CSX K870-12 approaches J. Knight Road crossing between Crofton and Kelly, Kentucky as CP 9364 and CEFX 1002 head a 8,500ft loaded potash “Test” train south on the Henderson Subdivision. CN has been running these potash trains for awhile and I’m told this is a test train from CP to look at the feasibility of doing the same on a regular basis on CSX. The train also had CP 8135 and 9739 as mid-train DPU units.

According to Wikipedia: Potash includes various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. The name derives from pot ash, which refers to plant ashes or wood ash soaked in water in a pot, which was the primary means of manufacturing the product before the Industrial Era. The word “potassium” is derived from “potash”.

Potash is produced worldwide in amounts exceeding 90 million tons per year, mostly for use in fertilizer. Various kinds of fertilizer-potash constitute the single greatest industrial use of the element potassium in the world. Potassium was first derived in 1807 by electrolysis of caustic potash (potassium hydroxide).

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @32mm f/10, 1/640, ISO 320.