US Branchline Operations & Industries

It’s easy to think that the US railroad scene consists of nothing more than huge unit trains hauled by multiple diesels but, the fact is that the modern railroad scene in the US till has many small branchlines that regularly see trains.

If small, slow shortline trains running on rough track through sleepy rural towns or working modern industrial areas is your bag then the videos you will find here are just what you’re looking for.

US Army GE 80 Ton Switcher
In operation at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg PA

An RS-3 Working Hard on the Batten Kill Railroad
Decades after these locos were retired from Class 1 Railroads there are still some working hard on lesser lines. This one was working so hard it had to stop for a little rest.

Farewell to Detroit’s Steel Mill Railroad
This line will be closing some time in 2020 so this video, filmed in December 2019 is a timely look at the operation on this interesting railroad

Reid Machinery in Lansing MI
Here is a shortline serving a very interesting industry profile

Hulett Ore Unloaders
These monsters were the last of their breed and now they’re gone.

This video has footage from 1989 and 1992

Switching with a Pumpkin
Shuffling some heritage stock at the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum in Oak Ridge TN

Cold Starting an EMD SW9
The crew of the Coopersville & Marne Railway fire up their SW9 for another day’s work.

An Alco S4 Switching the Timken Plant
It’s June 4 1986 and there’s an EMD doing some shunting out on the main while Timken’s Alco S4 is switching the plant.

SFBR 23 (Alco S2) Switching
An Alco S2 with a Leslie S5T is not only a thing of beauty but it’s worth listening to.

Baldwin Locomotive Diesels in Action
SMS Rail Service Incorporated in Bridgeport, NJ. still regularly run a Baldwin on some of their freights.

Ohio Shortlines in Spring
Footage of local shortlines in action.

Shortlines in Northeast PA
7 different shortlines with some interesting motive power … including some old Alcos.

East Penn Railroad: Blue Returns to the Bustleton Branch
Shortline and switching operation with an old SW900

Street Running and Switching on the Juniata Valley Railroad
Operating out of Lewistown PA the Juniata Valley Railroad is still doing well in the 21st Century … as this video that was shot in February 2020 … shows.