Music City Star train 157 eastbound from downtown Nashville, TN On March 19th, 2021 Nashville's Music City Star train #157 heads east out of downtown Nashville, Tennessee as it starts its outbound run and prepares to move onto the Nashville and Eastern tracks as the sun dips toward sunset. The Music City Star uses the Nashville and Eastern Railroad trackage that runs between Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee and is currently owned and operated by R.J. Corman. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 170mm, f/5, 1/1250, ISO 160.

Music City Star train 157 eastbound from downtown Nashville, TN

On March 19th, 2021 Nashville’s Music City Star train #157 heads east out of downtown Nashville, Tennessee as it starts its outbound run and prepares to move onto the Nashville and Eastern tracks as the sun dips toward sunset.

The Music City Star uses the Nashville and Eastern Railroad trackage that runs between Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee and is currently owned and operated by R.J. Corman.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 170mm, f/5, 1/1250, ISO 160.

CSX Q512-09 south at Mortons Gap, Ky with 7 units CSX Q512 with another string of seven locomotives that had GMTX 2141 and 2133 trailing as the last units, make their way downgrade from Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on April 8th, 2021 as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. Q512 was running on this beautiful spring day with CSXT 5312, 711, 4329, 8851, 4226, GMTX 2133, 2141 as power and was 10,590 feet long. I didn't really notice, but I'm fairly sure the last 4 units weren't running. The loads behind the power are truck frames. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CSX Q512-09 south at Mortons Gap, Ky with 7 units

CSX Q512 with another string of seven locomotives that had GMTX 2141 and 2133 trailing as the last units, make their way downgrade from Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on April 8th, 2021 as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Q512 was running on this beautiful spring day with CSXT 5312, 711, 4329, 8851, 4226, GMTX 2133, 2141 as power and was 10,590 feet long. I didn’t really notice, but I’m fairly sure the last 4 units weren’t running. The loads behind the power are truck frames.

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

CSX Q025 Southbound up the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana On March 10th, 2021 I posted a shot of CSX Q025 (Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville, FL) as it made its way up this viaduct at Rahm, Indiana while all the land here was covered with floodwaters. Many folks asked for a shot along the same viewpoint after the floodwaters receded back into the Ohio River and so here the shot a month later! On April 9th, 2021 CSX Q025 approaches the bridge over the Ohio river between Rahm, IN and Henderson, Ky as it makes its way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on a breathtaking spring day! From the Web: The current viaduct and bridge were built by the L&N railroad and were dedicated on the last day of 1932 at a cost about $4 million. It replaced one erected in 1885, also built by the L&N, which at that time was the longest channel span of that type in the world at 2.3 miles long. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX Q025 Southbound up the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana

On March 10th, 2021 I posted a shot of CSX Q025 (Bedford Park, IL – Jacksonville, FL) as it made its way up this viaduct at Rahm, Indiana while all the land here was covered with floodwaters.

Many folks asked for a shot along the same viewpoint after the floodwaters receded back into the Ohio River and so here the shot a month later! On April 9th, 2021 CSX Q025 approaches the bridge over the Ohio river between Rahm, IN and Henderson, Ky as it makes its way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on a breathtaking spring day!

From the Web: The current viaduct and bridge were built by the L&N railroad and were dedicated on the last day of 1932 at a cost about $4 million. It replaced one erected in 1885, also built by the L&N, which at that time was the longest channel span of that type in the world at 2.3 miles long.

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

Modern-Day Gandy Dancers Today while out railfanning with fellow rail enthusiast and Facebook follower, Gary Winsett, we ran by the AB Brown power plant at West Franklin, Indiana to see if they were any trains there to catch and stumbled upon track crews from Alltrack Inc, working on placing a new track panel on the lead going into the power plant. We were fortunate enough to get there just in time for me to grab this shot on April 9th, 2021 of the crew working a new section of track in place right before the overpass on Lower Mt. Vernon Road, in a great spot for photographing these modern-day Gandy Dancers at work. According to Wikipedia: Gandy dancer is a slang term used for early railroad workers in the United States, more formally referred to as "section hands", who laid and maintained railroad tracks in the years before the work was done by machines. According to their website: Alltrack Inc. was established in March of 1988 by Lee Clark, Lester Binegar, and Robert Butler to perform railroad construction and maintenance work in the Indiana area. In January of 1998 Jim & Jon Lawyer bought the business and later moved their operations to Pendleton, IN. Alltrack Inc. has grown in recent years to service the entire Midwest & parts of the South. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-14mm @10mm, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 180.

