B-Line Railfan http://www.b-linerailfan.com Railway photography along the scenic Norfolk Southern B-Line in Virginia Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:48:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/favicon-1-150x150.jpg B-Line Railfan http://www.b-linerailfan.com 32 32 NS 955 Office Car Special near Linden http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-955-office-car-special-near-linden/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-955-office-car-special-near-linden/#respond Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:48:44 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1939 Read more →

]]> Norfolk Southern train 955 passed by today on the NS B-line near Linden, Virginia. Here are a couple photos and a video from the Applachian Trail crossing. Power was newly painted NS ES44AC 8184 “Altoona” and SD70IAC 1231 “Atlanta.” They are part of a new Landmark series of specially painted locomotives.

Photos

A tuscan red Norfolk Southern office car special passes through Virginia in a spring scene.
NS ES44AC 8184 leads train 955 west across the Blue Ridge Mountains in Linden, VA on 4/13/2026.
Two men seem to be enjoying the ride on the train's observation platform.
Enjoying the porch on the rear of NS 955 as it passes by the Appalachian Trail near Linden, VA on 4/13/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-955-office-car-special-near-linden/feed/ 0 Three Trains Through Clifton, VA http://www.b-linerailfan.com/three-trains-through-clifton-va/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/three-trains-through-clifton-va/#respond Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:30:55 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1930 Read more →

]]> VRE 325, Amtrak 178, and a late running Amtrak 20 passed through Clifton, Virginia within about 20 minutes on the NS mainline this afternoon. Jump to video.

Photos

Historical sign explaining the how the railroad siding helped established the town of Clifton, Virginia which was originally known as Devereux Station.
Historical marker sign at Clifton, VA
An Amtrak Charger leads a train across Main Street with a church in the background.
Northbound Northeast Regional Amtrak train 278 approaches Clifton, Virginia on 3/25/2026.
An Amtrak train passes through a quaint town with yellow buildings.
Amtrak 178 led by ALC-42 Charger 304 crosses Main Street in Clifton, Virginia on 3/25/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/three-trains-through-clifton-va/feed/ 0 Rolling Meet of NS 16T and 15T with NYC Heritage leader in Front Royal http://www.b-linerailfan.com/rolling-meet-of-ns-16t-and-15t-with-nyc-heritage-leader-in-front-royal/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/rolling-meet-of-ns-16t-and-15t-with-nyc-heritage-leader-in-front-royal/#respond Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:24:48 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1925 Read more →

]]> Norfolk Southern northbound train 16T led by NS AC44C6M 4411 and SD70IAC 1209 with mid-train DPUs AC44C6Ms 4124 & 4405 met southbound train 15T today between Front Royal and Warren on the former Norfolk & Western Shenandoah Valley Line. NS 15T was led by NS SD70ACe 1066 (the New York Central RR heritage unit), AC44C6Ms 4620 & 4499 with SD70IAC 1179 as rear DPU. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Photos and a video are below:

Photos

A Norfolk Southern train passes a railroad crossing with a No Train Horn sign.
NS AC44C6M 4411 leads train 16T north in Front Royal, VA on 3/17/2026.
A specially painted Norfolk Southern locomotive honors the heritage of New York Central Railroad.
NS SD70ACe 1066 (the New York Central RR heritage unit) leads train 15T south through Front Royal, VA on 3/17/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/rolling-meet-of-ns-16t-and-15t-with-nyc-heritage-leader-in-front-royal/feed/ 0 NS Office Car Special at Linden http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-office-car-special-at-linden/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-office-car-special-at-linden/#respond Fri, 13 Mar 2026 22:25:36 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1918 Read more →

]]> NS train 955 is seen crossing west over the Blue Ridge Mountains at Linden, Virginia today led by specially painted NS SD70IACs 1230 “Birmingham” and 1231 “Atlanta.” NS Office Car 30 “Marco Polo” was on the rear, having spent the last few years on loan to the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia. This private car was previously used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt prior to becoming an office car of the Central of Georgia Railway, Southern Railway, and Norfolk Southern Railway. Photos and video are below.

Photos

Two specially painted crimson and black locomotives named Birmingham and Atlanta lead a Norfolk Southern office car special under blue skies in Virginia.
NS SD70IACs 1230 “Birmingham” leads the NS office car special past Linden, VA on 3/13/2026.
A green pullman car named Marco Polo is on the rear of a Norfolk Southern Office Car Special in Virginia.
NS Office Car 30 “Marco Polo” is on the rear of NS train 955 on 3/13/2026.

Video

NS office car special 955 is led by SD70IACs 1230 “Birmingham” on March 13, 2026.
]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-office-car-special-at-linden/feed/ 0 VDOT Camera Showing the NS B-Line http://www.b-linerailfan.com/vdot-camera-showing-the-ns-b-line/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/vdot-camera-showing-the-ns-b-line/#respond Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:02:39 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1913 Read more →

]]> I was checking road conditions on VDOT cameras today and noticed they have a camera now at Happy Creek facing east showing the B-Line near Woods/B48 in Front Royal, Virginia. I couldn’t figure out how to link to this particular camera, but you can zoom in and select it from here: https://511.vdot.virginia.gov .

The quality isn’t great, but still might be useful for tracking trains if interested.

