This is my first catch where there were two CSX Heritage Units leading a train! I got word about this move on CSX M648 the day before and when it finally arrived where I setup to catch it the first time at Mortons Gap, Ky the wind and rain was bad, but I did get a short video clip here is in my December 21st, 2024, Saturday Edited Video.
In this shot the Western Maryland and P&LE Heritage units lead M648 as it heads north through downtown Hanson, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on December 16th 2024.
According to the CSX Website: The Western Maryland Railroad operated between 1852 and 1983 in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was a small railroad that primarily transported coal and freight.
“In 1983 the Western Maryland fully merged with the B&O (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), which merged with the C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad) in 1987. They eventually merged with the Seaboard System to form CSX.” explained Tim Music, a CSX carman painter who assisted with the project.
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was established in 1875 with a primary mission of transporting essential industrial materials such as coal, coke, iron ore, limestone, and steel among the bustling industrial hubs of the region.
“It’s mainline connected Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Youngstown, Ohio and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It did not actually reach Lake Erie until 1976,” explained Tim Music, a carman painter at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop where the unit was produced.
Despite its relatively modest route mileage, the P&LE Railroad earned the nickname “Little Giant” due to the enormous volume of heavy tonnage it moved. This impressive capability drew significant attention and by 1887, the P&LE became a subsidiary of the dominant New York Central Railroad. Under this new ownership, the P&LE enjoyed substantial improvements to its tracks and added capacity for passenger services, further enhancing its regional significance.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 170.