Infrared photograph of BNSF 5743 and 8363 as they head up a 7,600ft military train on August 11th, 2021, as it passes through Pembroke, Kentucky, with CSX W844-03. This was a third military move heading north to Hopkinsville, KY this week. At Hopkinsville they backed the train onto the Ft. Campbell wye where Ft. Campbell rail took it on the rest of the way to the base.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600mm @400mm, f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 200.
The DPU end of Paducah and Louisville Railway Louisville Gas and Electric loaded coal train brings up the rear as it heads north past Pond Rivers siding on October 25th, 2021, with the entire train in view from this drone viewpoint on a stormy fall afternoon, east of Madisonville, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.
In this infrared photo we find Evansville Western Railway 4517, 4519 and 6002 as they sit tied down at the entrance of the Mt. Vernon Transfer Terminal, while they wait for their next assignment at Mt. Vernon, Indiana. There wasn’t a coal train in the transloading facility so the only thing I can figure is they were waiting to pick up cars at the Port of Indiana.
According the EVWR website: The Mt. Vernon Transfer Terminal is a coal-loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana. Coal is delivered to Mt. Vernon by both rail and truck. The terminal has a capacity of 8 million tons per year with existing ground storage. Mt. Vernon is capable of receiving and unloading 105-car unit trains of coal via EVWR (with direct connections to the majority of Class I railroads) that can transfer to ground storage and/or direct to barge(s).
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 400, October 13th, 2021.
X marks the spot! I keep returning to this location known as Monarch, where the CSX Henderson Subdivision passes under the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Madisonville, KY, as someday I’ll catch a train on both lines at the same time! It’s just a matter of patience, determination, and a lot of luck! It hasn’t happened yet, but it will!
Here we find Paducah and Louisville Railway’s (PAL) Louisville Gas and Electric loaded coal train as it heads north with PAL 2013, University of Louisville locomotive leading the way, on October 25th, 2021, passing over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Arklow, as the fall color begins to show in the trees.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 100.
The fall harvests have started moving south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as with many other railroads around the country. Here I caught CSX G390 as the late evening light rakes across the landscape with a Grain Express unit train, headed up by CSXT 5213, 3021 and 9010 as they approach Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Kentucky, on October 13th, 2021.
To the right is the cutoff track that bypasses downtown Earlington and Madisonville, Ky allowing dispatch to run trains past each other, and the grain train is on the mainline that goes through the towns. In the past there has been movements to double-track the cutoff and pull up the track in the two towns for a rails to trails, but the money for such an venture has never been raised.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 130.
Indiana Southern Railroad (ISRR) 3371, 3388, 3372 and 3387, lead an empty coal train north at Washington Township, Indiana, as the crew takes the train to Elnora, IN where they tied it down for the Indiana Railroad (INRD) to pick up. The INRD crew will then take the train on their railroad to Bear Run Mine at Dugger, IN for another load of coal for the Petersburg Generating Station at Petersburg, IN.
According to Wikipedia: The Indiana Southern Railroad (reporting mark ISRR) is a short line or Class III railroad operating in the United States state of Indiana. It began operations in 1992 as a RailTex property and was acquired by RailAmerica in 2000. RailAmerica was itself acquired by Genesee & Wyoming in December 2012. They operate 186 miles of track from Indianapolis to Evansville, Indiana.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 500mm, f/6.3, 1/640, ISO 400.
Paducah and Louisville Railway 4518 leads a southbound load of coal over the Tradewater River at Dawson Springs, Kentucky, with a splash of fall color beginning to show in the surrounding trees.
According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky. The line is located entirely within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The 270-mile line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August of 1986.
The 270-mile (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986 and the 223-mile (359 km) main route runs between Paducah and Louisville, with branch lines from Paducah to Kevil and Mayfield, Kentucky, and another from Cecilia to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The PAL interchanges with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad, in Paducah
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/730, ISO 100.
CSXT 3398 leads CSX 513 as it passes windmill parts train W986 tied down in the siding at Hanson, Kentucky, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision, with a 10,980-foot train, as the fall colors begin to show in the landscape on October 21st, 2021.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern 167 passes through downtown Oakland City, Indiana as it crosses over the Indiana Southern line at the diamond, on its way east along the NS Southern East District with five locomotives and NS 4452 leading the charge on October 9th, 2021!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
It’s that time of the year when the fall harvests begin moving south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as with many other railroads around the country. Here I caught CSX G390, a Grain Express unit train, headed up by CSXT 5213, 3021 and 9010, as they head south up the viaduct to the Ohio River between Rahm, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky, on October 13th, 2021.
During the rainy season these fields fill up with the overflow from the Ohio River, which is the reason this viaduct was built by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 110.
