North GA Rails's video: CSX Santa Train 11 21 15: 73 Years of Clinchfield Tradition

... and hopefully not the last. The last few months of this year have been a roller coaster ride for everyone with a vested interest in the Clinchfield Railroad, between modellers, railfans, and railroaders alike, though the latter have definitely felt the most pain. The railroad that was once much greater than the hollow shell it is of itself today, the Clinchfield, has played host to perhaps the greatest railroading tradition of all time - the Santa Train. This 73-year tradition now lives on under CSX's management, but nobody is sure of how much longer this will last. That being the case, hundreds of people from all over the United States ventured out to the former Clinchfield Railroad mainline between Elkhorn City, KY and Kingsport, TN to witness what may have been the last train to run the full length of the railroad. I personally began my chase at Pool Point, in Breaks Interstate Park on the Elkhorn City, KY side. Right on schedule, CSX P907-21, the 73rd Annual Santa Train, blew for the Pool Point tunnel and rolled across the high bridge with CSX SD40-2 8033 and CSX F40PH-2 9998 leading a train full of employees, volunteers, and gifts. After the arduous hike back up to the pull off-turned-parking lot, we continued to Kingsport, shooting the train again at Clinchco, McClure, Dante, Boody, Dungannon, Ft. Blackmore, and Copper Creek (not pictured), where we broke off the case for an NS hopper train at Natural Tunnel. Of the thousands of photos and videos taken, every single one of this train means something. As of now, these captures are not yet history, but I think we're all glad to know that if they do indeed become as significant as they may, we got what we could. Yet again, I've learned the painful lesson of not taking anything for granted. From missing out of B&LE tunnel motors by a month to failing to see the all-but end of the Clinchfield, I've gained an understanding that in this day and age, nothing is a guarantee. So I encourage all of you to go out and see something rare or that may cease to exist in the near future, like I've done with the former Virginian Railway, 21st Century Steam, high hoods, and even standard cab Dash 9s. As much as it may just suck to see some things, I'm sadly realizing that they could go away just like that. Hopefully, that's not the case for this tradition which means so much for the last 73 years of the Clinchfield country.