The Pocahontas Chronicles Bluefield Yard
	Railroad fans tend to make odd connections. For instance, I take some comfort in the knowledge that the same route US19 that runs past the end of my street also runs alongside the Norfolk Southern yard in Bluefield, WV a couple hundred miles to the south. Bluefield is where I always begin and end my visits to the Pocahontas Division. It has motels. It has quiet spots where you can sip a beer after dinner and watch them roll the trains. I usually do my photography in Bluefield in the morning and evening around a day of train photography out on the mainline. The yard itself is draped over the top of a mountain. Bringing a loaded coal train up into the yard and parking it is somewhat of an art. Frequently trains change crews at the summit, cleverly called Top Of The Hill by the railroaders. As the heavy eastbound drags pull into the yard the head end is braking as the pushers continue to shove. The timetable has specific rules for how to tie a train down to prevent rollaways. For the photographer one nice feature of the yard is its opportunity for low-sun shooting. Because of the orientation of the tracks, the sun rises and sets over the yard during the spring and fall when the air is clear. Kevin Scanlon
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