October 21st, 2023 – Episode 42 – Saturday Edited Video by Jim Pearson Photography

This week’s rail action is a lot of different power and railroads around Tolono, Illinois on the CN Champaign Subdivision and the NS Lafayette District. At this busy location we see Illinois Central, BNSF, CN and Amtrak power! Enjoy and please Like! Share and Subscribe! Thanks for watching!

Amtrak 144 and 14 pass through Santa Fe Junction as it heads for Union Station in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on June 30th, 2022, from Chicago, Illinois.

Santa Fe Junction sees on average over 100 trains a day and it hosts the double decked railroad (ATSF Double Deck Railroad) bridge that crosses the Kansas River into Missouri, a triple crossing in addition to Tower 3, which is used by maintenance of way these days. The junction is partly in Missouri and Kansas and sees BNSF, UP, KCT, Amtrak, KCS, NS and CP traffic, from what I saw during my visit.

The tracks through the junction have been reduced or changed around over the years, but the area remains one of KC’s Busiest locations.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1500, ISO 110.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography

Amtrak 144 and 14 pass through Santa Fe Junction as it heads for Union Station in downtown Kansas City, Missouri

Amtrak 144 and 14 pass through Santa Fe Junction as it heads for Union Station in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on June 30th, 2022, on its way to Chicago, Illinois.

Santa Fe Junction sees on average over 100 trains a day and it hosts the double decked railroad (ATSF Double Deck Railroad) bridge that crosses the Kansas River into Missouri, a triple crossing in addition to Tower 3, which is used by maintenance of way these days. The junction is partly in Missouri and Kansas and sees BNSF, UP, KCT, Amtrak, KCS, NS and CP traffic, from what I saw during my visit.

The tracks through the junction have been reduced or changed around over the years, but the area remains one of KC’s Busiest locations.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1500, ISO 110.

Amtrak 4632 leads train 313, Missouri River Runner, as pulls west to Kansas City, MO, out of the 12th Street Yard on the TRRA Merchants Subdivision after departing the Gateway Transportation Center in downtown St. Louis Missouri on May 21st, 2022. On the right we have a Union Pacific intermodal snaking its way east on the UP Jefferson City Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: The Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center, also known as Gateway Station, is a rail and bus terminal station in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Opened in 2008 and operating 24 hours a day, it serves Amtrak trains and Greyhound and Burlington Trailways interstate buses. Missouri's largest rail transportation station.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 18-300 @ 50mm, f/4.8, 1/500, ISO 1400.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer

Amtrak 4632 leads train 313, Missouri River Runner at St. Louis, MO

Amtrak 4632 leads train 313, Missouri River Runner, as pulls west to Kansas City, MO, out of the 12th Street Yard on the TRRA Merchants Subdivision after departing the Gateway Transportation Center in downtown St. Louis Missouri on May 21st, 2022. On the right we have a Union Pacific intermodal snaking its way east on the UP Jefferson City Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: The Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center, also known as Gateway Station, is a rail and bus terminal station in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Opened in 2008 and operating 24 hours a day, it serves Amtrak trains and Greyhound and Burlington Trailways interstate buses. Missouri’s largest rail transportation station.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 18-300 @ 50mm, f/4.8, 1/500, ISO 1400.

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond as it heads south on the CN Centralia Subdivision at Ashley, Illinois on December 29th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: Ashley is a city in Washington County, Illinois, United States, and was named after Colonel L. W. Ashley, a railroad division engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 130.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond at Ashley, IL

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond as it heads south on the CN Centralia Subdivision at Ashley, Illinois on December 29th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: Ashley is a city in Washington County, Illinois, United States, and was named after Colonel L. W. Ashley, a railroad division engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 130.

Amtrak 393 pulls into the old Illinois Central Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois

Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4623 leading the Wednesday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois bathed in Infrared light on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s.

During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures.

The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400

Amtrak 393 pulls into the old Illinois Central Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois

Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4623 leading the Wednesday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois bathed in Infrared light on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s.

During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures.

The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400

AMTRAK 390 heads north across the diamond at Tuscola, IL

AMTRAK Siemens Charger SC-44, IDTX 4617, a morning commuter train, passes over the Decatur & Eastern Illinois, Union Pacific and Canadian National diamond at Tuscola, Illinois, as it leads northbound train 390, The Saluki, to Chicago on July 21st, 2021, on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

AMTRAK 390 heads north across the diamond at Tuscola, IL

AMTRAK Siemens Charger SC-44, IDTX 4617, a morning commuter train, passes over the Decatur & Eastern Illinois, Union Pacific and Canadian National diamond at Tuscola, Illinois, as it leads northbound train 390, The Saluki, to Chicago on July 21st, 2021, on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

August 29, 2020 - Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4624 leading the Sunday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois as the last bit of sunlight lights up the scene. According to the Amtrak App the train was running out of Chicago at 44% capacity during this COVID-19 days.

According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s.

During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures. 

The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently as this is on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Fuji 18-55mm @ 18mm, f/8, 1/180, ISO 800.

