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.
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.
CSXT 3194 (Spirit of our Law Enforcement) unit leads CSX Q125 (Pigeon Park – Memphis, TN to Southover Yard – East Savannah, GA) out of the north end of New Johnsonville, Tennessee as it heads north toward Nashville, Tennessee on June 5th, 2021 on the Bruceton Subdivision, where it will then head south to East Savannah, GA.
It is one of three-specialty painted locomotives CSXT has done and the only one I hadnt chased till now. The other two are 911, Spirit of our First Responders and 1776, Spirit of the Armed Forces.
According to CSX Press Releases – CSX Transportation’s “Spirit of our Law Enforcement” commemorative locomotive CSXT 3194 was renamed and painted to honor our nation’s police officers who dedicate their lives to serve and protect communities across our network.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300mm @ 195mm, f/5.3, 1/1000, ISO 450.
This is my second post where I’m delving into a new technique in my photography, as there’s always something new to learn! It’s called Intentional Camera Movement (or ICM) and this is a single image shot the tracks looking south from the crossing at middle Kelly siding at Kelly, Kentucky, on the Henderson Subdivision on September 28th, 2021.
Traditional photography — or rather photography as most expects it to be — requires the camera to be held steady and the subject to be sharp. Intentional Camera Movement (or ICM) turns that ideal on its head. By using a long shutter speed, the photographer can deliberately move the camera to paint with light and accentuate the tone and texture of the subject. In doing so, one can create stunning impressionist, abstract or minimalist images.
While this style or technique may not be for everyone and while it is a bit like panning with your subject, it is different as the movement can be and often is in any direction during the exposure. I’m excited to add it to my work and look forward to learning to do ICM photography and I hope you enjoy this abstract view of my world!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, ND 64 Filter, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm DX lens @ 10mm, f/8, 1.3 seconds, upward swish, ISO 200.
With today’s post I’m delving into a new technique in my photography, as there’s always something new to learn! It’s called Intentional Camera Movement (or ICM) and this shot of CSX Q512 pulling north through the siding at Crofton, KY on the Henderson Subdivision on September 26th, 2021 is my first image I’m posting using this technique!
Traditional photography – or rather photography as most expects it to be – requires the camera to be held steady and the subject to be sharp. Intentional Camera Movement (or ICM) turns that ideal on its head. By using a long shutter speed, the photographer can deliberately move the camera to paint with light and accentuate the tone and texture of the subject. In doing so, one can create stunning impressionist, abstract or minimalist images.
While this style or technique may not be for everyone and while it’s like panning with your subject, but it is different as the movement can be and often is in any direction during the exposure. I’m excited to add it to my work and look forward to learning to do ICM photography and I hope you enjoy this abstract view of my world!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, ND 64 Filter, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm DX lens @ 10mm, f/16, 1.3 second swish, ISO 200.
CSX J732 with CSXT 4083, 4049, 4384, 278, 749, 7231, GMTX 2149, 2135, 2201, 2152 and 2151 departs from the south end of CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky as it begins its return trip on the Henderson Subdivision to CSX Casky yard at Hopkinsville, KY after finishing its work at Madisonville. While an impressive power move for a local being pulled by SD40s, the lead three engines were the only ones running as they departed the empty south end at Atkinson.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100, September 17, 2021.
An infrared photo of CSX X648 heading north as it takes the cut off at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Kentucky, with CSXT 4792 leading the way on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200, September 1, 2021.
Continuing with my chase of CSX J732 on the Henderson Subdivision from yesterday with CSXT 4083, 4049, 4384, 278, 749, 7231, GMTX 2149, 2135, 2201, 2152 and 2151 are these two photographs that I am happy with, but not what I had planned!
I had planned to photograph the train as it crossed Gum Lick Trestle, however that spot didn’t work out, due to traffic and the fact that the train was moving!! I was headed down the country road, to the crossing close to Gum Lick and that’s when I heard the crew call the trestle! So, I turned around and headed for the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky. Off in the distance I could see there was a nice rainbow forming right at my spot, due to a combination of the sun and a light rain! My shot was to be from up high enough to get the power and the rainbow together with the drone, as the rain was very light where my shot was.
However, by the time I arrived and got the drone airborne the train was already passing through the crossing, and I only got high enough to catch these two photos with the rainbow!
Don’t get me wrong, I like both shots, but further back and up higher so you could see the whole rainbow and all the engines was the shot! I think most all of us that chase and photograph trains have these moments when we capture the “almost” scenes that we envision in our minds. So, which shot do you like best?