Modern-Day Gandy Dancers

Today while out railfanning with fellow rail enthusiast and Facebook follower, Gary Winsett, we ran by the AB Brown power plant at West Franklin, Indiana to see if they were any trains there to catch and stumbled upon track crews from Alltrack Inc, working on placing a new track panel on the lead going into the power plant.

We were fortunate enough to get there just in time for me to grab this shot on April 9th, 2021 of the crew working a new section of track in place right before the overpass on Lower Mt. Vernon Road, in a great spot for photographing these modern-day Gandy Dancers at work.

According to Wikipedia: Gandy dancer is a slang term used for early railroad workers in the United States, more formally referred to as “section hands”, who laid and maintained railroad tracks in the years before the work was done by machines.

According to their website: Alltrack Inc. was established in March of 1988 by Lee Clark, Lester Binegar, and Robert Butler to perform railroad construction and maintenance work in the Indiana area. In January of 1998 Jim & Jon Lawyer bought the business and later moved their operations to Pendleton, IN. Alltrack Inc. has grown in recent years to service the entire Midwest & parts of the South.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-14mm @10mm, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 180.

CSX Q512 with 7 units waiting to head north at Slaughters, Ky I was sitting at a local restaurant here in Madisonville, Ky with several other rail friends where we had just ordered our lunch when I got the first notice from another friend that CSX Q512 was headed north on the Henderson Subdivision with 7 locomotives! At the time it was passing the signals at Oak Hill, just south of Mortons Gap, Ky on April 6th, 2021! Of course, I really didn’t expect to catch it as I felt it would probably pass by when we were in the middle of our meal and pretty much resigned myself to missing this move. Next, I got a phone call about the move from another friend and then a message from another friend that it was passing through Mortons Gap, and still one more that it was at Earlington! Well, my meal arrived, and I didn’t wolf it down, but did get it finished (Over easy eggs, Hash Browns and Bacon with wheat toast) and bid farewell to the others and decided to see if I could catch it. I even thought about flying from the parking lot down to Monarch, which was about ½ mile away, but when I stepped out the door at the restaurant (Swaggy P’s) there was the head end of the power passing just across the street in the tree line! Luck was on my side!!! I was able to get on I-69 at Madisonville and get far enough ahead of the train, running with CSXT 305, 3357, 78, GMTX 2158, 2160, 2156, and ARNX 3045! Of course, only the CSX units were under power as the others were dead in tow. I was able to get shots with the drone from the south end of Slaughters, Ky where it took the siding to wait for Q503! This gave me plenty of time to get to the north end of the siding and capture this shot, in beautiful light, of the entire consist of power! Sometimes things just come together! #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #jimpearsonphotography Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

CSX Q512 with 7 units waiting to head north at Slaughters, Ky

I was sitting at a local restaurant here in Madisonville, Ky with several other rail friends where we had just ordered our lunch when I got the first notice from another friend that CSX Q512 was headed north on the Henderson Subdivision with 7 locomotives! At the time it was passing the signals at Oak Hill, just south of Mortons Gap, Ky on April 6th, 2021!

Of course, I really didn’t expect to catch it as I felt it would probably pass by when we were in the middle of our meal and pretty much resigned myself to missing this move. Next, I got a phone call about the move from another friend and then a message from another friend that it was passing through Mortons Gap, and still one more that it was at Earlington!

Well, my meal arrived, and I didn’t wolf it down, but did get it finished (Over easy eggs, Hash Browns and Bacon with wheat toast) and bid farewell to the others and decided to see if I could catch it. I even thought about flying from the parking lot down to Monarch, which was about ½ mile away, but when I stepped out the door at the restaurant (Swaggy P’s) there was the head end of the power passing just across the street in the tree line! Luck was on my side!!!

I was able to get on I-69 at Madisonville and get far enough ahead of the train, running with CSXT 305, 3357, 78, GMTX 2158, 2160, 2156, and ARNX 3045! Of course, only the CSX units were under power as the others were dead in tow.

I was able to get shots with the drone from the south end of Slaughters, Ky where it took the siding to wait for Q503! This gave me plenty of time to get to the north end of the siding and capture this shot, in beautiful light, of the entire consist of power!

