Trackside Guide to the Fairmont Subdivision

The map below shows the CSX Fairmont Subdivision line from Colfax, WV to Rivesville, WV, the same portion that this guide will cover. Red lines are CSX track, the yellow lines are primary roads, such as State and US Routes, green lines are the secondary roads, streets and county roads for the most part, and the black lines are Norfolk Southern track. All roads shown are accessible without 4 wheel drive, although in winter months it is recommended. I've also placed icons where signals and DTC Block Limits are currently located, which can be used in conjunction with the signal/DTC lists on the timetable page.

Colfax

Colfax is a small town on the Tygart River which CSX passes through. To reach Colfax, turn off onto Colfax Road -see Part 1 for more information on what roads to take- and stay on the road until you reach the Tygart River valley. There are two flasher protected crossings here and a long piece of a gentle curving track between them. Depending on which direction a train is coming, it's best to go the appropriate crossing and photograph a train over the aforementioned section of track. There are several gravel roads that branch out from Colfax to follow the track but these only run alongside for less than a mile. You can probably explore these roads and find a locale to your liking. From Colfax you can head west towards US 250 and then Fairmont or east towards SR 310 and then Fairmont. It's up to you but if you're stuck on one side of the crossings, its better to go in that direction to a main road instead of waiting for the entire train to clear. Note: if you see a northbound train, its best to head into downtown Fairmont to catch it- a southbound train is best at Tygart Campground/Fetterman.

Locations in and around Fairmont, WV

When you reach Fairmont, WV, MP BS302.2, you should be aware there are no good chase roads which follow the railroad, although there are several good locations to watch trains. Fairmont is not a large town, but the road network is somewhat confusing if you don't live around here. I'll cover each location's highlights by an individual section and I'll probably only list one way to get there, such as only US Rt 250 or State Rt 310 instead of both. You can probably find your way using the above map but I recommend using a DeLormes map or research the area more closely on MapBlast.

Kingmont

Take Exit 133 off Interstate 79 and depending on which direction you were going when you exited the interstate, - north, take a left and cross over I-79. if south, take a right - and head north on Kingmont road away from the BP station. You should pass two gas stations and Airport Road which goes to your right. Continuing north on Kingmont Road you'll see the small Fairmont Airport landing strip to your right. Passing this, continue on down the hill through Kingmont until you reach the track at a crossing. The road on the other side leads to some river houses and goes no where after that, but it does allow you to go further down the track which will be on your left and an old B&O concrete telephone booth still stands along this road.

Gaston Junction

Gaston Jct is the site where the now abandoned Monongah Subdivision left the Fairmont subdivision to follow the West Fork River to Haywood, WV. After the closing of the MR sub, the track was pulled up several years ago and the junction is gone. On the south side of Gaston Junction is where the railroad crosses over the Monongahela River on an old Truss Bridge. Unfortunately this location is not accessible.

Downtown Fairmont

In Fairmont, the Fairmont subdivision follows the river and is unaccessible by roads except at the Fairmont Yard. To reach the yard from State Rt. 310, where Part I of the guide left off, go under I-79 and get in the left lane of the now 4-lane East Grafton Road. At the stop light, turn left and follow East Park Ave past McDonalds and Wendys. You'll reach another set of traffic lights less than half a mile later next to a Subway and Domino's Pizza. If you turn right here onto Morgantown Avenue, you'll be on the road towards the AFR Industrial Track. About a mile later, to the right across the Mon River you will see the Fairmont yard. The yard use be a sprawling facility with more than 20 tracks, but because of the unit train "revolution", this facility was closed and all tracks except the main track and 4 yard tracks were torn up. Remain on East Park Ave until the next set of traffic lights and then go straight up the hill on Merchant Street. Because of the High Level Bridge restoration going on, traffic is very heavy in the evenings so you might want to allow for this in your "chase time". Cross over the 3rd Street Bridge (only downtown bridge in service) where you'll reach another set of traffic lights. Turn left here onto Fairmont Ave and cross another bridge and go through another set of traffic lights. Continue north up Adams Street to the next intersection and take a right onto Monroe Street. The road goes past the Fairmont police station so you know you're on the right one. After Monroe street you'll end up on Washington Street - Fairmont names a lot of streets after dead presidents - and then just keep going straight. The track is off to the right below you. Remain on Washington Street for about 3/4 of a mile, be careful on this road - its very narrow and winding at the end - when you'll come around a sharp curve in a dip. Baltimore Street goes to the left here but keep going and take a right down a gravel strip between two houses. You've reached the south end of Fairmont yard and you'll discover that there is not much here except for the old pink yard office. To get to the west end of the yard -where there's not much more- go back up the gravel strip and take Baltimore Street up two intersections and then take a right onto Maple Ave. Take another right at the next intersection on Garret Street and then follow it until you see a sign proclaiming the existence of the Fairmont Waste Management Center. Turn down the well paved road leading to it and you'll see the tracks at the bottom of the hill. The 4 tracks come back to the main one here and that’s about it. A roundhouse and coaling tipple use to be about half a mile north across Buffalo Creek but these were torn down sometime in the mid-90's. Although I've given these locations a bleak appearance, good photographs can still be taken there, you just have to work at it :) To get back to the main road in the event you're chasing a northbound train, head back up to Garret Street and then Maple Street, but instead of taking Baltimore Street, just stay on Maple when you'll reach a one way street ahead. Turn right at this intersection and then left down Grafton Street where it will intersect US Route 19 which will take you to Rivesville if you turn right and back to Fairmont if you turn left.