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100, September 17, 2021.
#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #jimpearsonphotography
You know my planned shots don’t always work out the way I want them to, as much as I try! Today was one of those days!
I had finished my lunch and decided to head over to CSX Atkinson yard, here in Madisonville, KY, as I heard on the scanner that the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) local was working the yard there and I thought I’d see if there was a picture to be had.
When I got to the yard, I saw that there were 5 GMTX (GATX) units sitting tied to a long string of cars and so I set out to grab some shots of the locomotives and had hopes that they were the pickups for the PAL local. Well, that didn’t happen as the local left to head back to Princeton, KY.
Well, there wasn’t anything else moving in the yard and I knew that PAL was loading a coal train at Warrior coal and decided to run out and see if I could catch a shot of it, or at least how much more they had to load. When I got there, they had 10 cars left and I started to put the drone up when I got a message from fellow railfan Lucas Pendley that there were 3 CSX units hooking up to the train that had the GMTX units on it!
I made a bee line back to the south end of the yard at Madisonville to wait and after they moved the train back and forth awhile Lucas told me that they had opened the knuckle on the lead engine, and they were just sitting.
Now, in comes the local (J732) from Casky Yard in Hopkinsville and I had kind of thought they might pick up this string of engines, or at least hoped! Well, after they dropped off their work, they backed into the train with the 5 GMTX and 3 CSX locomotives, to give a total of 11 units!
At this point I had my spots for pictures on this move in mind that I thought would make great shots! The first was going to be the S curve at Nortonville with my 150-600mm lens! So, Lucas and I made our way to the Nortonville and checked the signals at the crossover, which were red, so we set up just north of the S curve to get a shot as they pulled up to the signals. We knew from the scanner that hot intermodal Q028 was in the picture and figured he’d wait for it here.
Well, where we setup to wait was around the curve from the signals and we had no clue that the dispatcher had given them a green to Romney right after we left the signals! Well, when we saw they weren’t stopping we made a mad dash to the S curve hoping to get there in time, but it never happened as when we got the overpass for the curve the train was already past the spot. However, he did have a red at Romney, which is south of Nortonville and that’s where I captured this shot!
Here CSX hot intermodal Q028 heads north as it meets CSX J732 at Romney on the Henderson Subdivision at Nortonville, Ky. J732 had 11 engines, CSXT 4083, 4049, 4384, 278, 749, 7231, GMTX 2149, 2135, 2201, 2152 and 2151 on this move! Even though only the first 3 SD40’s were running it still made for a great picture!
My next spot on this chase I had planned on being was Gum Lick Trestle, however that spot didn’t work out and neither did the one I planned at Kelly, but I’ll talk about those in tomorrow’s post! Things don’t always go as planned, but that’s life as well sometimes and I still came away happy with my pictures!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100, September 17, 2021.
CSXT 5499 leads W995 through the crossing on West Center Street in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision with a General Electric high and wide load on September 13th, 2021.
These trains can take a long time to get from point A to Z as they are restricted normally to 25mph as their max speed when loaded and 5-10mph through turnouts. There is a GE crew on the caboose and their job is to watch and if needed shift the load to either side by a distance of 12 inches to allow clearance for passing trains or other obstacles.
Always an easy and interesting train to chase in my book! I had planned to chase it to Henderson, KY, but the crew ran out of their day and had to tie the train down at Hanson, but I still got a video and a couple of good shots between Nortonville and Hanson! It was a good day trackside!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 130.
It was a slow and steady move at 25mph as CSXT 5499 led W995 as it made its way through Mortons Gap, KY, on its way north on the Henderson Subdivision with a General Electric high and wide load.
These trains can take a long time to get from point A to Z as they are restricted normally to 25mph as their max speed when loaded and only 10mph through turnouts. There is a GE crew on the caboose and their job is to watch and if needed shift the load to either side by a distance of 12 inches to allow clearance for passing trains or other obstacles.
Always an easy and interesting train to chase in my book! I had planned to chase it to Henderson, KY, but the crew ran out of their day and had to tie the train down at Hanson, but I still got a video and a couple of good shots between Nortonville and Hanson! It was a good day trackside!
Tech Info: Shot on an iPhone 11pro (audio) and a DJI Air 2 Drone, edited with Adobe Premiere Pro.