Sometimes things just come together!

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

Signs of Spring at the Paducah and Louisville Railway as CN heads to Fulton, Ky! With signs of spring in the trees, Canadian National Fulton to Paducah (FUPU) turn heads over the Paducah and Louisville Railway yard as it heads back to Fulton, Ky after making its drop-off and pick-up at Paducah, Ky. I've been trying to catch this shot ever since I got my first drone and it finally happened today, April 3rd, 2021st while myself and fellow railfan Ryan Scott spent the day chasing trains around Paducah and Fulton, Ky! While we didn't get a lot of trains, what we did catch was nice and you'll see more in the days to come! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Signs of Spring at the Paducah and Louisville Railway as CN heads to Fulton, Ky!

With signs of spring in the trees, Canadian National Fulton to Paducah (FUPU) turn heads over the Paducah and Louisville Railway yard as it heads back to Fulton, Ky after making its drop-off and pick-up at Paducah, Ky.

I’ve been trying to catch this shot ever since I got my first drone and it finally happened today, April 3rd, 2021st while myself and fellow railfan Ryan Scott spent the day chasing trains around Paducah and Fulton, Ky! While we didn’t get a lot of trains, what we did catch was nice and you’ll see more in the days to come!

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

Roll-by inspection at the south end of Slaughters, Kentucky The crew on CSX K423 conducts a roll-by inspection on hot intermodal, CSX Q028 as they roll through the siding at the south end of Slaughters, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, as their loaded Ethanol train with BNSF 9100 leading sits on the main on March 25th, 2021. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 460mm, f/6, 1/1000, ISO 640.

Roll-by inspection at the south end of Slaughters, Kentucky

The crew on CSX K423 conducts a roll-by inspection on hot intermodal, CSX Q028 as they roll through the siding at the south end of Slaughters, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, as their loaded Ethanol train with BNSF 9100 leading sits on the main on March 25th, 2021.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 460mm, f/6, 1/1000, ISO 640.

CSX W809 waits with its military load at Nortonville, Ky The crew on southbound military train W809 waits just north of the signals at Romney on March 30th, 2021 as they chat with a member of a track crew that is welding on the switch here on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, out of frame to the left. Not only are they waiting for the track crew, but they were also waiting on the arrival of hot intermodal, CSX Q025, which will be coming from the north around the curve in the distance, which was still several miles away. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

CSX W809 waits with its military load at Nortonville, Ky

The crew on southbound military train W809 waits just north of the signals at Romney on March 30th, 2021 as they chat with a member of a track crew that is welding on the switch here on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, out of frame to the left.

Not only are they waiting for the track crew, but they were also waiting on the arrival of hot intermodal, CSX Q025, which will be coming from the north around the curve in the distance, which was still several miles away.

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

RJ Corman at CSX Crossover, Guthrie, Ky The conductor maintains a 3-point contact as he rides the end ballast car as the engineer on RJ Corman 3802 pushes three loaded ballast cars through the CSX Crossover at the north end of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on March 20th, 2021 on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. There used to be a diamond at this location for the RJ Memphis line, but it was changed to a crossover at some point in the past. Now, RJ Corman uses the crossover to access either side of their rail operations at Guthrie. Mostly they run a local on weekdays, which they call the Cumberland City Turn, departing early morning normally and returning late afternoon. They head toward the Bowling Green end of the Memphis Line from here when they have grain cars to pick up or drop off. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 420mm, f/6, 1/640, ISO 160.

RJ Corman at CSX Crossover, Guthrie, Ky

The conductor maintains a 3-point contact as he rides the end ballast car as the engineer on RJ Corman 3802 pushes three loaded ballast cars through the CSX Crossover at the north end of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on March 20th, 2021 on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

There used to be a diamond at this location for the RJ Memphis line, but it was changed to a crossover at some point in the past. Now, RJ Corman uses the crossover to access either side of their rail operations at Guthrie. Mostly they run a local on weekdays, which they call the Cumberland City Turn, departing early morning normally and returning late afternoon. They head toward the Bowling Green end of the Memphis Line from here when they have grain cars to pick up or drop off.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 420mm, f/6, 1/640, ISO 160.

