brand new CSX ACW44s, #501 and #520, repose in front of the old enginehouse between shoves at M&K Junction on July 14th, 2001. The heavier 500 series ACW44s replaced older ACs in helper service, keeping with the B&O tradition of sending the most modern power to help move trains over the Allegheny Mountains.
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A set of three Chessie (B&O) SD50's await the next call to Hardman at M&K Junction in the winter of 1984. These units are practically new after seeing less than a year of operation in the mountains.
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A B858 M&K Turn is using the connection between the Mountain and Kingwood Subdivisions as a switching lead to build its train of empty hoppers in the Rowlesburg Yard before departing for the Deep Hollow mine. Another set of three SD60s making up the Rowlesburg Helper is partially hidden by the B858 as the set idles next to old enginehouse.
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Photo by Rich Borkowski Jr. The last rays of the evening sun are quickly fading behind Laurel Mountain as the Rowlesburg Helper's three SD60s repose next to the old CPL high pole in M&K Junction.
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Photo by Randy Strogen. A three unit SD50 helper sett is laying over in front of the enginehouse during the early winter of 1984. The M&K Junction engine servicing facilities, which were demolished in the late 1980s, can be seen in the background behind the helper units.
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On a hot summer day in June 1999, two SD70MACs making up the Rowlesburg Helper are idling on the old No.1 main track in front of the engine house. Before M&K Junction was built the original mainline looped around the base of the hillside until the B&O installed the current two main tracks. Although the engine house no longer has any tracks running to it, the structure is still in use by CSX MofW workers.
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Photo by Kevin Scanlon In dreary weather, an eastbound Trailer Jet passes through M&K Jct on October 31st, 1976. With two GPs on the front and no apparent helper on the rear this hot trailer train will have a hot time going up Cranberry. In front of the engine house is the old M&K snow plow, awaiting the first heavy snow of the season.
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Photo by Jose Nevarez. Throughout the late 1990s, the power assigned to the Rowlesburg Helper has varied greatly from a mixed bag of EMDs and GEs to two widecab AC units. A three unit "mixed bag" helper is on duty this day as two former Conrail SD60s, one a rare SD60M, and a CSX SD60 are idling on the #1 Yard Track as seen from the Salt Lick Road bridge.
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A switcher with loaded coal hoppers from the M&K Subdivision enters the yard at M&K Junction in July of 1985. Several trips a day were often made to the many mines along this branch, but as of 2000 no rail served mines were active resulting in only a weekly switcher working the subdivision..
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An eastbound coal drag has passed under the M&K road bridge and is heading for McMillian and the beginning of Cranberry Grade a mile away. Empty hoppers and woodchip cars waiting for shipment up the Kingwood Branch can be seen sitting in the M&K yard in this winter of 1985 view.
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Photo by Jerry Doyle. Q317 is heading west for Grafton as it approaches the Salt Lick Road Bridge at M&K Junction. The hoppers at left will most likely be used for a Turn working Whitetail the next day.
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In this photo taken during the summer of 1985, a coal drag with three SD50s on its helper is running around another drag on #1 which is awaiting the arrival of its helper.
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The "Keyser Helper" is returning lite through the small M&K Junction yard following a shove to Terra Alta. The B237 is not manned by a normal Rowlesburg crew as a result of none being available. The two units will shortly stop in front of the enginehouse for a crew change before becoming the B241 Rowlesburg Helper that will then head west to Hardman for another drag to shove to Terra Alta.. The hoppers on the left are empty, awaiting a set of power to take them to a mine on the Kingwood Subdivision.
CSX westbound empty train E083 arrives at M&K Junction - Rowlesburg with 128 or 129 hoppers out of Cumberland, MD. The train will be broken down into 80 cars which will later be dispatched to the MGA Mine District to the north of Grafton. The Rowlesburg Tower operator is first heard joking with the recently arrived Rowlesburg Helper, followed by instructions to the E083's crew on where to setoff cars in the Rowlesburg Yard.
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