Jim Pearson Photography – Page 111

UP 4014 North at McRae, AR

This is one of the last images from my DJI Air 2 drone before it ended up in the top of a 30’ oak tree the next day at Dexter, MO after a Fly Away.

In this shot Engineer Ed Dickens waves from the cab as Union Pacific’s 4014, the Big Boy, passes under the signal bridge in downtown McRae, Arkansas on Friday, on August 27th, 2021, as they head north on the UP Hoxie subdivision on its way to Popular Bluff, MO.

The Big Boy is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive which was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York in 1941. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one.

According to Wikipedia: “The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959, when it was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, California.

In 2013, UP re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after sitting dormant for almost six decades.

It ran its first excursion, double-headed with Union Pacific 844, three days later on May 4, 2019. Now part of the Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.”

The Big Boy is currently on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 7th. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it’s stopping near you!

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100, August 27, 2021.

Infrared of the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 at Aldridge, Illinois

It was a bit of a wait in a hot and humid sun, but it was well worth the wait for my first Infrared photograph of the Union Pacific Big Boy, which is an articulated 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive that was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company. There were a total 25 of these giants built and of the eight remaining locomotives this is the only operational one. Here it makes its way north across the Big Muddy River in Aldridge, Illinois on August 28, 2021, as it heads to its next scheduled stop at Chester, Illinois.

The Big Boy is on a month-long tour around the Midwest through, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming before heading home to Cheyenne, Wyoming. For the route and schedule visit: https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/index.htm to see if it’s stopping near you!

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @200mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200, August 28, 2021, 2021.

Fly Away, Fly Away, oh my!!

Yep, during my chase of Union Pacific’s 4014, the Big Boy on Saturday, August 28th, 2021, my Air 2 Drone decided it wanted to take off on its own where it moved about 150 feet from where I had it hovering over the junction where the UP Hoxie sub meets the Chester Sub, South of Scott City, Missouri! Not totally sure why, but it happened and even though I had the home point set to the crossing where I took off from and my hover point where I was waiting for the Big Boy was in a clear area.

It was a very hot and humid day though and I was watching the drone hover and when we heard the steam whistle blow, I reached over to start my 4K video recording and when I looked back at the drone controller screen the drone was in the top of tree, more than 150’ from where I had it hovering! To top it all off the Big Boy didn’t even merge onto the Chester Sub like we thought it was going to and it came through a crossing that was about 25’ from where the drone decided on its own to move to. Perhaps it knew something I didn’t! LOL In all seriousness, that’s the exact reason you always keep sight of your drone! I couldn’t have looked away from the controller and drone more than 15 seconds or so and this happened!

Fortunately, it was out in the middle of the country and there were only about 6 of us railfans and a couple of locals at this location. The drone didn’t fly over anyone before it decided to fly away and land in the top of 30-40’ oak tree, about in the middle of a stand of about 2 acres of oaks! The forest was so dense that I couldn’t even walk into where it was, and I wouldn’t even think about climbing such a tree at my age!

I tried to launch it from the tree, and it wouldn’t and so, if you are a drone hunter and in need of an Air 2, I’ve included a screen shot of its last recorded location, along with the GPS Coordinates, (36.802633 , -89.942172) where it decided to set down, even though it wasn’t the home point and I had obstacle detection turned on. If you find it, it’s yours!

Fortunately for me I purchased the DJI Care package, and it has Fly Away protection included where I can replace an Air 2 one time in the lifetime of the warranty for $399. Expensive, but still a far cry from the $699 on Amazon. A very wise investment for $59!

Only thing I’m still kicking myself over is that I had great video footage from the air of two freights that passed through this S curve area on the camera and didn’t think to download them to the controller before heading off in pursuit of the Big Boy as it was headed to St. Louis! There was still 58% of battery left on the drone and it was still connected to the drone so I could have done so, but I was so put out with what happened and needed to get going on the chase, that I didn’t think about it until we were well outside the area. Lesson learned for sure! Fortunately, also, I always download my drone and cameras every night and so I have everything from the day before and the only thing I lost as far as footage was the clips of the two UP freights.

