CSX Railroad – Page 47 – Jim Pearson Photography

Southbound hot intermodal at Sulfur Creek, Springfield, TN

Just a week before the ground here was covered with snow and the temperature was in the teens, a huge difference on March 3rd, 2021 here at the Sulfur Fork bridge just north of Springfield, Tennessee where the day was beautiful and the temperature hovering around 70 degrees!

Here we find CSXT 276 and 904 leading hot intermodal Q029-02 as they head south over the Sulfur Creek bridge on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as they make their way to their final destination of Jacksonville, FL from Chicago, IL.

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

First light, first train!

I was afraid I’d miss this loaded coal train CSX N302 at first light on the Red River bridge at Adams, Tennessee as it made its way south on the Henderson Subdivision.

I left my house at about 5:30am, much earlier than I’m accustomed to getting out, but I was meeting fellow railfan Cooper Smith at 7am at Guthrie, Kentucky and we were to meet at the CSX yard in Guthrie to do a full day of railfanning in the snow.

After stopping to shoot the sun popping over the horizon just north of Trenton, Ky I got back in my nice and toasty SUV after getting my shot in the cold 14 degree weather and headed on south to meet up with Cooper. It was about this time I found out that he was running late and that there was a loaded coal train just ahead of me headed south.

This was just after the last big snowfall that swept through the region the day before and even though the Kentucky and Tennessee road crews had do a great job of plowing US 41, which follows the Henderson Subdivision, there was still ice on the roads to contend with so I was worried that I wouldn’t make it to this spot and get the drone up before the train got there, but as you can tell, lady luck was smiling in my direction!

I arrived at this spot probably about 10 minutes before the train on February 19th, 2021 and the sun was just above the tree line here and was sending that beautiful early morning golden light, raking across the bare trees. A great start to a great day of being trackside, even if it was real early and went till after dark! We both came back with some great shots!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

BNSF Southbound Phosphate stopped at Guthrie, Ky

If you recall from my March 3rd, 2021 post, I got a text at about 10 minutes till 7am that CSX K811-28, a phosphate train, with three BNSF units on it was headed south on the Henderson Subdivision and I decided to get out of bed and give chase!

It was about 45 miles later at Guthrie, Ky when I finally got ahead of it enough to where I could launch the drone, after they stopped after getting red signal due to track work being done ahead at Cedar Hill, TN.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Southbound Intermodal at Baker

This morning (March 3rd, 2021) I got a text at about 10 minutes till 7am that there was a southbound phosphate train with three BNSF units on it! Needless to say I was still in bed and this isn’t it!

However, this turned out to be my favorite shot on a full day of chasing, which really was a spur of the moment thing starting with the early morning text message.

It was about 30 miles later to the south on the Henderson Subdivision (HD) before I caught up with the BNSF train and so I figured since I was out in this early morning light and so far south I’d go ahead and spend the day shooting in the southern part of the HD so I could fly the drone in some locations that I hadn’t done so yet, hence, this shot right here.

Now, in all fairness this shot of hot intermodal Q029-03 heading south isn’t the at spot I started out to shoot it at, but I’m glad I found it!

I parked at the crossing on Baker Station Road, about 1.5 miles from the south end of the Baker Tunnel at Ridgetop, Tennessee and the plan was to fly back to the south end of Baker tunnel from there. However, due to the terrain, the drone had issues of maintaining a GPS signal unless I was was up much higher than I wanted to be.

However, I passed the spot as I was flying back, about 1/2 mile from the crossing, and thought it’d make a good backup spot! When I got back to this location and got down low enough for what I wanted, I knew right away that I was going to love it!

The only thing I was worried about is it was if the train would make it to the spot before I had to bring the drone back to me due to a lack of battery power and also if I could tell when it was coming so I could shoot in the spot I wanted!

Keeping my ears open, eyes glued to the DJI Fly App on the iPhone screen, and I was able to get this shot of Q029 as it sliced its way south through this great crop of rocks!

Yes, it was a good day to get out early (thanks Tom Wortham) for getting me out and trackside this morning!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100 Exposure Comp: -0.7 (helps control the highlights).

CSX trains passing in the curve on the Henderson Subdivision

CSX local J732 with a trio of SD40's makes it's way past the empties at Nortonville, Ky as they both work their way through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky 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 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/800, ISO 800.