Fairmont to Rivesville

To get to Rivesville, WV, from Fairmont, get on US Rt. 19 in Downtown Fairmont and follow it north for about 3 miles. When you go over a new steel beam bridge and then pass the Bellview shopping center to your left, you'll know you're on the right road. Between a fourth a mile and a half a mile past the Bellview shopping center, you'll see a street go up the hill to the right with a CSXT sign on a post at the bottom. This was the access road to the old B&O roundhouse until 1997 when it was torn down. Continue on US 19 for appox 2 miles when you'll come to a crossing of the tracks at the small town of Dakota. CSX crews will call Norfolk Southern's Mon Valley Dispatcher from around Dakota for clearance north so have you scanner tuned in to 160.860. Crossing the track, the Monongahela River will be on the right and the Fairmont subdivision on the left. A small wooden trestle is located on this section of the railroad as it crosses over Hawkinberry Hollow. Across the river to the right is the American Fibers Plant which CSX works two or three times a week via the old FM&P bridge across the river behind you. About a mile past Dakota you'll reach the town of Rivesville.

Rivesville

Rivesville, WV, MP BS306.3, is where CSX's Fairmont Subdivision connects with Norfolk Southern's Loveridge Secondary at Catawba Junction. A wye connects the Fairmont line with the Loveridge Secondary north to Brownsville, PA, and also to the Loveridge Secondary west to Fairview, WV. The end of CSX controlled territory is right before the switch which controls the rarely used Fairmont - Fairview leg of the wye, resulting in most trains going straight through the Jct and over Paw Paw Creek. On the other side of the Paw Paw Creek Bridge is the Catawba Junction Defect Detector on both legs of the wye. More descriptions of railfan locations in and around Rivesville will be in the Railfan Guide to Norfolk Southern's Loveridge Secondary which will be online soon.

The AFR Industrial Track

To reach the AFR Industrial Track, turn right onto Morgantown Avenue from East Park Avenue and remain on the road for about two miles until you reach a fourway intersection with a Dairy Mart in front of you on the right. Take a left here onto Suncrest Drive and remain on this road for another mile when you'll see a large plant on your right - This factory is the American Philipps Plant. A paved road will head left over the hill just after the plant comes into view so keep an eye out - if you remain on Suncrest, you'll end up at the plant's parking lot. Take this road down over the hill where you'll see another interesection with another paved road heading west towards the river. Take a left onto this road and follow it down over the hill to the river where you'll see the old FM&P Truss bridge ahead. Remain on the paved road and you'll end up at the track level at the old location of Palatine Junction, where several Fairmont industy tracks branched off the mainline. In the early 1990s, one of these branchs' right of ways were paved over and turned into a two lane road for AFR traffic. At the Palatine Junction intersection, you'll see the two lane road head off to the right back towards the Philipps plant - this is the same road that you first took off of Suncrest Drive, a single lane road which heads up a hill above the track and another two lane road head to the left which follows the track side by side. This two lane road leads to the AFR plant and a NO TRESSPASSING policy is strictly enforced - Signs let you know of this and if you're seen beyond the AFR sign on this two lane road, you will be thrown out!! CSX AFR Turns usually take half an hour to an hour to work the plant, depending on how many boxcars are to be picked up or dropped off.

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Notice and Disclaimer: These guides and Northern West Virginia's Railroads DO NOT recommend or endorse any form of tresspassing, whether on railroad or private property. I have tried to list locations which are on public roads or property, but if I have made a mistake, please adhere to posted signs or the wishes of the landowners. Remember to use common sense and think saftey! Also, please note these railfanning guides are published for your entertainment purposes only. While I have tried to make these guides as accurate and easy to read as possible, some mistakes may exist unnoticed. As a result, use at your own risk because I do not wish to be held accountable for someone's ruined trip - Thank you for your understanding.