Oh well, time to move on and I’ll be ordering my replacement this afternoon! Be safe out there when you are trackside and I’ll be posting my 4014 chase photos starting this afternoon so stay tuned!

UP 4014 Live from Popular Bluff, AR

From a Live Broadcast of Union Pacific’s 4014, Big Boy, as it backs into its display area at Popular Bluff, Arkansas on UP’s Hoxie Subdivision, on August 27th, 2021.

PAL LG1 loaded coal headed north approaching Rockport, Kentucky

Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotives 4522 and 2012 lead the Louisville Gas & Electric loaded coal train north as they round a curve leading into Rockport, Kentucky, on its way to the Louisville Gas and Electric power plant in the Kosmosdale neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky.

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100, August 17, 2021.

CSX President’s Special southbound at Rahm, Indiana

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.

Decatur & Eastern Railroad eastbound at Tuscola, Illinois

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 lead local 101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through Tuscola, Illinois.

According to Wikipedia: “The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.

In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018

The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.”

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @21mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 200, July 20, 2021.

PAL loaded coal headed north through the valley at Spring Lick, Kentucky

Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotives 4522 and 2012 lead the Louisville Gas & Electric loaded coal train north through the valley at Spring Lick, Kentucky on its way to the Louisville Gas and Electric power plant in the Kosmosdale neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky.

From the web: “The Paducah and Louisville Railway (reporting marks, PAL) is a regional operation based in Paducah, Kentucky that began operations in 1986 over ex-Illinois Central trackage.

Today it utilizes over 260 miles of railroad and is owned by P&L Transportation (previously known as Four Rivers Transportation), which itself is controlled by CSX Corporation (parent company to CSX Transportation, its railroad division).

The P&L also operates the Appalachian & Ohio in West Virginia. This road is predominately a coal hauler, which leases CSX’s Cowen Subdivision, a former Baltimore & Ohio corridor.”

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100, August 17, 2021.

A view from the top of PAL LG1 Northbound to Louisville, Kentucky

An infrared shot (taken the now old fashion way) from the overpass on highway 85, a few miles south of Central City, Kentucky as Paducah and Louisville Railways Louisville Gas and Electric loaded coal train, LG1, passes through the cut there on its way north with another load for the power plant, as PAL University of Kentucky locomotives, 4522 and 2012 lead the way.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @18mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 200, August 13, 2021.

Paducah and Louisville Railway loaded coal at Big Clifty, Kentucky

Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotives 4522 and 2012 lead the Louisville Gas & Electric loaded coal train across the trestle at Big Clifty, Kentucky as it heads north along highway 62 on its way to the Louisville Gas and Electric power plant in the Kosmosdale neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky.

According to their website: “The Mill Creek Generation Station is LG&E’s largest coal-fired power plant, with a generating capacity of 1,465 megawatts. Mill Creek sits on 544 acres in southwest Jefferson County, Ky.

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw an unprecedented increase in the construction of new industrial, commercial, and residential facilities in the Louisville area.

As customers demand for energy increased, LG&E needed additional generating capability to guarantee supply and ensure reliability. Mill Creek began commercial operation in 1972 to meet this growing demand.”

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100, August 17, 2021.

Northbound LG1 at Eastview Cut, Eastview, Kentucky

I spent this afternoon chasing the Paducah and Louisville Railway LG1 loaded coal train from Madisonville to Eastview, Kentucky. The latter was my goal for this chase as I’ve never photographed the cut at Eastview before and it’s been on my list for a while now.

I got to the location about 10 minutes before the train and checked out the scene with my Nikon first as the cut is right up against the bridge on Meeting Creek Road and I wasn’t sure I wanted or even needed to use the drone at this location. After consideration I decided to launch the drone as I felt it could give me the best platform for a shot that would offer the best perspective that was different from other photos I’ve seen taken from here.

With the drone in place, it was a short wait as I captured Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotives 4522 and 2012 lead the Louisville Gas & Electric loaded coal train as it made its way north and through the cut at Eastview, Kentucky.

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100, August 17, 2021.

Southbound load of coal at dusk at Ridgetop, TN

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.

