The first official train to travel on the tracks between Old Fort and Black Mountain since Hurricane Helene went through on Saturday. The train, which came from Hickory, stopped in Old Fort for 30 minutes, greeted by a crowd of supporters and onlookers.
A crowd waits at the Old Fort Depot to welcome the train back.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
On Saturday morning, crowds of anxious people were found on both sides of the track in Old Fort waiting for a train. Many of them carried signs saying, “Welcome back Norfolk Southern.”
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
A crowd met the first freight train to come through Old Fort since Hurricane Helene on Saturday, April 18.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
Young and old alike were excited to see the freight train return to Old Fort on Saturday.
MIKE CONLEY MCDOWELLNEWS
At around 10:45 a.m., the freight train arrived in Old Fort, and it stopped in the middle of town.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
Northfolk Southern had representatives in Old Fort Saturday as the freight train came through.
MIKE CONLEY MCDOWELLNEWS
The train sat in Old Fort for around 30 minutes to give rail fans plenty of time to take photos and videos.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
This railroad worker stands on the front of the locomotive in Old Fort.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
After around 30 minutes in Old Fort, the train continued its way west toward the Loops around Andrews Geyser, traveled through the mountain tunnels and made the steep climb up to Ridgecrest.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
Cathy Moore, the local leader for the grassroots effort to bring passenger trains back to McDowell County and western North Carolina, looks at a set of plans that detail the repairs made to the railroad.
MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS
Young and old alike were excited to see the freight train return to Old Fort on Saturday.
MIKE CONLEY MCDOWELLNEWS
The long freight train sat in Old Fort so everyone could get a good look at it.
