Jack Varadi’s HO scale Greenville & Ohio

It's early afternoon in Clinchport and the Greenville &Ohio Railroad is busy. G&O no. 27 (an ex-Westside Models Maryland & Pennsylvania 0-6-0 steam locomotive) is working Cabin Creek Coal Mine. Southbound G&O no. 28 through freight is dropping cars for local industries before heading to its final destination of Greenville, S.C. Number 28 is an ex-Pacific Fast Mail Santa Fe 2-8-0 consolidation. Northbound Southern Railway no. 20 is heading north to its destination, Portsmouth, Ohio.

Here's another view of the action, showing more of the Cabin Creek Coal Mine.

Cedar Mountain Station is a King’s Mill model of Green Cove station on the Abingdon branch of the Norfolk & Western. The scene and prototype station was made famous by O. Winston Link’s photo titled “Old Maude”.

Herb’s Precious Metals is a business always looking for treasures in the scrap metal they receive. Unfortunately, they receive much more of the latter. The building is a kitbashed Rix kit modeled after a business in Greer, S.C.

The Southern Crescent is passing over Lake Blair in one of its final runs. Electro-Motive Division diesel units will soon be the motive power of choice. The trestle is curved and on a grade. It took several years before there was enough courage to build it.

Greer is the highest point on the Southern main line between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. The G&O also serves the town. The station is an old Revell kit. G&O no. 15 has just spotted a recently acquired coach for servicing.

Greenville & Ohio no. 8, a GE 45 ton center cab diesel locomotive, is spotting the loaded coal car at the tipple. Southern no. 1888, an 0-8-0 steam locomotive, has just had its coal bunker replenished after and ash pan cleaned.

Marshall, N.C., has a lot of small businesses and a major textile plant. G&O no. 25 is an ex-Maryland & Pennsylvania 0-6-0 steam locomotive that handles local switching.

The Clinchport depot is located just south of the Natural Tunnel that can be seen in the background. Rural Appalachia is still dependent on rail for passenger travel, but the Trailways Bus Company may change that.

Southern Railway Class Ks no. 630 is entering Jonesborough, Tennessee. The company houses in the foreground belong to the local textile mill. Hale’s Furniture and the W.R. Grace plant are two other area industries.

Weiss Industries, named after Herb Weiss, is a car repair shop located in Clinchport. It has an overhead crane for major repairs that handles just about any car on the rails.