The Rio Grande of the East

The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad is considered the “Rio Grande of the East.” It gets this moniker for several reasons.

CEO Larry Parsons worked for the Rio Grande and when he came to the Wheeling he adopted a paint scheme similar to that of the Rio Grande.

Also the territory, especially the east end of the railroad, is very rugged with many tunnels and high steel bridges.

Last Saturday I caught Wheeling train 218 as it exited State Line tunnel on the border of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Engine 301 is a GP40 that is a former Rio Grande engine acquired secondhand by the Wheeling.

Article and Photograph by Todd Dillon

Tags: Larry Parsons, Railfanning the Wheeling & Lake Erie, railroad tunnels, State Line Tunnel, Todd Dillon photography, W&LE locomotives, W&LE motive power, Wheeling & Lake Erie, Wheeling & Lake Erie locomotives, Wheeling & Lake Erie motive power