CSX trains passing in the curve on the Henderson Subdivision at Nortonville, Ky

CSX local J732 with a trio of SD40’s makes it’s way past the empties at Nortonville, Ky as they both work their way through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky 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 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/800, ISO 800.

A snowy meet at Arklow, Madisonville, Ky

As the last light of the day fades the crew on board CSX K814 braves the cold, winter’s snow as they step to the ground from Canadian Pacific 8109 at Arklow, to conduct a roll-by inspection of hot intermodal Q029 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Kentucky.

CSX Q029 is usually an early morning move, but due to the winter storms that blew through the region, it along with many other trains moved a lot slower than usual with the conditions making it harder for the crews getting their trains loaded and moving.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 400.

A Digital Art Piece – “Northbound CSX at Sunset”

A Digital Art Piece – “Northbound CSX at Sunset” – A Northbound CSX empty coal train passes through Sebree, Kentucky at sunset on the Henderson Subdivision.

A military train and a study in lines in the snow

I love how the lines flow in this shot of CSX W809 that was waiting to head south February 20th, 2021 on the Henderson Subdivision with a load of military vehicles on track two at Nortonville, Ky.

Here we find the train where it finally crawled to a stop just south of Nortonville with CSXT 5473 and 3348 leading the 5,000+ load of military vehicles elephant style, to wait for another northbound Q648. Him stopping for this meet worked really well for my shot since the train came to a full stop and I was able to shoot with a slow shutterspeed to keep my ISO and noise down from the low light scene as the last rays of light swept across the valley!

I did crop this image some from the full frame 48mp file in order to keep the drone from hovering directly over the train, via FAA rules.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

CSX hot intermodal rolls south across Gum Lick Trestle

This picture really shows the difference a day or so can make! Two days before there was about 4-6 inches of snow at this location and the temperature was 17 degrees and on this day if was 65 degrees!!! Makes for very different photos, but both situations make for great photo possibilities!

Here we have hot intermodal CSX Q029-23 with CSXT 928 leading on February 23rd, 2021 as it makes its way across the Gum Lick Trestle between Crofton and Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on a beautiful winter (kinda) day.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Southbound CSX local passes Monarch through fresh snowfall

The fresh blanket of snow brings a quietness to the area surrounding Monarch, where the Paducah and Louisville Railway crosses over the CSX Henderson Subdivision, at Madisonville, Ky on February 16th, 2021, until the northbound Casky to Atkinson yards local, J732-16 arrives with three SD40’s leading the way.

I’m still (for several years now) am trying for a shot of a train on both tracks at the same time at this spot. It’ll happen, it just takes a lot of patience and luck!!

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

A surprise southbound move

Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I spent the day on Saturday, February 19th, 2021 chasing trains on the Henderson Subdivision (HD) through the new additional 3-5″ of snowfall.

We had made our way all around the HD and ended up at Henderson, Ky where we first caught this surprise lash-up on CSX 403 of UP 4601, CN 2268 and a flared radiator CSX unit, #4792.

This shot is of the train as it pulls on south at Sebree, Kentucky after meeting a northbound empty coal train at sunset.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Morning sunrise on the Henderson Subdivision

I’m really not much of an early morning person unless I’m up to meet a friend to spend a day railfanning, but scenes like this have got me thinking I may get up early more often to catch the early morning and late evening light. I know it’s there and it’s golden it’s just kinda hard to get up and out the door!!

On this day, February 19th, 2021, I was headed down to Guthrie, Ky to link up with fellow railfan Cooper Smith to spend a day railfanning the Henderson Subdivision in the snow.

I was watching this sunrise develop as I made my way south when I pulled over to a crossing just north of Trenton, Kentucky to catch this waiting on a train photo. It’s not always about the train when you’re trackside so always keep an eye out for other shots that might tell the story of railroading.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-20mm DX lens @ 20mm f/4.5, 1/800, ISO 180 -0.7 Exp. Comp (helps with the highlights).

Southbound military move waiting at sunset

I got a heads up on this military move from a fellow railfan and friend Travis Collins as CSX W809 headed south from up in Indiana around 10am on February 20th, 2021 on the CSX CE&D Subdivision.

