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Kevin Scanlon
Norfolk Southern hopper train on West Virginia Secondary passes through town of Gauley Bridge, W.Va., on March 23, 2006.
Author and photographer Kevin Scanlon has been visiting railroad towns in West Virginia for about 40 years. For him, the railroads define the town as much as the town defines the railroads. You can read his story, “Down By the Tracks” in August 2013 Trains, where he shares the highlights. Here’s an excerpt from his story:
Over the next few years, I made dozens of trips and stayed in towns throughout the Mountain State. The term “Railroad Town” evokes an image of a blue-collar place; maybe a little gritty, noisy, worn, and hinting of better times. But also they are unpretentious, friendly, and can serve a good cup of coffee at any hour. There were so many of them here that you might as well just call West Virginia a railroad state. Visiting the railroad towns in West Virginia and collecting the stories has been as much fun for me as photographing the trains.
Check out this bonus photo gallery, and be sure to pick up your copy of August 2013, when it hits newsstands on July 9, 2013!
Great photos, each could inspire a short story.