View of a Norfolk Southern train passing a traffic camera in Virginia
NS train 12R heading west on the NS B-Line through Happy Creek, VA on 3/2/2026.
View of a Norfolk Southern train passing a traffic camera and heading into the distance
NS train I5A (extra 25A) east by Happy Creek, VA on 3/2/2026.
Map showing Virginia Department of Transportation cameras, including one with a view of the Norfolk Southern B-Line
This is the camera to select from the 511 Virginia site.

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/vdot-camera-showing-the-ns-b-line/feed/ 0 Wabash Heritage Unit Leading NS 25A http://www.b-linerailfan.com/wabash-heritage-unit-leading-ns-25a/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/wabash-heritage-unit-leading-ns-25a/#respond Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:13:16 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1908 Read more →

]]> Norfolk Southern SD70ACe 1070 (the Wabash Heritage Unit) led train 25A today east across the Appalachian Trail on the B-Line near Linden, Virginia. Despite temperatures near 60F (16C), some snow/sleet cover remains for now. A photo and video are below.

Photo

A specially painted Norfolk Southern locomotive in the Wabash Railroad paint scheme leads train 25A with snow on the ground.
NS SD70ACe 1070 (the Wabash Heritage Unit) leads train 25A east across the Appalachian Trail on the B-Line near Linden, VA on 2/17/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/wabash-heritage-unit-leading-ns-25a/feed/ 0 The NS TAG Unit Leading train 25A http://www.b-linerailfan.com/the-ns-tag-unit-leading-train-25a/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/the-ns-tag-unit-leading-train-25a/#respond Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:45:31 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1901 Read more →

]]> NS AC44C6M 4851 (the Tennessee Alabama & Georgia Railway heritage unit) leads train 25A east near Happy Creek, Virginia on a cold, winter day. Note: no doublestacked containers on this train today. Here are a few photos and a video.

Photos

The railroad ties are not visible as they are covered from a recent snowfall as a train comes around the bend.
The Tennessee Alabama & Georgia Railway heritage unit leads NS train 25A around a curve near Front Royal, Virginia on 1/27/2026.
A specially painted Norfolk Southern heritage unit leads a train through Virginia after a snowstorm.
Specially painted heritage unit NS AC44C6M 4851 leads train 25A near the Shenandoah Shores Road crossing along the NS B-Line on 1/27/2026.
A blue and yellow locomotive painted in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia Railway livery leads a train.
A final close-up as NS train 25A passes through the winter scene in Happy Creek, Virginia on 1/26/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/the-ns-tag-unit-leading-train-25a/feed/ 0 NS 25A with Southern Railway Heritage Leader http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-25a-with-southern-railway-heritage-leader/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-25a-with-southern-railway-heritage-leader/#respond Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:11:17 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1896 Read more →

]]> Norfolk Southern train 25A was led today by NS ES44AC 8099 (the Southern Railway heritage unit). Here are a couple of photos and a video as it passed Leeds Manor Road in Markham, Virginia. The train slowed as it passed by, possibly due to a slow order.

Photos

Norfolk Southern locomotive 8099 is painted in Southern Railway colors as it leads an intermodal train through the countryside.
NS ES44AC 8099 leads train 25A east on the NS B-Line in Markham, VA on 1/13/2026.
Norfolk Southern locomotive 8099 is painted in Southern Railway colors as it leads an intermodal train through the countryside.
NS ES44AC 8099 leads train 25A east on the NS B-Line in Markham, VA on 1/13/2026.

Video

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/ns-25a-with-southern-railway-heritage-leader/feed/ 0 Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! http://www.b-linerailfan.com/happy-holidays-and-happy-new-year/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/happy-holidays-and-happy-new-year/#respond Sun, 11 Jan 2026 03:08:35 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1893 Read more →

]]> I meant to post this earlier, but here’s a shot from December 15th of Norfolk Southern train 289 past some holiday decorations. I remembered from previous years that a farm in Belle Meade, Virginia put out a tire decorated like a wreath for the Christmas season so thought I’d try to get a shot of that with a train.  It turned out they expanded their decorations this year to include a snowman made out of tires and some mini Christmas trees.

A train passes by Christmas decorations in a winter scene. The field has a bit of snow with a mountain in the background.
NS 289 passes east by Belle Meade on 12/15/2025.
]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/happy-holidays-and-happy-new-year/feed/ 0 2026 NS B-Line Calendars Available! http://www.b-linerailfan.com/2026-ns-b-line-calendars-available/ http://www.b-linerailfan.com/2026-ns-b-line-calendars-available/#respond Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:04:18 +0000 http://www.b-linerailfan.com/?p=1876 Read more →

]]> The 2026 edition of my Norfolk Southern B-Line Calendar is now available here:

2026 Norfolk Southern B-Line Calendar

This railroad photography calendar features scenes taken along the scenic Norfolk Southern B-Line in Virginia. This year’s calendar features shots taken in Manassas, Delaplane, Markham, Linden, and Front Royal. A variety of trains are shown, including hot shot intermodals, mixed freights, an office car special, an N&W Class J #611 steam excursion, and more. Several shots are from 2025 while others are catches from previous years. Scroll down below to see each month’s photo:

]]> http://www.b-linerailfan.com/2026-ns-b-line-calendars-available/feed/ 0