Canadian National northbound on the CSX Henderson Subdivision Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 lead an empty ethanol tank train on March 25th, 2021, after passing the location called Romney, on the CSX Henderson subdivision as it heads north at Nortonville, Ky. Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Canadian National northbound on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 lead an empty ethanol tank train on March 25th, 2021, after passing the location called Romney, on the CSX Henderson subdivision as it heads north at Nortonville, Ky.

Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape.

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

Canadian National and BNSF on the CSX Henderson Subdivision The CSX Henderson Subdivision usually sees foreign power on a regular basis these days and March 25th, 2021 was defiantly a busy one, with a lot of interesting moves for me to chase and photograph! Here we have loaded southbound ethanol train K423 (Bensenville, IL to Tampa, FL), with BNSF 9100 and 4418 leading, on its way south as it meets an empty ethanol train K644 (Chicago, IL – Jacksonville, FL) with Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 at Slaughters, Kentucky, as it waits in the siding to continue its move on north on the Henderson subdivision. Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Canadian National, UP and BNSF on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

The CSX Henderson Subdivision usually sees foreign power on a regular basis these days and March 25th, 2021 was defiantly a busy one, with a lot of interesting moves for me to chase and photograph!

Here we have loaded southbound ethanol train K423 (Bensenville, IL to Tampa, FL), with BNSF 9100 and 4418 leading, on its way south as it meets an empty ethanol train K644 (Chicago, IL – Jacksonville, FL) with Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 at Slaughters, Kentucky, as it waits in the siding to continue its move on north on the Henderson subdivision.

Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape.

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

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision! Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia. On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I'm also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway. Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #jimpearsonphotography Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves #2

It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision!

Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia.

On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I’m also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision.

St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway.

Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision! Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia. On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I'm also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway. Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves #1

It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision!

Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia.

On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I’m also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision.

St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway.

Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

March 22nd, 2021 NB LGE PAL Coal Train

March 22nd, 2021 – Today we follow Paducah and Louisville Railway’s (PAL) LG1 (Louisville Gas & Electric) loaded coal train as it departs the Warrior Coal Lead at West Yard in Madisonville, from the ground and the air!
We catch it again at Bremen, Central City and Rockport, Kentucky as they make their way north to Louisville with PAL 4516, EVWR 4511, PAL 4503 & 2013 (University of Louisville) as power. Enjoy the ride!!
Canadian National leads CSX K813 south out of Mortons Gap, Ky With only a few days away from the first day of spring, Canadian National 2314 leads CSX K813 out of Mortons Gap, Ky, with an empty potash train, under gloomy and cold skies on March 18th, 2021, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

Canadian National leads CSX K813 south out of Mortons Gap, Ky

With only a few days away from the first day of spring, Canadian National 2314 leads CSX K813 out of Mortons Gap, Ky, with an empty potash train, under gloomy and cold skies on March 18th, 2021, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

Music City Star train 156 westbound to downtown Nashville, TN On March 19th, 2021 Nashville's Music City Star train #156 makes its reverse move, as it passes under the Shelby Bottoms bridge and rolls through a shaft of sunlight as it also passes the George Reyer Pumping Station on the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee. The Music City Star uses the Nashville and Eastern Railroad trackage that runs between Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee and is currently owned and operated by R.J. Corman. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 500mm, f/6, 1/1250, ISO 220.

Music City Star train 156 westbound to downtown Nashville, TN

On March 19th, 2021 Nashville’s Music City Star train #156 makes its reverse move, as it passes under the Shelby Bottoms bridge and rolls through a shaft of sunlight as it also passes the George Reyer Pumping Station on the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Music City Star uses the Nashville and Eastern Railroad trackage that runs between Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee and is currently owned and operated by R.J. Corman.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 500mm, f/6, 1/1250, ISO 220.

X marks the spot on the Henderson Subdivision I keep returning to this spot called Monarch, where the CSX Henderson Subdivision crosses under the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL), attempting to catch a shot with traffic on both lines, here in Madisonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. There was a PAL train in the neighborhood when I put the drone over Monarch on March 16th, 2021, catching this shot of CSX Q500 as it headed north, however the PAL local didn’t pass until much later. I’ve found over the years that persistence pays off in the long run, so I continue to revisit this spot, waiting for the right moves to appear! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 200.

X marks the spot on the Henderson Subdivision

I keep returning to this spot called Monarch, where the CSX Henderson Subdivision crosses under the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL), attempting to catch a shot with traffic on both lines, here in Madisonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision.

