LORAM – Jim Pearson Photography

LORAM Railgrinder 403 heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Ky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 (long grinder) heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, as it works their on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

The lights in the background are from the RG56, which is the short grinder that grinds switches and crossings.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 450mm, f/6, 1/1600, ISO 400.

LORAM Railgrinder 403 passes through the cut at Charleston, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 passes through the cut at Charleston, Kentucky, as it works their way south on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/60, ISO 100.

LORAM Railgrinder 56 grinds a grade crossing as it heads south at Dawson Springs, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 56 grinds a grade crossing as it heads south at Dawson Springs, Kentucky, on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 150mm, f/5, 1/1600, ISO 400.

LORAM Railgrinder 56 passes under an overpass as it heads south at Dawson Springs, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 56 passes under an overpass as it heads south at Dawson Springs, Kentucky, on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 800.

LORAM Railgrinder 403 heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 (long grinder) heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, as it works their on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

The lights in the background are from the RG56, which is the short grinder that grinds switches and crossings.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640.

June 21st, 2025 – Episode 129 Saturday Edited Video from Jim Pearson Photography

In this week’s video we catch action on the Paducah and Louisville Railway with LORAM Railgrinders working and a PAL Rip Rap train along with a bit of CSX rail action on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, including the CSX 911 Locomotive. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!

LORAM Railgrinder 403 (long grinder) heads south at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 (long grinder) heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, as it works their on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

The lights in the background are from the RG56, which is the short grinder that grinds switches and crossings.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/5, 1/1600, ISO 220.

LORAM Railgrinder 403 heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 (long grinder) heads south through the switch at the north end of the siding in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, as it works their on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

The lights in the background are from the RG56, which is the short grinder that grinds switches and crossings.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 390mm, f/6, 1/1600, ISO 320.

LORAM Railgrinder 403 passes through the cut at Charleston, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder 403 passes through the cut at Charleston, Kentucky, as it works their way south on the Paducah and Louisville Railway, on June 5th, 2025.

According to Wikipedia: A rail grinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/60, ISO 100.

LORAM Railgrinder 305 waits in the siding at Crofton, Kentucky as they wait on B211 to clear

LORAM Railgrinder 305 waits in the siding at Crofton, Kentucky as they wait on B211 to clear so they can continue to grind their way south on March 24th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion.

Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear. Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time.

Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.

LORAM Railgrinder 305 heads south at Nortonville, Kentucky as they grind their way south

LORAM Railgrinder 305 heads south at Nortonville, Kentucky as they grind their way south on March 24th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion.

Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear. Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time.

Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 120.

A Loram Rail grinder makes its way through the Cajon Pass in April of 1995

A Loram Rail grinder makes its way through the Cajon Pass in Southern California in April of 1995.

I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It’s a great place to catch trains and I’ve been back several times over the years since then.

In fact I’m headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I’m really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!

According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.

Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

LORAM Railgrinder RG414 grinds through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky

LORAM Railgrinder RG414 grinds through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky as it makes its way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on May 23rd, 2022.

According to LORAM’s Website: Rail grinding is the cornerstone of virtually every railroad maintenance program. It maximizes the life and value of rail assets through precision removal of fatigued metal, restoration of the rail head profile and removal of rail defects which are the optimization goals of an effective rail grinding program.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/5, 1/320, ISO 3200.

LIVE – LORAM Railgrinder working it’s way south at Nortonville, Kentucky on May 23rd, 2022.

LIVE – LORAM Railgrinder working it’s way south at Nortonville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on May 23rd, 2022.

Loram Railgrinder southbound at Mortons Gap, KY on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

LIVE FROM THE AIR – LORAM Railgrinder working it’s way south at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

LORAM Railgrinder RG414 grinds through a curve at Nortonville, Ky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

LORAM Railgrinder RG414 grinds through a curve as it makes its way south at Nortonville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on May 23rd, 2022.

According to LORAMs Website: Rail grinding is the cornerstone of virtually every railroad maintenance program. It maximizes the life and value of rail assets through precision removal of fatigued metal, restoration of the rail head profile and removal of rail defects which are the optimization goals of an effective rail grinding program.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 390mm, f/6, 1/250, ISO 3600.

LORAM Railgrinder 401 sits south of Princeton, Kentucky on the Paducah and Louisville Railway

LORAM Railgrinder 401 sits south of Princeton, Kentucky on the Paducah and Louisville Railway on a beautiful fall afternoon on November 11th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop the deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion. Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear.

Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time. Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 140.

Live – November 15, 2021 – LORAM Railgrinder 401 northbound at West Yard in Madisonville, KY

LORAM Railgrinder 401 grinds its way north on the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Madisonville, KY

LORAM Railgrinder 401 grinds its way north on the Paducah and Louisville Railway on a beautiful fall afternoon as it crosses over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Arklow in Madisonville, Kentucky on November 15th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop the deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion. Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear.

Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time. Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

LORAM Grinder 4 at Paducah and Louisville West Yard, Madisonville, Ky

LORAM Maintenance at Madisonville, Ky

Crews work on the grinding wheels of LORAM Grinder 4 as it sits just south of the Paducah and Louisville Railway yard at Madisonville, Kentucky on a crisp cool fall morning on November 10th, 2020.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @450mm, f/6, 1/640, ISO 320.

LORAM Railgrinder 403 at Crofton, Ky

June 6, 2020 – A dazzeling lightshow breaks darkness of the night as the roar of LORAM Railgrinder 403 screaches it’s way through a curve, just south of Crofton, Kentucky, as it grinds it’s way south on the Henderson Subdivision on a hot and muggy spring night.

According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/2.8. 1/125sec, ISO 2500.