Almost seven years ago to the day after chasing the 2003 Santa Train we headed north along the former Clinchfield and found a northbound sitting in Elkhorn City, KY.  After I got down by the yard I heard on the scanner that this train was waiting on a southbound loaded coal drag.  The engineer waved for me to come over by him. After talking with him a while he let me know that there was a coal drag heading our way.  He invited me up into the cab, looking back he probably thought it'd be safer for me to be in the cab, after all it was cold that day and it was sure warmer inside.  After introducing myself to him the southbound cleared the signal and I snapped a shot of the pushers inside the cab. I knew he would be getting a high green to head home to Shelby yard very soon so I took a shot of him at the throttle.  He asked me for my address, he said he wanted to send my boys something. Shortly after I got off the train and he headed out, I headed north and decided to get one last shot along the rails and the sun was perfect at Marrowbone, KY. After getting home I got a package in the mail, come to find out the engineer was the Operation Lifesaver Inc. representative and sent a bunch of OLI materials for the boys with a nice letter.
This year I got the chance to see that same engineer again, M.J. Stirling wanted the Santa Train to be his last train before he retired. November 20, 2010 Mikey took his last assignment CSX #P928 which was the 2010 Santa Train with CSX #8506 on the lead and he made his final run. I had a great time chasing the train, seeing old friends and making new ones along the former Clinchfield Railroad.
L to R:  Louie Heaton (Brakeman), Mike Stirling (Engineer), Claude Couch (Road Foreman of Engines)

Photos taken by: Rob Wolshlager