CSXT 3184 peeks over the top of empty coal hoppers as it sits on track 2 approaching the New Salem Church Loop overpass at Nortonville, Kentucky. We’re on the Henderson Subdivision on January 30th, 2021, as the train waits for a couple south bounds to pass.

Shooting with long lenses at this focal length (600mm) can be a challenge most of the time, but not difficult! For me, I find that using the lens on a good sturdy monopod (I use a manfroto) and turning off the VR when doing so goes a long way in helping with sharpness. Also, keeping your shutterspeed to at least twice your focal length helps getting sharp images and also paying close attention to your focus.

In my case, I normally pre-focus where I want to shoot the picture and wait for the train to arrive there. This allows me to also make sure that my focus is good as at 600mm as sometimes the autofocus has to work hard to focus on the spot I want sharp. When this happens I get it close using the AF and then manually turn my focus ring to get it sharp and then wait for the subject arrives at that point.

This all works best if you use your focus lock or back focus button. Otherwise if you have your focus set to your front shutter button, when you press the shutter button it’ll try to refocus and you may miss the shot you want.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1250, ISO 1250.

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I was pleasantly surprised when the loaded coal train made it’s way past the empties at Nortonville, Ky as I was expecting a different train all together to come around the hill as I was prepared for a ethanol train to pass the empty coal train here. Somehow the loaded coal train snuck in front of him at Mortons Junction, just a few miles up the line.

I could actually hear the difference between the empty and loaded coal trains as they both snaked their way trough the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky with their wheel flanges squealing away. The empties had a hollow sound of course and the loads being pulled by CSXT 3157 had a smoother sound as 3157 and it’s trailing unit #29 were pulling hard, even through there’s a relatively level grade, here on the Henderson Subdivision on January 30th, 2021.

This is a prime example of why I love long lenses, like my Sigma 150-600mm which was used for this shot! There’s no other way to get this shot, with the compression and in your face type of photography. It really adds impact to the image and allows an image that you just can’t get without a long lens! When out shooting your pictures always look for unique and different angles and shots to help add impact to your pictures!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 360mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 820.

On New Years Day, January 1st, 2021, CSX loaded coal train N307 pulls upgrade from the north end of Robards, Kentucky as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision with CSXT 969 leading the way.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @550mm, f/8.5, 1/500, ISO 640.

N015 Evansville, IN (EVWR) – Palatka, FL

CSX loaded coal train N015 weaves its way through the countryside as the late evening like rakes across the tops of trees as it heads south through Nortonville, Kentucky on November 12th, 2020 on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

E303 – Stilesboro, GA – Evansville, IN (EVWR)

CSXT 3062 passes under the North Main Street overpass on November 5th, 2020, with empty coal train E303, as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky as it heads to Evansville, Indiana. There the Evansville Western Railway will pick-up the empty train and load it at Sugar Camp Mine (Akin, IL).

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.