There was a PAL train in the neighborhood when I put the drone over Monarch on March 16th, 2021, catching this shot of CSX Q500 as it headed north, however the PAL local didn’t pass until much later. I’ve found over the years that persistence pays off in the long run, so I continue to revisit this spot, waiting for the right moves to appear!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 200.

Traffic flowing again after a dispatcher's nightmare Looking at this photograph of hot intermodal CSX Q026 passing a tied down CSX W017 rail train just north of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, you wouldn’t know what transpired over 7 hours before their arrivals here! Well, here’s what happened! On March 20th, 2021 at approximately 9am CSX Q513 (12,000+ feet long) was about halfway through Adams, Tennessee when their train ripped a coupler completely out of a refrigerated car about 2/3 through their train and went into full emergency, which ended up causing a major problem on the Henderson Subdivision! Since the train separated on the main, nothing could get around it and before it was over all four hot intermodals on the Henderson Subdivision, Q029, Q025, Q026 and Q028, were now delayed, as were many other trains, including this rail train as a result! They finally figured out a plan that worked where the power from Q029 was brought up from Guthrie, Ky and hooked onto the rear of Q513 to hold the last 1/3 of Q513 in place. Q513 then pulled the front 2/3 of their train south into the siding at Cedar Hill, Tennessee where a bracket was welded onto the reefer car, to hold the EOT device, as a new coupler couldn’t be installed due to the damage. The power on Q513 then pulled away from its train at Cedar Hill, where it went out the south end of the siding and back north on the main to pickup the rest of its train. They then brought the rest of Q513 back to Cedar Hill where they backed into the siding and hooked onto the rest of their train. By this time the crew was now out of time and they the train down, till a fresh crew showed up later to take it on south. Finally, Q029, Q025 and loaded a loaded coal train went on south where Q026 and Q028 were waiting to come north, and the railroad got to moving again! As a result of all this, the rail train, which sat at the south end of Trenton, Ky for all this time, ended up being brought on up to Guthrie where their train was also tied down just short of the crossing at Park Street. The crew was sent to a hotel and I’m not sure if it’s because they ran out of time or if the dispatcher didn’t want a slow speed train (30mp train and 10mph through turnouts and sidings) on the line as everything had been backing up for six hours! Just another day on the railroad!! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Traffic flowing again after a dispatcher’s nightmare

Looking at this photograph of hot intermodal CSX Q026 passing a tied down CSX W017 rail train just north of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, you wouldn’t know what transpired over 7 hours before their arrivals here! Well, here’s what happened!

On March 20th, 2021 at approximately 9am CSX Q513 (12,000+ feet long) was about halfway through Adams, Tennessee when their train ripped a coupler completely out of a refrigerated car about 2/3 through their train and went into full emergency, which ended up causing a major problem on the Henderson Subdivision!

Since the train separated on the main, nothing could get around it and before it was over all four hot intermodals on the Henderson Subdivision, Q029, Q025, Q026 and Q028, were now delayed, as were many other trains, including this rail train as a result!

They finally figured out a plan that worked where the power from Q029 was brought up from Guthrie, Ky and hooked onto the rear of Q513 to hold the last 1/3 of Q513 in place.

Q513 then pulled the front 2/3 of their train south into the siding at Cedar Hill, Tennessee where a bracket was welded onto the reefer car, to hold the EOT device, as a new coupler couldn’t be installed due to the damage.

The power on Q513 then pulled away from its train at Cedar Hill, where it went out the south end of the siding and back north on the main to pickup the rest of its train.

They then brought the rest of Q513 back to Cedar Hill where they backed into the siding and hooked onto the rest of their train. By this time the crew was now out of time and they the train down, till a fresh crew showed up later to take it on south.

Finally, Q029, Q025 and loaded a loaded coal train went on south where Q026 and Q028 were waiting to come north, and the railroad got to moving again!

As a result of all this, the rail train, which sat at the south end of Trenton, Ky for all this time, ended up being brought on up to Guthrie where their train was also tied down just short of the crossing at Park Street.

The crew was sent to a hotel and I’m not sure if it’s because they ran out of time or if the dispatcher didn’t want a slow speed train (30mp train and 10mph through turnouts and sidings) on the line as everything had been backing up for six hours!

Just another day on the railroad!!