CSX Q503 southbound out of Mortons Gap, KY

It was a hot, muggy, and sunny kind of day as CSXT 797 lead CSX Q503 pulling south out of Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, approaching the location known as Oak Hill on the railroad, allowing me the opportunity to capture this this infrared photograph.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @50mm, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 200, August 13, 2021.

Aug 2021 – Military Trains on the CSX Henderson Subdivision between Cedar Hill, TN and Robards, KY

August 2021 – In this video we catch four military trains I caught along the CSX Henderson Subdivision between Aug 8th and the 13th, including CSX W844-05 and W844-03 with BNSF power, CSX W844-03 and W816, between Cedar Hill, TN and Robards, KY from the ground and air.

Trains and barges on and over the Ohio River at Henderson, KY

In this Infrared shot from August 13th, 2021, my plan was to catch two barges passing each other under the bridge on the Ohio River at Henderson, Kentucky while I was waiting for military train CSX W816 to make its way south on the Henderson Subdivision.

I never expected the train to head over the river during this moment, as I hadnt heard it call the ballast deck (last place they call on the scanner before hitting the bridge) before I got out of the car and decided to grab the barge shot in infrared while I was waiting. If I had known, it was this close I would have put my drone up for this shot! Not that I’m complaining at all though!

The containers behind the power contain the munitions for the last half of the train, which was armor, consisting of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M1 Tanks.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @18mm, f/3.6, 1/500, ISO 200.

Southbound Military move on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Trenton, KY

BNSF 5743 and 8363 head up a 7,600ft military train on August 11th, 2021, as it passes through the WF Ware grain operation in downtown Trenton, Kentucky, with CSX W844-03, a third military move heading north to Hopkinsville, KY. At Hopkinsville they backed the train onto the Ft. Campbell wye and Ft. Campbell rail took it on the rest of the way to the base.

For me this photo was as much about the visual look of the grain operation as it was about the military train and that’s the reason, I went up a bit higher for this shot than what I normally do. I wanted to show the military cargo trailing off into the distance and could have done so down lower next to the tracks, but I really liked the higher angle, even though you can’t see the cargo trailing off into nothing. What do you think?

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

Ft. Campbell Rail southbound at Rock Bridge Branch bridge Hopkinsville, KY

I love it when a plan finally falls into place! If you’ve caught my last few posts, you’ll recall that I’ve talked about issues I had a couple days ago when I was trying to get shots of Ft. Campbell Rail picking up military loads from the Ft. Campbell Wye after BNSF brought their equipment north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. Well, today everything fell into place from my perspective as you can see in the attached photo. Train was where I wanted it, light was perfect, and I had great clouds!!

Here we have United States Army units USAX 6520, 6519 and 1871 headed from the Hopkinsville, KY on August 11th, 2021, as the train passes over the Rock Bridge Branch bridge, just south of Lovers Lane overpass.

This is another follow-up to my post yesterday where I discussed that my gear that just didn’t want to co-operate! Well today, I used my iPhone 11pro instead of the iPhone 6s that I normally keep on my drone controller, and I didn’t have any overheating problems at all and was able to fly normally. I guess the newer iPhones do a better job with the heat that the older ones as with the 11 I didn’t get any warnings at all during the flights, and it was much hotter than the other day.

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

Ft. Campbell Rail southbound at Rock Bridge Branch, Hopkinsville, KY

United States Army units USAX 6520, 6519 and 1871 head south after picking up a load of equipment from the Ft. Campbell wye in Hopkinsville, KY that was dropped off by CSX on August 9th, 2021, as the train approaches the Rock Bridge Branch bridge, just south of Lovers Lane overpass.

This is a follow-up to my post yesterday where I discussed that my gear just didn’t want to co-operate on this chase! This was my first spot with the drone and as soon as I launched it the DJI Fly app complained that the device (iPhone) was too hot, and performance would be reduced! Well, it’s been an ongoing issue since they updated their software a few weeks ago, so as you can see from these two shots, I didn’t get the drone in place where I wanted it, which is the far end of the bridge, looking back toward the train as it came toward me.