I kept up with its movement through southern Indiana via Facebook and fellow railfans that were out along the lines and tracked its progress in spits and starts along the way where it head to wait for higher priority trains that were moving north.

After stopping at Howell yard in Evansville, Indiana it finally made its way onto the CSX Henderson Subdivision after taking on fuel and making a crew change at Howell, but by this time those of us waiting for it to make its appearance were starting to worry that we’d lose our light before it made it to where 7 of us railfans were waiting for it at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Kentucky.

That’s where they put it on the cutoff that bypasses Madisonville and Earlington where it sat behind a loaded coal train to wait for hot intermodal Q028 and an empty coal drag to pass on the main at the junction.

Finally the loaded coal train headed south and I knew the military move would be next and I decided to move on down to the south end of Nortonville where I hoped I would get some light on the train as by this time it was just about sunset.

Here we find the train where it finally crawled to a stop just south of Nortonville with CSXT 5473 and 3348 leading the 5,000+ load of military vehicles elephant style to wait for another northbound Q648. This meet worked really well for my shot since the train came to a full stop and I was able to shoot with a slow shutterspeed to keep my ISO and noise down from the low light scene as the last rays of light swept across the valley!

Patience pays off in the long run!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

Southbound Intermodal at Gum Lick Trestle

CSX Q029 heads south, across Gum Lick, the highest trestle on the Henderson Subdivision, in the frigid cold, on February 19th, 2021 as the morning light rakes across the landscape sending shadows across the forest floor.

The “Gum Lick” name comes from the fact that the valley here is named Gum Lick Hollow and it sits between Crofton and Kelly Kentucky where it crosses over the West Fork of Pond River.

It’s located between J. Knight road crossing and the Cavanaugh Lane overpass.

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

A snowy meet at Slaughters, Kentucky

Another biting cold snow shot from February 17th, 2021 as loaded CSX coal train N302 heads south as empty ethanol train K442 waits in the siding for him to pass at Slaughters, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 400.

An almost empty CSX Q025 southbound through the snow!

February 16th, 2021 was another frigid, snowy, cold winter day, which is pretty much normal this week with the artic cold we’ve been having all around the country! When I launched my Air 2 drone for this shot of CSX Q025 heading south through Earlington, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision I didn’t expect what showed up!

What made this move even more different is that it only had 13 loads behind the power and everything else on the train was empties! Looks like the cold and freezing weather up north has put a damper of the cargo loading operations and so it’s reflected in the almost empty hot intermodal heading for Jacksonville, Florida.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

CSX dashing through the snow with a full load of coal!

Well, along with mostly everyone else it seems around the country we got a lot of snow between Sunday and Monday, at least for our area! I haven’t heard the official count, but I’d between 4-8 inches after the first round of the artic front that moved through. They’re calling for another round starting tomorrow!

Anyway, I had to venture out during the storm and see what I could find moving in the cold, blowing snowfall and I caught CSXT 967 and 116 leading N302 as they head south to hopefully warmer weather on February 15th, 2021 on the Henderson Subdivision at the S curve in Nortonville, Kentucky.

It’s weather like this that makes me happy I have my all-wheel drive Toyota RAV4!! Just gotta take it slow, bundle up and stay very socially distant from any other vehicles around!! LOL Be careful trackside folks if you decide to get out in this mess!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-20mm DX Lens @ 22mm f/4.5, 1/1250, ISO 140.

CSX W992-06 High and Wide Clear North Kelly

The rain stopped long enough on February 10th, 2021, where I could put up my Air 2 Drone twice for CSX high and wide train W992-06 as it headed south on the Henderson Subdivision. In this shot I caught it as it passed through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky.

This was an Emmert International train move with CSXT SD40-3 #4020 as power and BBCX 1002 as the trailing manned caboose with what appeared to be a steam generator of some sort that was being hauled on their BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar.

According to the Emmert International website: “Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is specifically designed to carry heavy (up to 1 million pounds) and oversized loads in such a way that the load itself makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to a pivot above an assembly of pivots and frames that carry the weight of the load and the lifting arm.

For loads not designed to be part of the car Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 is equipped with a deck designed to carry the loads in standard configuration up to 836,000 pounds. Customized decks can be manufactured to increase the overall payload weight.

Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 is equipped with hydraulic equipment that will either lift the load vertically or horizontally shift the load while in transit to clear obstructions along the cars route.
With 20 axles (ten for each half) containing four trucks connected by a complex system of span bolsters its tare (unloaded) weight without deck is 424,000 lbs. The BBCX1000s empty car length is 115 10 with a maximum length with the loading deck at 168 9. Maximum vertical load shifting ability is 14 and the maximum horizontal load shifting ability is 22. The heavy duty AAR railcar mechanical designation is LS.”

Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is accompanied by the BBCX 1002 Caboose and BBCX1003 flat car that carries the deck when not in service. The BBCX1000 is pulled by special train service and requires 2 operators. When in transport not carrying loads the BBCX is limited to 40 mph. When loaded or empty with deck in place the BBCX1000 is limited to 25 mph.”

The crews that control the BBCX 1000 railcar ride in the caboose.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 200.

Southbound CSX W992-06 High and Wide

I was on my way North on Main Street here in Madisonville, Ky, through the heavy overcast and misty freezing rain yesterday, February 10th, 2021, when I encountered CSX high and wide train W992-06 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision.

I hadn’t received any heads up on this move from my friends to the north and so I was caught completely by surprise when I saw the red caboose on the end of this shot train! I immediately made a u-turn and the chase was on!

While the predicted ice storm was passing through our area, the temperatures were slightly above freezing and I knew the roads were just wet and not ice coated yet, plus I knew that this train would be moving at a restricted speed of 25mph, which is normal for high and wide moves and that I wouldn’t have any problems keeping ahead of it as I got to some good spots to catch it’s move, despite the bad weather.

This was my first spot which is the S curve approaching the New Salem Church overpass in Nortonville, Kentucky.

It was a Emmert International train move with CSXT SD40-3 #4020 as power and BBCX 1002 as the trailing caboose with what appeared to be a steam generator of some sort. It was being hauled on their BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar.

According to the Emmert International website: “Emmert International’s BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is specifically designed to carry heavy (up to 1 million pounds) and oversized loads in such a way that the load itself makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to a pivot above an assembly of pivots and frames that carry the weight of the load and the lifting arm.

For loads not designed to be part of the car Emmert International’s BBCX1000 is equipped with a deck designed to carry the loads in standard configuration up to 836,000 pounds. Customized decks can be manufactured to increase the overall payload weight. Emmert International’s BBCX1000 is equipped with hydraulic equipment that will either lift the load vertically or horizontally shift the load while in transit to clear obstructions along the car’s route.

With 20 axles (ten for each half) containing four trucks connected by a complex system of span bolsters its tare (unloaded) weight without deck is 424,000 lbs. The BBCX1000’s empty car length is 115’10” with a maximum length with the loading deck at 168 9″. Maximum vertical load shifting ability is 14 and the maximum horizontal load shifting ability is 22″. The heavy duty AAR railcar mechanical designation is LS.”

Emmert International’s BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is accompanied by the BBCX 1002 Caboose and BBCX1003 flat car that carries the deck when not in service. The BBCX1000 is pulled by special train service and requires 2 operators. When in transport not carrying loads the BBCX is limited to 40 mph. When loaded or empty with deck in place the BBCX1000 is limited to 25 mph.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @290mm f/7.6, 1/640, ISO 640.

Must be nice to be a big boy on the block!!

CSX J732 and a empty coal train, behind my view here on the Church Street overpass at Nortonville, Kentucky, both give way for CSX Q025, one of four hot intermodals that travel up and down the Henderson Subdivision on a daily basis.

In this view from January 30th, 2021 the crew off of local J732, with three variations of SD40’s leading their train, stand on either side of Q025 as it makes it’s way south to do their roll-by inspection.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @150mm f/5, 1/1250, ISO 500.

KCS 4605 leads ethanol tanks through Nortonville, Ky

It’s not everyday we get Kansas City Southern leading any kind of train on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, so when I got reports from friends up the line to the north that CSX K443 was southbound with two of them I had to get trackside and one of my plans was to catch it as a vertical shot of it snaking it’s way through the S curve at Nortonville, Ky!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @170mm f/9, 1/800, ISO 900.