March 30, 2020 - I stumbled across this image and several others on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I'd share a few of them. This one is from June 6, 2006 of BNSF 4419 leading a business train east bound through Sullivan's Curve just west of Cajon Junction in southern California, headed to Barstow, CA. From the Web we learn that “Sullivan's Curve is where the Union Pacific Palmdale Cutoff, and the BNSF mains 1 and 2 curve in a large horseshoe curve directly next to some large, rather impressive, rock formations. Promotional photos taken at this curve for the Santa Fe in the 1930’s through the 1950’s by photographer Herb Sullivan were fantastic, and made famous by their composition. The curve that he used so frequently was named in his honor, and rightfully so.”

BNSF 4419 leading a business train eastbound, Cajon Junction, CA

March 30, 2020 – I stumbled across this image and several others on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I’d share a few of them. This one is from June 6, 2006 of BNSF 4419 leading a business train east bound through Sullivan’s Curve just west of Cajon Junction in southern California, headed to Barstow, CA.

From the Web we learn that “Sullivan’s Curve is where the Union Pacific Palmdale Cutoff, and the BNSF mains 1 and 2 curve in a large horseshoe curve directly next to some large, rather impressive, rock formations. Promotional photos taken at this curve for the Santa Fe in the 1930’s through the 1950’s by photographer Herb Sullivan were fantastic, and made famous by their composition. The curve that he used so frequently was named in his honor, and rightfully so.”

March 25, 2020 - Looking like a long centipede with all its tanks, BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way along the main at the south end of Slaughters Siding, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train at Slaughters, Ky.

BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 southbound at Slaughters, Ky

March 25, 2020 – Looking like a long centipede with all its tanks, BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way along the main at the south end of Slaughters Siding, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train at Slaughters, Ky.

March 25, 2020 - CSXT 4016 runs long nose forward as it heads up CSX J052-25 pulling a loaded ballast train as it works it's way south at CP Anaconda on the Henderson Subdivision at Robards, Ky.

CSX J052-25 pulling a loaded ballast train…

March 25, 2020 – CSXT 4016 runs long nose forward as it heads up CSX J052-25 pulling a loaded ballast train as it works it’s way south at CP Anaconda on the Henderson Subdivision at Robards, Ky.

March 26, 2020 - Canadian Pacific 9814 leads CSX K815-25, an empty Phosphate train, through the S curve at Nortonville, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Canadian Pacific 9814 leads CSX K815-25…

March 26, 2020 – Canadian Pacific 9814 leads CSX K815-25, an empty Phosphate train, through the S curve at Nortonville, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

March 25, 2020 - BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way through the S curve Anaconda, approaching the Peddler McDonald grade crossing, south of Robards, Kentucky on track 2, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train. A big shoutout to all the fellow fans that gave me heads up on this move! It was good to be able to keep my social distance by railfanning alone and also nice to get out of the house for the first time in three days, with nice weather finally to boot! Stay safe out there everyone and wash your hands!

BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 SB at Robards, Ky

March 25, 2020 – BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way through the S curve Anaconda, approaching the Peddler McDonald grade crossing, south of Robards, Kentucky on track 2, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train.

A big shoutout to all the fellow fans that gave me heads up on this move! It was good to be able to keep my social distance by railfanning alone and also nice to get out of the house for the first time in three days, with nice weather finally to boot! Stay safe out there everyone and wash your hands!

March 12, 2020 - I could hear the rumble of CSXT 6354 as struggled as the lone operating engine on its over 6,000 ft manifest train as it made its way up the grade on the main at the middle of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky as it headed north on the Henderson Subdivision. Dispatch had been talking to him about his power troubles and I decided to head to the to the crossing with my 150-600mm Sigma Lens and wait for him as I knew the was going to struggle over the rise of the grade there. I really enjoy the views and looks I can get at 600mm with this lens! I even like the way it makes the tracks look, which sometimes, like the track at 600mm, can get some folks bent out of shape! LOL

CSXT 6354 Struggles upgrade at Kelly, Ky

March 12, 2020 – I could hear the rumble of CSXT 6354 as struggled as the lone operating engine on its over 6,000 ft manifest train as it made its way up the grade on the main at the middle of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky as it headed north on the Henderson Subdivision.

March 12, 2020 - In this 600mm view we find CSXT 436 slowly pulling Q237 into the siding at the north end of Chapel Hill on the S&NA North Subdivision to wait on a northbound Q028 intermodal at Chapel Hill, Tennessee. The 600mm lens compresses everything and as a result makes the track look worse than it is.

Q237 into the siding at the north end of Chapel Hill, TN

March 12, 2020 – In this 600mm view we find CSXT 436 slowly pulling Q237 into the siding at the north end of Chapel Hill on the S&NA North Subdivision to wait on a northbound Q028 intermodal at Chapel Hill, Tennessee. The 600mm lens compresses everything and as a result makes the track look worse than it is.

February 20, 2020 - As one leaves a station and the other arrives, two Chicago Transit Authority trains make their way past each other on the downtown Chicago "L" loop in Chicago, Illinois.

