| Local Train is coming over Sneads Hill at Evans, Georgia enroute to McCormick, SC on the Spartanburg Sub. This is the famous "Sneads Hill" as it is known to Railroad Men. It is also called "Steel City" because so many Knuckles have been broken here. I have walked the Tracks here and seen all the broken Knuckles. Back in the early 1980s, I remember how Coal Trains had to break into several sections, and "Double" the hill here. One time, just for fun, my Brother made a sign and held it up as one of these trains struggled to get up over the hill here. The sign read "Double or Nothing!!" After bringing a section over the hill here, the Train would proceed to the siding at Martinez, drop off the cars, and return for the second section. Now CSX uses helpers here and doubling the hill is pretty much a thing of the past. Several Coal trains have derailed here as well. It is a heck of a grade!!! |