The drone moved so slow a sluggish that I couldn’t get far enough ahead of the train to get the camera into position and so what I got instead are a couple of going away shots of the power instead. Don’t get me wrong, I like both shots that I did get, but neither of them was what I had in mind. I wanted the power with the military loads trailing off into the distance. So, I will revisit this location and try again to get the shot I want!

I just got word this afternoon that there’s another loaded train headed for Hopkinsville for Ft. Campbell, which should arrive sometime tonight. My plan is to head back to this location early in the morning to hopefully get the shot I am looking for as they don’t normally pickup trains from the wye for Ft. Campbell after dark.

Tech Info: Wide Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 110. Tight Photo: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Ft. Campbell Rail southbound from Hopkinsville, KY

United States Army units USAX 6520, 6519 and 1871 head south after picking up a load of equipment from the Ft. Campbell wye in Hopkinsville, KY that was dropped off early this morning by CSX on August 9th, 2021.

My gear just didn’t want to co-operate on this chase today! At my first spot with the drone as soon as I launched it the DJI Fly app complained that the device (iPhone) was too hot, and performance would be reduced! Well, it’s been an ongoing issue since they updated their software a few weeks ago, so I didn’t get the drone in place where I wanted it. You’ll see that shot tomorrow.

This infrared shot is close to what I had in my mind, but I started my shots a little early and I had planned on the power being closer to the crossing, but the camera started dragging, and this was my closest frame. I’m happy with the shot, but not what I saw in my mind’s eye though! I could crop it in tighter, but after looking at the finished shot, I think I like better with having someplace for the train to go!

My next two spots I had planned to shoot as it made its way to the base, I never made it to in time because of traffic and lights! Go figure. Some days railfanning is like that!

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @18mm, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 200.

CSX W844 military train backs onto the Ft. Campbell Wye at Hopkinsville, KY

BNSF 5103 and 4653 lead CSX W844-05 military train (Memphis, TN-Hopkinsville, KY) as they shove their loads onto the Ft Campbell wye at Hopkinsville, KY, from the Henderson Subdivision, for the final part of their journey on August 7th, 2021.

The crews from Ft. Campbell had already come out to the wye earlier in the day and picked up another loaded train that was dropped off overnight and my guess is that this train probably won’t set on the wye very long either.

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

CSX Track Inspection trainset W001 southbound at Kelly, KY

CSXT 6025 leads CSX W001 inspection train as it splits the signals on the north end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky with Southern Pacific Birch Grove, CSX Florence and TGC2 Geometry Car trailing, as they make their way south on the Henderson Subdivision on July 13, 2021.

Research from a friend reveals: Built by The Budd Company in 1950 as 6 double bedroom, 10 roomette sleeping car 9020 for service on the Southern Pacific’s Los Angeles-New Orleans “Sunset Limited.” The car was acquired by Amtrak in 1971 and renumbered 2696. Converted to Heritage 10-6 sleeper with handicapped roomette in 1980 and renumbered to 2451 and named Birch Grove.

The Car was retired in 1995 and sold to Cincinnati Railway Company. It was upgraded 2002-03 and had a complete interior upgrade in 2005. As of 2014 it was owned by the Cincinnati Railway Company.

CSX purchased the Birch Grove car from the Cincinnati Railway in September of 2020 and from what I find online they plan to use it as part of its executive fleet. They also bought the dome car Moonlight Dome from them for the same reason.

According to Wikipedia: A track geometry car (also known as a track recording car) is an automated track inspection vehicle on a rail transport system used to test several parameters of the track geometry without obstructing normal railroad operations. Some of the parameters generally measured include position, curvature, alignment of the track, smoothness, and the cross level of the two rails. The cars use a variety of sensors, measuring systems, and data management systems to create a profile of the track being inspected.

One of the earliest track geometry cars was Car T2 used by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Project HISTEP (High-Speed Train Evaluation Program). It was built by the Budd Company for Project HISTEP to evaluate track conditions between Trenton and New Brunswick, NJ, where the DOT had established a section of track for testing high-speed trains, and accordingly, the T2 ran at 150 miles per hour or faster.

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