Amtrak 393 pulls into the old Illinois Central Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois

August 29, 2020 – Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4624 leading the Sunday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois as the last bit of sunlight lights up the scene. According to the Amtrak App the train was running out of Chicago at 44% capacity during this COVID-19 days.


According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s.


During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures.

The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently as this is on the CN Champaign Subdivision.


Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Fuji 18-55mm @ 18mm, f/8, 1/180, ISO 800.

November 21, 2018 - Arriving just over 3 hours late due to mechanical problems in Chicago, Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes a northbound CN freight at the coaling towers in Carbondale, Illinois as the last light of the day fades from the sky on the Centrailia Subdivision. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cn #cnrailway

November 21, 2018 – Arriving just over 3 hours late…

November 21, 2018 – Arriving just over 3 hours late due to mechanical problems in Chicago, Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes a northbound CN freight at the coaling towers in Carbondale, Illinois as the last light of the day fades from the sky on the Centrailia Subdivision. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cn #cnrailway

November 24, 2018 - Amtrak 390, the Saluki, pulls north in the early morning sun as it begins its run to Chicago from Carbondale, Illinois on CN's Centralia Subdivision. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cnrailway

November 24, 2018 – Amtrak 390, the Saluki, pulls north…

November 24, 2018 – Amtrak 390, the Saluki, pulls north in the early morning sun as it begins its run to Chicago from Carbondale, Illinois on CN’s Centralia Subdivision. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrainNovember 24, 2018 – Amtrak 390, the Saluki, pulls north in the early morning sun as it begins its run to Chicago from Carbondale, Illinois on CN’s Centralia Subdivision. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cnrailways #cnrailway

November 21, 2018 - Arriving just over 3 hours late due to mechanical problems in Chicago, Amtrak 391, the Saluki, meets a northbound CN freight at the coaling towers in Carbondale, Illinois as the last light of the day fades from the sky on the Centrailia Subdivision. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cn #cnrailway

November 21, 2018 – Arriving just over 3 hours late due to…

November 21, 2018 – Arriving just over 3 hours late due to mechanical problems in Chicago, Amtrak 391, the Saluki, meets a northbound CN freight at the coaling towers in Carbondale, Illinois as the last light of the day fades from the sky on the Centrailia Subdivision.  #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains #cn#cnrailway

October 29, 2018 - Amtrak 390, the Illini, crosses over the Muddy River bridge as it starts it's early morning journey north to Chicago from Carbondale, Illinois on CN's Centralia Subdivision. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cn #amtrak #passengertrain

October 29, 2018 – Amtrak 390, the Illini, crosses over the Muddy River bridge…

October 29, 2018 – Amtrak 390, the Illini, crosses over the Muddy River bridge as it starts it’s early morning journey north to Chicago from Carbondale, Illinois on CN’s Centralia Subdivision. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cn #amtrak #passengertrain

October 26, 2018 - Amtrak 391, the Saluki from Chicago, Illinois, heads into it's final station stop at Carbondale, Illinois on the CN Centrailia Subdivision, after passing the coaling towers that were built for the then Illinois Central Railroad in 1949. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #saluki #carbondale

October 26, 2018 – Amtrak 391, the Saluki from Chicago, Illinois…

October 26, 2018 – Amtrak 391, the Saluki from Chicago, Illinois, heads into it’s final station stop at Carbondale, Illinois on the CN Centrailia Subdivision, after passing the coaling towers that were built for the then Illinois Central Railroad in 1949. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #saluki #carbondale

May 17, 2018 – Amtrak’s 391 Saluki stops short of the diamond at Effingham, Illinois

May 17, 2018 – Amtrak’s 391 Saluki stops short of the diamond at Effingham, Illinois as it drops off a couple of passengers before continuing its trip south to Carbondale, Illinois. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrains

March 21, 2018 – The conductor on Amtrak 390…

March 21, 2018 – The conductor on Amtrak 390 prepares to throw/check the switch to move the north bound Saluki onto the track next to the platform at Carbondale, Illinois to pickup it’s first passengers for the trip to Chicago. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrain

Amtrak 391 Conductor at Carbondale, IL

February 24, 2018 – The rain pours from the sky as the conductor from Amtrak 391, The Saluki, stands beside his train at Carbondale, Illinois after arriving from Chicago via the CN Centralia Subdivision. One of the hardest things about shooting in the rain or other bad weather is just getting out the door! Many times it’s really worth it though! I always keep a golf umbrella in my SUV for times like this!

October 1, 2015 – Norfolk Southern’s 9571 heads up the American Association of Private Railway Car Owners passenger train special…

October 1, 2015 – Norfolk Southern’s 9571 heads up the American Association of Private Railway Car Owners passenger train special with AMTRAK engines 156 and 154, as it heads west through Hatfield Junction just east of Oakland City, Indiana. The train left Louisville on the former Southern Railway’s St. Louis line and crossed the Ohio River, traveling through scenic southern Indiana and Illinois arriving at their convention destination in St. Louis, Missouri. – Tech Info: 1/400sec | f/5 | ISO 320 | Lens: Sigma 24-70 @ 32mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.