Southeast Coal Company (SECX)
Prototype Photos

SECX train crosses the bridge at Viper, KY -Jay Thompson Photo

The SECX Trains
The Southeast Coal Company was not a railroad in the traditional sense, although it owned locomotives, cars, and cabs.  SECX equipment was purchased in the late 70s when the L&N could not keep up with demand in the coal-boom years.  To keep it's operations fully supplied with motive power and hoppers, the Southeast Coal Company purchased some ex-UP GP20s and it's own set of hoppers to keep coal flowing to and from it's prep plant at Calla, KY, on the L&N's EK Sub.  The SECX modernized it's equipment further in 1979 with the purchase of GP38-2s.

New

Scenes

Southeast Coal Company  prep plant at Calla, KY. Jul 1986 -Stuart Thayer photo	SECX Enginehouse at Calla, KY. Jul 1986 -Stuart Thayer photo	Southbound empties returning to the coalfields move through Whoers, KY, Jul 1984 -Stuart Thayer photo
3821 at Hazard, KY, Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	A mix of GP38-2s and GP20s waits at Hazard, KY. Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	These next four shots show a loaded SECX train assaulting Elkatawa Hill with helplers.  Here the train runs through Jackson, KY, home base for the Elkatawa helpers. Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo
3823 is in the lead as the train ascends the hill. Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	The train has just crested the hill and can finally coast for a while. Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	Here we see the helpers cutting off just beyond the crest. Oct 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo
GP20 2001-Stu Thayer photo	SECX green at Typo, KY, Aug 1984 -Stuart Thayer photo	In August 1979, the three SECX GP38-2s pulled a southbound "Green Train" past Ulvah, KY as typical Kentucky mountain fog clings to the mountain tops -Jay Thompson Thanks to Robert Thompson for scanning his father's photos and adding the descriptions, click here to view more of Jay Thompson's photos on Flickr
In July of 1979 all three SECX GP38-2s lead a southbound train through Ecco, Kentucky. 3822 survives today as CEFX 401 (having gone to C&NW and then UP before CEFX) and 3823 is CEFX 402 -Jay Thompson	Later in the summer of 1979 SECX took delivery of two more Precision National rebuilt ex-Union Pacific GP20s. The newest one in June was 2004, shown here leading 2002, 2001 & 2003 with a northbound train at Blackey, KY, Jun 79 -Jay Thompson	The first three South East Coal Company "GP21"s lead a southbound mine run through Viper, KY in May of 1979. Originally built as GP20s for Union Pacific, they were sold to Precision National who rebuilt them to "GP21" specs and sold them to SECX. 2001 is ex-UP 470, 2002 is ex-UP 488 and 2003 is ex-UP 479 -Jay Thompson
The first three SECX geeps rumble past Coolidge, Kentucky with a northbound train in May 1979 -Jay Thompson	SECX geeps at Coolidge, KY, May 79 -Jay Thompson	The first three ex-Union Pacific Geeps acquired by SECX run through Coolidge, Kentucky with a northbound train in May 1979 -Jay Thompson
3821 has been in service about two months as it crosses the bridge over the North Fork Kentucky River at Viper, Kentucky in May 1979  -Jay Thompson	Northbound SECX train meeting a southbound L&N train. Note the L&N conductor standing on the rear platform of the caboose and watching the green Geeps rumble past, May 79 -Jay Thompson	GP38-2 3822-Brand new units at Calla, KY, May 1979 -Darrell Land photo (Stuart Thayer Collection)
Here in April 1979, SECX GP20 2003, still looking newly painted, sits in the siding at Crawford, KY. Note the blue Conrail caboose almost out of sight on the right. 2003 is hauling brand new GP38-2s 3821, 3823 & 3822 in after taking delivery of them -Jay Thompson	A month after taking delivery of them from Precision National, these three ex-Union Pacific Geeps still look sharp in their green paint, as yet unmarred by smoke, coal dust and road grime. Here, 2003, 2002 & 2001 pull a string of loads northbound through Ecco, KY, Apr 1979 -Jay Thompson	In April of 1979, GP20s (GP21s) 2003, 2003 and 2001 were bringing a string of cars into Hazard, KY, passing by the old depot wihle low clouds clung to the tops of the mountains in the background -Jay Thompson
The very month they were acquired from Precision National, the first two South East Coal Company "GP21"s lead a northbound train into Hazard, KY, Mar 79 -Jay Thompson	Here, in March 1979, is S2 #400 (ex-AC&Y 187, N&W 2038, NKP 38) working the coal loader at Belcraft, KY -Jay Thompson	The first two South East Coal Company "GP21"s lead a northbound into Hazard, KY in March of 1979. -Jay Thompson

Roster Shots

South East Coal Company, a unit of Tepee Coal, owned and operated their own locomotives, including old ALCo switchers, second-hand GP20s and newly bought GP38-2s, Polly, KY, Mar 79 -Jay Thompson	Here in March of 1979, ALCo S2 #100 smokes it up as she shoves a line of green coals cars through the loader at the Polly, Kentucky mine -Jay Thompson	S-2 100 in Aug 84 -Stuart Thayer photo
Tipple swithcher, S-2 #200 at Premium, KY. Aug 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	One of SECX's switchers, S-2 #300, working at Calla, KY. Jul 86 -Stuart Thayer photo	SECX S2 #500 idles at the Belcraft, KY coal loading facility in July of 1979 -Jay Thompson
S-2 500, Tipple switcher at Southeast Coal Company tipple at Belcraft, KY. Aug 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo	All but one of the SECX GP20s on the line at Calla, KY in Aug 1986 -Stu Thayer photo	GP20 2002 -Stu Thayer photo
Here, GP20 (GP21) 2002 sits in a siding with 2004 while an L&N train passes by in Dent, KY June 1979 -Jay Thompson	GP20 2004 -Stu Thayer photo	With fresh paint still almost looking wet, SECX GP20 (GP21) 2004 arrives in the Eastern Kentucky coal country from Precision National, where she was rebuilt from ex-Union Pacific GP20 471, Dent, KY, Jun 79 -Jay Thompson
GP20 2004 in Jul 1984 -Stuart Thayer photo	GP20 2005 -Stu Thayer photo	GP20 2005 under Central Avenue in Louisville, KY. Sep 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo
GP20 2006 -Stu Thayer photo	GP20 2006 helps pull SECX loads northbound at Hazard, KY Aug 1984 -Stuart Thayer photo	Still clean and nearly-new, GP38-2 3821 leads 3823 at Viper, Kentucky on May 9, 1979 -Jay Thompson
GP38-2 3821 at Hazard, KY Jul 1986 -Stuart Thayer photo	GP38-2 3823-Northbound SECX train doing a crew change at Hazard, KY, Aug 1984 -Stuart Thayer photo	3822 rolls under Central Avenue in Louisville, KY. Aug 1985 -Stuart Thayer photo

Equipment

SECX, ex-MOPAC, cabs at Calla, KY. Jul 86 -Stuart Thayer photo

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