Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago
It's hard work getting coal out of the ground and out of the hills. Watch ancient engines, with old paint schemes, working the hills and hollers of Kentucky. Also: The last mainline switchback in the USA!
*No AI was used to bring this show to you.* Read about our AI Policy and how we get videos ready for YouTube at: Pentrex.com/AI
*About Pentrex:* For 40+ Years we've been the leader in railroad video entertainment. See us at Pentrex.com and right here on YouTube, with the Official Pentrex Channel!
Pentrex also owns the railroad video entertainment brands Highball Productions, Green Frog, Valhalla Video, Donner Rails, WB Video, Main Line Motion Pictures, Broken Knuckle Video, Midwest Video and distribute Revelation Video. We have nearly 1,000 railroad videos and all will be uploaded to YouTube. Subscribe so you don't miss any rail action!
*About this show:* Coal is king in Appalachia! The region's railroads toil with great determination to haul the "black diamonds" out of the hills. Pentrex visits some of the most inaccessible country east of the Mississippi to share with you the rugged beauty and majesty of this unique landscape.
Witness seemingly unending parades of coal trains on CSX's Louisville & Nashville and Chesapeake & Ohio lines, as well as Norfolk Southern rails into eastern Kentucky.
The coal fields have traditionally been the final scene of action for aging locomotives. The venerable U30Cs of CSX seen here are on the verge of retirement. You'll be surprised to find Santa Fe in Kentucky as leased General Electric C30-7s, some still in their "Kodachrome" paint schemes, work the coal fields in droves!
Two trains meet and are photographed through the obstacle at the only mainline switchback in the United States, Hagans Switchback.
Beautiful color graphics explain how trains negotiate the complex trackwork at this locale. Tunnels, high trestles and helpers on heavy coal trains add to the interest on this fascinating visit to the coal fields of eastern Kentucky.
Get this show on DVD, without the YouTube compression, at Pentrex.com: pentrex.com/DVD-Eastern-Kentucky-Coal-DVD_COAL-DVD
0:00 Moving coal out of Eastern Kentucky
0:51 Vicco, KY and it's old tipple
1:34 Jeff & Sapphire KY, Golden Oak Mining
4:04 Coal country railroad subdivision map
4:27 GE C30-7 and N&W caboose
7:13 Coleman, KY coal prep plant
8:58 Williamson, WVa, NS yard
10:06 Big Sandy Sub
10:43 Shelby Yard
13:31 Family Lines paint at Bever Jct
15:41 Martin Yard
16:34 Deane, KY, Arnold Fork High Trestle
19:05 Santa Fe & Kodachrome paint in Kentucky!?
21:24 L&N/CSX EK Sub
27:43 Upgrade and Chenowee Tunnel
29:56 Santa Fe in the lead at Jackson, KY
33:34 Ravenna Yard
37:41 Patio Jct, Seaboard & Family Lines GE units
39:17 Howard's Creek Viaduct & Red River Viaduct
41:47 Corbin and the KD Sub
43:57 KD Sub map
46:07 Tunnel at Morley
49:35 Chaska, KY and Davis Creek Trestle
51:26 CV Sub
54:43 Loyall, KY, Yard & Servicing
57:21 Baxter Tower (Closed)
1:00:26 Hagans Switchback
1:03:34 Hagans Tunnel
1:09:45 Working the switchback
1:13:38 Up close switching
Thumbnail images:
CSX Train by Don O'Brien via a CC By 2.0 license
Chessie working a yard by noted railfan photographer Roger Puta Via a Public Domain license
It's hard work getting coal out of the ground and out of the hills. Watch ancient engines, with old paint schemes, working the hills and hollers of Kentucky. Also: The last mainline switchback in the USA!
*No AI was used to bring this show to you.* Read about our AI Policy and how we get videos ready for YouTube at: Pentrex.com/AI
*About Pentrex:* For 40+ Years we've been the leader in railroad video entertainment. See us at Pentrex.com and right here on YouTube, with the Official Pentrex Channel!
Pentrex also owns the railroad video entertainment brands Highball Productions, Green Frog, Valhalla Video, Donner Rails, WB Video, Main Line Motion Pictures, Broken Knuckle Video, Midwest Video and distribute Revelation Video. We have nearly 1,000 railroad videos and all will be uploaded to YouTube. Subscribe so you don't miss any rail action!
*About this show:* Coal is king in Appalachia! The region's railroads toil with great determination to haul the "black diamonds" out of the hills. Pentrex visits some of the most inaccessible country east of the Mississippi to share with you the rugged beauty and majesty of this unique landscape.
Witness seemingly unending parades of coal trains on CSX's Louisville & Nashville and Chesapeake & Ohio lines, as well as Norfolk Southern rails into eastern Kentucky.
The coal fields have traditionally been the final scene of action for aging locomotives. The venerable U30Cs of CSX seen here are on the verge of retirement. You'll be surprised to find Santa Fe in Kentucky as leased General Electric C30-7s, some still in their "Kodachrome" paint schemes, work the coal fields in droves!
Two trains meet and are photographed through the obstacle at the only mainline switchback in the United States, Hagans Switchback.
Beautiful color graphics explain how trains negotiate the complex trackwork at this locale. Tunnels, high trestles and helpers on heavy coal trains add to the interest on this fascinating visit to the coal fields of eastern Kentucky.
Get this show on DVD, without the YouTube compression, at Pentrex.com: pentrex.com/DVD-Eastern-Kentucky-Coal-DVD_COAL-DVD
0:00 Moving coal out of Eastern Kentucky
0:51 Vicco, KY and it's old tipple
1:34 Jeff & Sapphire KY, Golden Oak Mining
4:04 Coal country railroad subdivision map
4:27 GE C30-7 and N&W caboose
7:13 Coleman, KY coal prep plant
8:58 Williamson, WVa, NS yard
10:06 Big Sandy Sub
10:43 Shelby Yard
13:31 Family Lines paint at Bever Jct
15:41 Martin Yard
16:34 Deane, KY, Arnold Fork High Trestle
19:05 Santa Fe & Kodachrome paint in Kentucky!?
21:24 L&N/CSX EK Sub
27:43 Upgrade and Chenowee Tunnel
29:56 Santa Fe in the lead at Jackson, KY
33:34 Ravenna Yard
37:41 Patio Jct, Seaboard & Family Lines GE units
39:17 Howard's Creek Viaduct & Red River Viaduct
41:47 Corbin and the KD Sub
43:57 KD Sub map
46:07 Tunnel at Morley
49:35 Chaska, KY and Davis Creek Trestle
51:26 CV Sub
54:43 Loyall, KY, Yard & Servicing
57:21 Baxter Tower (Closed)
1:00:26 Hagans Switchback
1:03:34 Hagans Tunnel
1:09:45 Working the switchback
1:13:38 Up close switching
Thumbnail images:
CSX Train by Don O'Brien via a CC By 2.0 license
Chessie working a yard by noted railfan photographer Roger Puta Via a Public Domain license
