Santa Fe 5262 heads through the Tehachapi Mountains with a mixed freight on their way west along the UP Mojave Subdivision, California, in April of 1995. According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Mountains are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States. The range extends for approximately 40 miles in southern Kern County and northwestern Los Angeles County and form part of the boundary between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Subdivision refers to a series of railway lines in California. The primary route crosses the Tehachapi Pass and features the Tehachapi Loop, connecting Bakersfield to the Mojave Desert. East of Mojave, the line splits with the Union Pacific Railroad portion continuing south to Palmdale and Colton over the Cajon Pass and the BNSF Railway owned segment running east to Barstow. Both companies generally share trackage rights across the lines. Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

Santa Fe 5262 heads through the Tehachapi Mountains in northern California

Santa Fe 5262 heads through the Tehachapi Mountains with a mixed freight on their way west along the UP Mojave Subdivision, California, in April of 1995.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Mountains are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States. The range extends for approximately 40 miles in southern Kern County and northwestern Los Angeles County and form part of the boundary between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert.

The Mojave Subdivision refers to a series of railway lines in California. The primary route crosses the Tehachapi Pass and features the Tehachapi Loop, connecting Bakersfield to the Mojave Desert. East of Mojave, the line splits with the Union Pacific Railroad portion continuing south to Palmdale and Colton over the Cajon Pass and the BNSF Railway owned segment running east to Barstow. Both companies generally share trackage rights across the lines.

Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

Santa Fe 4035 passes through tunnel 9 under their train above in the Tehachapi Loop as they begin to pull through the loop on their way west on the UP Mojave Subdivision in April of 1995. According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert. Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield, CA. The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak's San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508. Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens at 300mm, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

Santa Fe 4035 passes through tunnel 9 under their train above in the Tehachapi Loop…

Santa Fe 4035 passes through tunnel 9 under their train above in the Tehachapi Loop as they begin to pull through the loop on their way west on the UP Mojave Subdivision in April of 1995.

According to Wikipedia: The Tehachapi Loop is a 3,779-foot-long (0.72 mi; 1.15 km) spiral, or helix, on the Union Pacific Railroad Mojave Subdivision through Tehachapi Pass, of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County, south-central California. The line connects Bakersfield and the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Mojave Desert.

Rising at a steady two-percent grade, the track gains 77 feet (23 m) in elevation and makes a 1,210-foot-diameter (370 m) circle. Any train that is more than 3,800 feet (1,200 m) long—about 56 boxcars—passes over itself going around the loop. At the bottom of the loop, the track passes through Tunnel 9, the ninth tunnel built as the railroad was extended from Bakersfield, CA.

The line averages about 36 freight trains each day. Passenger trains such as Amtrak’s San Joaquin are banned from the loop, although the Coast Starlight can use it as a detour. Its frequent trains and scenic setting make the Tehachapi Loop popular with railfans. In 1998, it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It is also designated as California Historical Landmark #508.

Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens at 300mm, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois approaching the Side Street overpass. Tech Info: Fuji XT1 converted to 720nm, Nikon 10-24 @ 16mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer # infraredtrains #infraredphotography #BNSFtrains #mavic3classic #drones #trainsfromtheair #trainsfromadrone #GorevilleIL #coaltrain #BNSF #southernillinoistrains

Saturday Infrared of BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train heads north on April 21st, 2023 at Goreville, IL

Saturday Infrared photo of An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois approaching the Side Street overpass.

Tech Info: Fuji XT1 converted to 720nm, Nikon 10-24 @ 16mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400.

An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train passes over the bridge next to the Southern Illinois Stone Company as it heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois, under stormy skies. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/240 sec, ISO 120. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #BNSFtrains #mavic3classic #drones #trainsfromtheair #trainsfromadrone #GorevilleIL #coaltrain #BNSF #southernillinoistrains

BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train at Goreville, Illinois

An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train passes over the bridge next to the Southern Illinois Stone Company as it heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois, under stormy skies.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/240 sec, ISO 120.

Night work at Metropolis, Illinois HLCX lease unit 1058 heads up a BNSF local as it sits on the main in front of the Honeywell plant at Metropolis, Illinois waiting for a new crew to take over their train before continuing its night move north on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, 1/15, ISO 2000.

BNSF Night work at Metropolis, Illinois

HLCX lease unit 1058 heads up a BNSF local as it sits on the main in front of the Honeywell plant at Metropolis, Illinois waiting for a new crew to take over their train before continuing its night move north on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, 1/15, ISO 2000.

May 1, 2005 - Blast From The Past - BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois on BNSF's Beardstown Subdivision as it crosses over the Illinois Subdivision. From what I gather from the web, CSX closed the Illinois Subdivision through here at one point and used it for car storage, but then I find references to the line being used now by The Prairie Line, a shortline out of O'Fallon, IL (I'm now told the shortline hasn't materialized yet). BNSF still owns and uses the Bardstown Sub. I'm also told that the diamond was removed in 2019, at least temporarily. In the past this tower controlled the movements of trains on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad along with the B&O Railroad. It was closed sometime in the 1980's and from what I can find on the web it was torn down in late 2014. I've also found reports where it was bought by a collector and moved. Whichever is correct, this picture isn't to be replicated again today since the tower is now gone. If you'd like to read a great piece on the tower, check out this article on The Trackside Photographer by Tom Gatermann, who visited the tower the same year as me. http://thetracksidephotographer.com/tag/shattuc-tower/ Photograph the towers when and where you can as they continue to disappear from the railroad landscape.

BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois

May 1, 2005 – Blast From The Past – BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois on BNSF’s Beardstown Subdivision as it crosses over the Illinois Subdivision.

From what I gather from the web, CSX closed the Illinois Subdivision through here at one point and used it for car storage, but then I find references to the line being used now by The Prairie Line, a shortline out of O’Fallon, IL (I’m now told the shortline hasn’t materialized yet). BNSF still owns and uses the Bardstown Sub. I’m also told that the diamond was removed in 2019, at least temporarily.

In the past this tower controlled the movements of trains on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad along with the B&O Railroad. It was closed sometime in the 1980’s and from what I can find on the web it was torn down in late 2014. I’ve also found reports where it was bought by a collector and moved. Whichever is correct, this picture isn’t to be replicated again today since the tower is now gone.

If you’d like to read a great piece on the tower, check out this article on The Trackside Photographer by Tom Gatermann, who visited the tower the same year as me.

http://thetracksidephotographer.com/tag/shattuc-tower/

Photograph the towers when and where you can as they continue to disappear from the railroad landscape.

WEB-04.27.19 BNSF 9690 Coal Train WB at Centraila, IL

BNSF 5690 leads a westbound coal train…

April 27, 2019 – BNSF 5690 leads a westbound coal train as it passes through the junction at Centralia, Illinois on the Beardstown Subdivision. Another big shoutout to fellow railfan Brodie Jaimz Schwartz for all the help today!! – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #bnsfrailway #bnsf