Photographer Maria Pierce has more photos for us from Berellia, showing off new construction work that has been done on the 2nd District. She followed a coal train behind four ex-Blackrock and Western SD40-2s up the hill from Berellia to Singleton.
The 2nd District wye, in downtown Berellia.
The main boulevard in Berellia. Where the locomotives are now is the future site of a major grade crossing.
All green signals for our coal train as it leaves the urbanity of the capitol and heads toward Singleton.
The train approaches a completed grade crossing with horn blaring.
The train crosses the Berellia river, which flows into the huge lake in the foreground.
Hitting the east end of the siding and charging up the grade.
The tail end of the train enters single-track territory.
Here we see the train roaring through a notable cutting just past the manufacturing town from last time.
After a grueling climb, the coal train finally claws its way into Singleton, passing the depot.
Here the train rolls underneath two new bridges carrying a divided highway over the tracks. In the distance, the still incomplete yard can be seen.
A closer shot of the mainline refueling station. Our train will not stop.
An aerial shot of the locomotive shops and maintenance tracks.
The coal train plods through the refueling station at a stately 21 miles per hour. The limit here changes to 60, allowing trains to stretch their legs on the long eastbound run to the border.
We say goodbye to the coal train here in Singleton. A passenger train will be along shortly, and I will take it back down the grade.