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

Music City Star westbound to downtown Nashville, TN Nashville's Music City Star train #158 makes its reverse move, with engine 122 trailing, as it passes RJ Corman’s Nashville & Eastern Railroad on its way to the riverfront station in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern Railroad (reporting mark NERR) is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee. Nashville and Eastern was formed in the 1980s to reestablish freight service from Nashville to Lebanon and points east. The railroad currently extends to Monterey where it serves a large sand mining operation. The railroad provides freight shipping services to more than 30 companies. It also runs occasional passenger excursion trains from Nashville to Cookeville or Watertown in cooperation with the Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville. The tracks that it operates were originally operated by the Tennessee Central Railway, which went out of business in 1968. The railroad is the home of the Music City Star commuter rail service between Nashville and Lebanon. Service began on September 18, 2006. The service is operated by the Regional Transportation Authority, Nashville's public transportation agency. NERR has a subsidiary, the Nashville & Western Railroad Corp. (reporting mark NWR), that operates between Nashville and Ashland City on the former western end of the Tennessee Central. On November 5th, 2018, R.J. Corman Railroad Group announced that it had finalized an agreement to acquire both NERR and NWR as well as Transit Solution Group, operator of the Music City Star commuter trains. R. J. Corman took over operations in January 2019. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

Music City Star westbound to downtown Nashville, TN

Nashville’s Music City Star train #158 makes its reverse move, with engine 122 trailing, as it passes RJ Corman’s Nashville & Eastern Railroad on its way to the riverfront station in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

The Nashville and Eastern Railroad (reporting mark NERR) is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Nashville and Eastern was formed in the 1980s to reestablish freight service from Nashville to Lebanon and points east. The railroad currently extends to Monterey where it serves a large sand mining operation. The railroad provides freight shipping services to more than 30 companies. It also runs occasional passenger excursion trains from Nashville to Cookeville or Watertown in cooperation with the Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville. The tracks that it operates were originally operated by the Tennessee Central Railway, which went out of business in 1968.

The railroad is the home of the Music City Star commuter rail service between Nashville and Lebanon. Service began on September 18, 2006. The service is operated by the Regional Transportation Authority, Nashville’s public transportation agency.

NERR has a subsidiary, the Nashville & Western Railroad Corp. (reporting mark NWR), that operates between Nashville and Ashland City on the former western end of the Tennessee Central.

On November 5th, 2018, R.J. Corman Railroad Group announced that it had finalized an agreement to acquire both NERR and NWR as well as Transit Solution Group, operator of the Music City Star commuter trains. R. J. Corman took over operations in January 2019.

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

Northbound across the CR Drawbridge on the Cumberland River at Nashville, TN CSXT 7779, a rebuilt C40-8 and Canadian Pacific 7027, a rebuilt SD70ACU, pull north across the CR Drawbridge as it departs Nashville, Tennessee on the Nashville Terminal Subdivision with empty ethanol train K442 on March 19th, 2021. I saw for the first time today where this bridge was open for barge traffic on the Cumberland River and I never knew that it is now a swing bridge! I guess at some point in time it was converted, and the name CR Drawbridge was kept. It was built in 1916 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and I'm not sure when it was changed to a swing bridge. Perhaps someone out there can provide information on this conversion in the comments! I did find an interesting video from 2016 where the bridge was rehabilitated by PCL Construction that I'll share in the comments for those that are interested. I'm not sure if this is when it was changed from a draw to a swing bridge or not. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Northbound across the CR Drawbridge on the Cumberland River at Nashville, TN

CSXT 7779, a rebuilt C40-8 and Canadian Pacific 7027, a rebuilt SD70ACU, pull north across the CR Drawbridge as it departs Nashville, Tennessee on the Nashville Terminal Subdivision with empty ethanol train K442 on March 19th, 2021.

I saw for the first time today where this bridge was open for barge traffic on the Cumberland River and I never knew that it is now a swing bridge! I guess at some point in time it was converted, and the name CR Drawbridge was kept. It was built in 1916 by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and I’m not sure when it was changed to a swing bridge. Perhaps someone out there can provide information on this conversion in the comments!

I did find an interesting video from 2016 where the bridge was rehabilitated by PCL Construction that I’ll share in the comments for those that are interested. I’m not sure if this is when it was changed from a draw to a swing bridge or not.

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