The Eastern United States offers some of the best scenery in the country, and some of the most demanding for the railways. They must traverse treacherous mountain grades, making each trip a challenge to the crew and the equipment. Since the early days of rail transportation, the railways have used the latest steam and diesel locomotives to move freight and passengers over this topography. The trains of today haul an incredible amount of tonnage across this terrain and the modern motive power in use is up to the task. Contemporary engines built by EMD and GE with up to 4,000 hp per unit are used to haul unit coal, intermodal and general freight across these routes.

Focusing primarily on the Norfolk Southern Railway, photographer Christopher Esposito looks at these great modern machines as they navigate through some of the most iconic locations on the railways of the Eastern United States.