#trainvideo #railroadvideo #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography
Railroad action on the CSX Henderson Subdivision and the Paducah and Louisville Railway on September 7th, 2021 from the air around Western Kentucky.
Today was a day of choices!! I had planned on chasing the Paducah and Louisville LGE coal train that had the UK 4522 locomotive leading as it went north from the mine to Louisville, but as I was waiting for it to depart with fellow railfan Barry Delaney I got word about a high and wide move on the CSX Henderson Subdivision! For me it was an easy choice really as the LGE train runs a lot, but we only get high and wide moves with a caboose once in a while!
It was a slow and steady move at 25mph as CSXT 5499 led W995 as it made its way through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky, on its way north on the Henderson Subdivision with a General Electric high and wide load.
These trains can take a long time to get from point A to Z as they are restricted normally to 25mph as their max speed when loaded and only 10mph through turnouts. There is a GE crew on the caboose and their job is to watch and if needed shift the load to either side by a distance of 12 inches to allow clearance for passing trains or other obstacles.
Always an easy and interesting train to chase in my book! I had planned to chase it to Henderson, Ky, but the crew ran out of their day and had to tie the train down at Hanson, but I still got a video and a couple of good shots between Nortonville and Hanson! It was a good day trackside!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, September 13, 2021.
A southbound CSX led mixed freight holds at the signals in downtown Corning, Arkansas on Friday, August 27th, 2021, on the UP Hoxie subdivision, as they wait for the arrival of steam locomotive, UP 4014, the big boy in this infrared shot.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @ 70mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200.
CSX X605-04 heads north as it passes a tied down X801 sitting in the siding at Cedar Hill, Tennessee. Both trains have been rerouted via the Henderson Subdivision due to flooding from the recent hurricanes.
The lead engine on X605, which is the top train, is a Dash 9 in YN2 paint, led by CSXT 9012 which is a reactivated unit that has been in storage. The parked X801 had UP 8211 leading and another UP trailing.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100, September 4, 2021.
CSX X605-04 heads north across the Gum Lick Trestle, just south of Crofton, Kentucky with 9012 leading the way. It is a Waycross, GA – Rose Lake, IL train that has been rerouted via the Henderson Subdivision due to flooding from the recent hurricanes. The lead engine is a Dash 9 in YN2 paint, led by CSXT 9012 which is a reactivated unit that has been in storage.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100, September 4, 2021.
Well, one week ago today I lost my DJI Air 2 to a fly away that landed in the top of a 30 tall oak tree while chasing UPs Big Boy and today’s photo is from my new drone, the DJI Air 2S!
It’s my first train photo from the drone and while cosmetically it looks like the same drone, it’s a big improvement! I’m loving that it has a 1″ sensor, where as the Air 2 only had a ½ inch one. It gives me 20 megapixels over the 12 that the Air 2 had. Of course, there’s many other improvements between the two drones and there’s many videos on YouTube that talk about them if you’re interested.
In case some of you are wondering, I decided not to use the Fly Away insurance that came with the care package that I had on the drone, as I wanted to go ahead and get the newer drone and the only thing you can get with the care package is a replacement, not an upgrade.
This shot is of was taken just south of Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision as two SD 40-3s and a SD40-2 leads the daily CSX J732 local south on a beautiful summer day, after performing its interchange duty at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, KY and was headed back to Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, KY on September 1st, 2021.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
CSX President’s Passenger train P001 heads south up the viaduct approaching the bridge over the Ohio River at Henderson, KY from Rahm, IN, with CSX GEVO units 3310, 3271 leading and CSXT 1 & 2 trailing as they pull 11 cars at a little over 1,000 ft long.
CSX has repainted two of its F40PH locomotives, to be used on its business train, into predecessor Baltimore & Ohio’s blue, gray, and black paint scheme. CSX1 is former 9998 (former Amtrak 288) and from what I can find out CSXT 2 is the former F40PH 9993 (former Amtrak 395). The other F40s are expected to be painted in the same scheme in the coming months as they are cycled through the shops.
Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100, June 10, 2021.
CSX N302 heads south as it snakes its way through the valley as its tail end still exits Baker Tunnel back around the hills at Ridgetop, Tennessee on the Henderson Subdivision, as the light of day begins to fade from the scene. This trainset runs from Evansville, IN (EVWR) to Stilesboro, GA with a load of coal from the Sugar Camp Mine at Akin, IL and is headed to Georgia Power’s Bowen Plant to help keep the lights on!
Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/50, ISO 100, June 12, 2021.