Back in February 2023, I met up with @VirginiaTrains for my first taste of CSX's L215. This job is the daylight local that handles most of the remaining online traffic between Richmond and Lee Hall, VA, on the former C&O. On this particular day, we were in for a treat; in addition to working the branch, the crew would have to shuffle around traffic at Lee Hall, including repositioning @ExecutiveRail's ex-Pennsylvania Railroad Catapula Falls. In short, this video has just about everything y'all find interesting, except a shortline. Roughly a year after my visit, the branch's biggest customer, Plains American, lost their contract to refine material from the Colonial Pipeline, and idled their plant. There remain two customers on the branch, but they are both located near the wye and receive cars infrequently.
(0:00) Intro and narration card
(0:22) L215 arrives at Lee Hall - GP38-2 2626
(1:29) Picking up Catapula Falls
(4:32) Relocating Y150's train - Run 8 action
(12:19) Picking up the Amoco branch cars
(13:41) Arriving at Amoco Jct.
(16:31) Wyeing the locomotive to lead cab-forward
(19:02) Taking the train down the branch
(21:02) Richneck Road
(21:57) VA-17, Ft. Eustis Blvd.
(22:56) Wolftrap Rd.
(24:18) Return trip: Departing Plains
(25:28) VA-17, Ft. Eustis Blvd.
(26:23) Rickneck Rd.
(27:52) Truswood Lane
(31:28) Y150 departs Lee Hall for Newport News - ES44DC 5267