Indiana Southern Railroad (ISRR) 3371, 3388, 3372 and 3387, lead an empty coal train north, past Kent Grain in Plainville, Indiana on October 9th, 2021. The crew will take the train to Elnora, IN where they tie it down for the Indiana Railroad (INRD) to pick up. The INRD crew will then take the train on their railroad to Bear Run Mine near Dugger, IN for another load of coal for the Petersburg Generating Station at Petersburg, IN.
According to Wikipedia: The Indiana Southern Railroad (reporting mark ISRR) is a short line or Class III railroad operating in the United States state of Indiana. It began operations in 1992 as a RailTex property and was acquired by RailAmerica in 2000. RailAmerica was itself acquired by Genesee & Wyoming in December 2012. They operate 186 miles of track from Indianapolis to Evansville, Indiana.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/4000, ISO 100.
CSX W989 with Union Pacific 2603 leading a brand new Brightline Inter-City Trainset, passes a northbound empty coal train at Robards, Kentucky, as it heads south as on the Henderson Subdivision to Florida on October 8th, 2021.
According to Wikipedia: Brightline is a privately run inter-city rail route between Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida. Brightline began operating over its current route in January 2018 and the company is currently building an extension to the Orlando International Airport which is expected to enter service in 2022.
As of August 2020, it is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. The line was developed starting in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries, a Florida real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group. Construction began in November 2014 on stations and improvements to tracks owned by the Florida East Coast Railway, which at the start of construction, was also owned by Fortress (it was sold in January 2018).
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
Fellow railfans Cooper Smith, Ryan Scott and I spent about 5 hours railfanning southern Indiana on October 9th, 2021, were we caught 5 different railroads operating in the area! We caught RJ Corman, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Indiana Southern and Ryan caught BNSF for his sixth railroad after we parted company. A great day of railfanning!
Here we find Norfolk Southern 167 as it begins its slow roll at East Douglas as it departs from Princeton, Indiana on the NS Southern West District, through the partially harvested farm fields.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Fellow railfans Cooper Smith, Ryan Scott and I spent about 5 hours railfanning southern Indiana on October 9th, 2021 and were fortunate enough to catch 5 different railroads operating in the area! We caught RJ Corman, Canadian Pacific, (Cooper and I), CSX, Norfolk Southern, Indiana Southern and Ryan caught BNSF for a sixth railroad after we parted company. A great day of railfanning!
Here we find Canadian Pacific Railway 8637 passing the Virtual Railfan Cameras at the restored CE&I and L&N Depot in Princeton, Indiana as it leads CSX K442 north on the CSX CE&D Subdivision.
According to The Gibson County Website: Constructed in 1875 and beautifully restored, the Princeton Depot is the only remaining depot structure in Gibson County. Once housing the C&EI and L&N railways, it was the lifeline of commerce and transportation for the county. Passenger service was discontinued from the depot in late 1960. Today the depot stands as a nostalgic reminder of the importance railroads have played in Gibson Countys history.
The Princeton Train Depot is now home to the Gibson County Visitors Center and features a railway museum with a restored train caboose.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 200.
On October 13th, 2021, I spent most of the day trackside with Virtual Railfan Moderator UP Dave, (David Siteman) showing him around some of my favorite spots in Western Kentucky and southern Indiana. We both had a great day trackside, and it was finally great to meet him in person! If youre not already a member, check out Virtual Railfan Live and Virtual Railfan Lounge here on Facebook!
Here we find CSXT 5110 as it leads empty coal train CSX E300-12, a Stilesboro, GA (Plant Bowen) to Effingham, IL (CN) train, across the Ohio River bridge from Henderson, KY on the way north to Evansville, IN on the Henderson Subdivision. This bridge was originally built by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and was intended to be double tracked eventually, but it never happened.
According to Wikipedia: The Bridge spans the Ohio River between Henderson, Kentucky and Vanderburgh County, Indiana. The bridge is owned by the CSX Transportation.
The original bridge was constructed in 1884 to 1885 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad at a cost of $2,000,000. The single-tracked bridge was approximately 3,686 feet (1,123 m) long, and its longest span, at 525 feet (160 m), was reputed to be the longest trestle span in the world at that time. The bridge ran from the northern edge of Main Street in Henderson to the low water mark on the Indiana side, resting on 15 stone piers. It was designed to carry two 118,000-pound (54,000 kg) engines followed by 60,000-pound (27,000 kg) coal tenders, and its maximum uniform load capacity was 2,500 pounds per foot (3,700 kg/m). A crowd of 8,000 watched the first train cross the bridge on July 13, 1885.
Prior to the opening of the bridge, railroad passengers and freight had to be transferred to a ferry for the river crossing. The bridge reduced the travel time by several hours.
