Big Eagle Railroad (Kanawha County)

[BigLebowski]

Posting in the WV forum since this is such a small, local operation.

Does anyone know if the Big Eagle RR is still operating, and if so if they are still using 452.525? The license expired in 2005 but I knew they were still using it as of 2008.

From the Google Maps photos I am not sure if this line is still operating. I was last there in 2017 and it seemed like they had scrapped most of their old equipment and were only loading unit trains for CSX.

 

[BigLebowski]

Some further research shows that Kanawha River Terminals has a simplex license WQFZ858 at what I am assuming is this location for 451.925, 456.925, 461.3875, 463.600, and 464.025.

Kanasha Eagle Coal LLC appears to be the mine that feeds this operation, and their license WQQZ506 shows the following:

FB2 - 152.3600 - Analog and NXDN
MO - 157.6200 - Analog and NXDN
FB2 - 462.3500 - Analog and NXDN
MO - 467.3500 - Analog and NXDN

I suppose it could be on any of the above.

 

[DeaconHarry16]

I worked at Kanawha Eagle when the mine and plant was renovated (early 2000s) and later when the loading facility was built.
I don't know if it is operational now or not
I also worked at Kanawha River Terminals (KRT) back in the day... Big Eagle RR fed Winifrede Docks river loadout, not related to KRT operations

You may have seen this very interesting article
Winifrede-Big Eagle Railroad - WVNC Rails

 

[BigLebowski]

Good info, thanks!

I was hoping someone that lives in the area could plug these frequencies in their scanner and see if any are active.

 

[BigLebowski]

I paid a visit to the site(s) in question on Sunday. Of course being Sunday, nothing was operating.

Big Eagle RR is alive and well according to a worker I spoke with. He said the train usually runs once a day (other than Sunday) down to the CSX interchange with 25-30 loads. I found their power in the yard just down from the loadout. The river dock is overgrown and it appears they no longer transload anything there.

The KRT dock does look fairly active but was shut down for the day when I was there.

 

[DeaconHarry16]

KRT owned two terminals when I was working, one at Marmet and one at Quincy.
Both are still operational with new owners i'd guess.
Most of the radio operations were by CB...coal trucks to scale-house to loader operators.
River operations were heard on commercial marine channels.

 

[BigLebowski]

There were signs along the road that the coal trucks should monitor CB 8.

KRT also has a big operation out in Ceredo where they have a fairly large rail yard and their own locomotives. That's an interesting one to watch.

I'm still hopeful that someone that lives in the area can plug those above frequencies in and see if there is any activity.

 

[iceman977th]

Unless something has changed in recent months, the Winifrede line is operated by KNWA now. I don't know if they use the licensed channels or an AAR channel over there, I presume AAR. Last I recall they were licensed for AAR 034 (160.620) and AAR 060 (161.010) 034 was the primary road channel, not sure what they have used 060 for.

 

[BigLebowski]

Good to know! I didn't know KNWA had taken over operations there. I guess that narrows it down then.