Two Chicago Transit Authority trains…

February 20, 2020 – As one leaves a station and the other arrives, two Chicago Transit Authority trains make their way past each other on the downtown Chicago “L” loop in Chicago, Illinois.

February 26, 2020 - Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve coming into Hanson, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a empty coke train.

Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve…

February 26, 2020 – Union Pacific 5883 rounds the curve coming into Hanson, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a empty coke train.

February 22, 2020 - The afternoon Iowa Interstate local, with unit 502, backs through Blue Island Junction at Blue Island, Illinois, as they head to CSX Barr Yard to do interchange work. According to Wikipedia: The railroad was formed on November 2, 1984, using former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad tracks between Chicago, Illinois, and Omaha, Nebraska. It was in partnership with real estate firm Heartland Rail Corporation that the IAIS was able to operate. Heartland purchased the right-of-way and infrastructure for $31 million (of which, $15 million was a loan from the Iowa Railway Finance Authority), and then leased it to IAIS for operations. The IAIS and the railroad infrastructure were purchased from Heartland by Railroad Development Company of Pittsburgh, PA in 2003. In recognition of the railroad's Rock Island Railroad heritage, the IAIS logo uses a shape similar to the original railroad's logo and has also painted two of its General Electric ES44AC locomotives (513 and 516) in Rock Island inspired paint schemes. When the IAIS took control of the track, the former Rock Island signal system was already damaged beyond repair due to sitting dormant for several years. Operations on the railroad are primarily controlled by track warrants rather than signals as a result. Trains are dispatched from the company's HQ in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where a new dispatching office was completed in 2016. IAIS uses Wabtec's Train Management and Dispatching System (TMDS), the same dispatching software used by several Class I railroads, including the BNSF and KCS.

Iowa Interstate local, with unit 502…

February 22, 2020 – The afternoon Iowa Interstate local, with unit 502, backs through Blue Island Junction at Blue Island, Illinois, as they head to CSX Barr Yard to do interchange work.

March 19, 2020 - Today I caught CSX Q648-18 at Sebree, Ky with a power move consisting of CSXT 4814, 397, 427, 5117, 5207, 5327 (Western Maryland Sticker Unit), 437 and 505, as it made its way north on the Henderson Subdivision.

CSX Q648-18 power move at Sebree, Ky

March 19, 2020 – Today I caught CSX Q648-18 at Sebree, Ky with a power move consisting of CSXT 4814, 397, 427, 5117, 5207, 5327 (Western Maryland Sticker Unit), 437 and 505, as it made its way north on the Henderson Subdivision.

February 19, 2020 - An southbound Metra train arrives at the Jefferson Park Metra Station with engine128 leading during the evening rush hour from downtown Chicago, Illinois as the golden light of the day begins to fade from the sky.

An southbound Metra train arrives at the Jefferson Park…

February 19, 2020 – An southbound Metra train arrives at the Jefferson Park Metra Station with engine 128 leading during the evening rush hour from downtown Chicago, Illinois as the golden light of the day begins to fade from the sky.

March 18, 2020 - One of the safe things we can do during this current Coronavirus scare is do some railfanning by ourselves! I had a semi-annual Dr. Checkup today and after the appointment I spent some time railfanning in the rain! Yes, I railfan in all kinds of weather since railroads run in all kinds of weather! All you need is a good golf umbrella along with some timing! Here I caught CSX W990, a 1,800 ft train loaded with wind turbine generators as it crested the hill at middle Kelly as it made its way north on the Henderson Subdivision at kelly, Ky. The hardest thing about shooting in bad weather is getting out the door! I keep a good golf umbrella and a large microfiber cloth in my car for just such days!

CSX W990, a 1,800 ft train loaded with wind turbine generators…

March 18, 2020 – One of the safe things we can do during this current Coronavirus scare is do some railfanning by ourselves! I had a semi-annual Dr. Checkup today and after the appointment I spent some time railfanning in the rain! Yes, I railfan in all kinds of weather since railroads run in all kinds of weather! All you need is a good golf umbrella along with some timing!

Here I caught CSX W990, a 1,800 ft train loaded with wind turbine generators as it crested the hill at middle Kelly as it made its way north on the Henderson Subdivision at kelly, Ky.

The hardest thing about shooting in bad weather is getting out the door! I keep a good golf umbrella and a large microfiber cloth in my car for just such days!

February 20, 2020 - Chicago Transit Authority brown line train 414 to Kimball makes its way on the downtown Chicago "L" loop as a green line train waits for a clear at CTA Tower 12 at the Van Buren & Wabash junction, as they head toward the Adams/Walbash Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Transit Authority brown line train 414…

February 20, 2020 – Chicago Transit Authority brown line train 414 to Kimball makes its way on the downtown Chicago “L” loop as a green line train waits for a clear at CTA Tower 12 at the Van Buren & Wabash junction, as they head toward the Adams/Walbash Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

February 20, 2020 - A Chicago Transit Authority Green Line train heads toward the loop in downtown Chicago, Illinois as the late afternoon light plays on the building behind it.

Chicago Transit Authority Green Line train…

February 20, 2020 – A Chicago Transit Authority Green Line train heads toward the loop in downtown Chicago, Illinois as the late afternoon light plays on the building behind it.