By 1930 the volume and weight of train traffic were taxing the capabilities of the original bridge. Construction of a new bridge just upstream of the old one began in May 1931. The new bridge, costing over $3,000,000, opened on December 31, 1932. Including its approaches, It is 12,123 feet (3,695 m) long, and its span over the main channel is 648 feet (198 m) long. The demolition of the old bridge, using dynamite, was completed on December 11, 1933.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.
A farmer works on transferring corn to his truck as he works on his fall harvest while CSX Q648 begins the descent off the viaduct from the bridge over the Ohio River that connects Henderson, KY and Rahm, IN, as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on October 13th, 2021.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 with a 1.4x Teleconverter @ 850mm, f/9, 1/1250, ISO 1100.
CSX W989 with Union Pacific 2603 leading snakes through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky with a brand new Brightline inter-city Trainset as it heads south as on the Henderson Subdivision to Florida on October 8th, 2021.
According to Wikipedia: Brightline is a privately run inter-city rail route between Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida. Brightline began operating over its current route in January 2018 and the company is currently building an extension to the Orlando International Airport which is expected to enter service in 2022.
As of August 2020, it is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. The line was developed starting in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries, a Florida real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group. Construction began in November 2014 on stations and improvements to tracks owned by the Florida East Coast Railway, which at the start of construction, was also owned by Fortress (it was sold in January 2018).
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
The second railroad I caught while spending 5 hours railfanning in southern Indiana on October 9th, 2021, was RJ Corman 3478 as it backed a string of autoracks back to the Toyota Plant just before sunrise at Princeton, Indiana.
According to Wikipedia: R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a privately owned railroad services and short line operating company headquartered in Nicholasville, KY, with field locations in 23 states. It was owned by Richard J. Corman, who established the company in 1973, and ran it until his death on August 23, 2013. The company owns eleven short-line railroads spanning Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
The company serves all seven Class I railroads, many regional and short line railroads as well as various rail-served industries. These operations encompass an array of services, including railroad construction, short line railroad operations, dispatch, industrial switching services, emergency response, track material logistics, distribution centers, signal design and construction, building eco-friendly locomotives, railroad worker training and an excursion dinner train.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 550mm, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO 1000.
Fellow railfans Cooper Smith, Ryan Scott and I spent about 5 hours railfanning southern Indiana on October 9th, 2021 and were fortunate enough to catch 5 different railroads operating in the area! We caught RJ Corman, Canadian Pacific, (Cooper and I), CSX, Norfolk Southern, Indiana Southern and Ryan caught BNSF for his fifth railroad. A great day of railfanning!
Here we find Indiana Southern Railroad (ISRR) 3371, 3388, 3372 and 3387, as they lead an empty coal train north, past Thomas Siding at Washington Township, Indiana, as the crew takes the train to Elnora, IN where they tied it down for the Indiana Railroad (INRD) to pick up. The INRD crew will then take the train on their railroad to Bear Run Mine at Carlisle, IN for another load of coal for the Petersburg Generating Station at Petersburg, IN.
According to Wikipedia: The Indiana Southern Railroad (reporting mark ISRR) is a short line or Class III railroad operating in the United States state of Indiana. It began operations in 1992 as a RailTex property and was acquired by RailAmerica in 2000. RailAmerica was itself acquired by Genesee & Wyoming in December 2012. They operate 186 miles of track from Indianapolis to Evansville, Indiana.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/4000, ISO 110.
Union Pacific 2603 leads a brand new Brightline inter-city Trainset as it heads south as CSX W989 on the Henderson Subdivision at John Rivers Road Crossing at CSX Casky yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky as it heads south to Florida on October 8th, 2021.
According to Wikipedia: “Brightline is a privately run inter-city rail route between Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida. Brightline began operating over its current route in January 2018 and the company is currently building an extension to the Orlando International Airport which is expected to enter service in 2022.
As of August 2020, it is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. The line was developed starting in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries, a Florida real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group. Construction began in November 2014 on stations and improvements to tracks owned by the Florida East Coast Railway, which at the start of construction, was also owned by Fortress (it was sold in January 2018).”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Union Pacific 2603 leads a brand new Brightline inter-city Trainset as it heads south as CSX W989 on the Henderson Subdivision at CSX Casky yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on its way south to Florida on October 8th, 2021.
According to Wikipedia: “Brightline is a privately run inter-city rail route between Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida. Brightline began operating over its current route in January 2018 and the company is currently building an extension to the Orlando International Airport which is expected to enter service in 2022.
As of August 2020, it is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. The line was developed starting in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries, a Florida real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group. Construction began in November 2014 on stations and improvements to tracks owned by the Florida East Coast Railway, which at the start of construction, was also owned by Fortress (it was sold in January 2018).
In late 2018, it was announced that Virgin Group would become a minority investor in the railroad and would provide rights to rebrand the service as Virgin Trains USA. In August 2020 they reverted to the Brightline name, ending the branding deal, claiming that Virgin had not provided the agreed investment money.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.