SSGT Bill Lovins, ground radio maintenance, left, and SSGT Randall Brinlee, teletype communications operator, install communications antennas on one of several converted railway cars which function as the Alaskan Air Command's Alternate Command Post. Both men are assigned to the 1930th Information Systems Squadron.

Blast From The Past – 1991, 1930th Information Systems Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.

This gallery of photographs will highlight photographs that shot during my career as a photojournalist in the U.S. Air Force and working for The Messenger Newspaper in Madisonville, Ky. I hope you enjoy a look at my past from around the world! I plan to add a new photo daily till I run out of photos I want to post or a year has gone by.

Blast from the Past: 1991 – SSGT Bill Lovins, ground radio maintenance, left, and SSGT Randall Brinlee, teletype communications operator, install communications antennas on one of several converted railway cars which function as the Alaskan Air Command’s Alternate Command Post. Both men were assigned to the 1930th Information Systems Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. – USAF Photo by TSgt. James R. Pearson

October 8, 2019 - CSX Loaded grain train G307 takes the siding at the north end of Crofton, Kentucky as it passes empty coal train CSX E302 sitting on the main as they both work their way along the Henderson Subdivision.

CSX Loaded grain train G307 takes the siding…

October 8, 2019 – CSX Loaded grain train G307 takes the siding at the north end of Crofton, Kentucky as it passes empty coal train CSX E302 sitting on the main as they both work their way along the Henderson Subdivision.

October 8, 2019 - With just a hint of fall color in the background, empty coal train CSX E319 glides onto the Earlington Cutoff at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Kentucky as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision.

Empty coal train CSX E319 at Mortons Gap, Kentucky

October 8, 2019 – With just a hint of fall color in the background, empty coal train CSX E319 glides onto the Earlington Cutoff at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Kentucky as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision.

September 8, 2019 - CTA UIC-Halsted Blue Line train 108 passes a line of Maintenance of Way equipment as it heads into its next stop at Jefferson Park station in Chicago, Illinois.

CTA UIC-Halsted Blue Line train 108…

September 8, 2019 – CTA UIC-Halsted Blue Line train 108 passes a line of Maintenance of Way equipment as it heads into its next stop at Jefferson Park station in Chicago, Illinois.

October 5, 2019 - The conductor on CSX Y106 leans out as he guides the engineer on CSXT 9024 as they prepare to couple up to their empty autorack train at milepost 319.2, at Dogtown, just south of Evansville, Indiana on the Henderson Subdivision. The autorack came up from the south on the Henderson Subdivision to Evansville where this fresh crew ran the power around the train so they could take it on back across the Ohio River to the Texas Line and onto Louisville, Ky.

The conductor on CSX Y106…

October 5, 2019 – The conductor on CSX Y106 leans out as he guides the engineer on CSXT 9024 as they prepare to couple up to their empty autorack train at milepost 319.2, at Dogtown, just south of Evansville, Indiana on the Henderson Subdivision. The autorack came up from the south on the Henderson Subdivision to Evansville where this fresh crew ran the power around the train so they could take it on back across the Ohio River to the Texas Line and onto Louisville, Ky.

October 5, 2019 - CSX Q025-04 heads up the viaduct to the bridge over the Ohio River between Rahm, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on this beautiful fall morning with a wall of containers and a Geometry Test Car behind the lead units.

CSX Q025-04 heads up the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana

October 5, 2019 – CSX Q025-04 heads up the viaduct to the bridge over the Ohio River between Rahm, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on this beautiful fall morning with a wall of containers and a Geometry Test Car behind the lead units.

September 22, 2019 - A Norfolk Southern loaded grain train prepares to pass through the NS/CSX Diamond in downtown Dalton, Georgia as it heads south on the NS Georgia Division. According to the website http://railfanlocations.weebly.com/ Downtown Dalton, Georgia is a railfan hotspot with 40 to 45 trains in an average day. Dalton is one of the few (if not only) places in Georgia where the CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway cross each other at grade. Norfolk Southern sold the former Southern Railway freight depot to the City of Dalton. The city has restored the old freight station and created an excellent train watching location, as well as a visitor’s center.

Norfolk Southern loaded grain train SB at Dalton, GA

September 22, 2019 – A Norfolk Southern loaded grain train prepares to pass through the NS/CSX Diamond in downtown Dalton, Georgia as it heads south on the NS Georgia Division.

According to the website http://railfanlocations.weebly.com/ Downtown Dalton, Georgia is a railfan hotspot with 40 to 45 trains in an average day. Dalton is one of the few (if not only) places in Georgia where the CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway cross each other at grade. Norfolk Southern sold the former Southern Railway freight depot to the City of Dalton. The city has restored the old freight station and created an excellent train watching location, as well as a visitor’s center.

September 21, 2019 - The conductor stands ready to throw the switch after Southern Railway 630 departs from East Chattanooga, Tennessee on one of its several runs for the day. Southern 630 is a 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the Richmond Works of the American Locomotive Company for the Southern Railway as a member of the KS-1 Consolidation class. Today, it operates at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The conductor stands ready to throw the switch…

September 21, 2019 – The conductor stands ready to throw the switch after Southern Railway 630 departs from East Chattanooga, Tennessee on one of its several runs for the day. Southern 630 is a 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the Richmond Works of the American Locomotive Company for the Southern Railway as a member of the KS-1 Consolidation class. Today, it operates at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

September 8, 2019 - CTA Blue Line train 105 to Forest Park passes a crossover as it approaches the Damen Station as it heads toward downtown Chicago, Illinois.

CTA Blue Line train 105 to Forest Park…

September 8, 2019 – CTA Blue Line train 105 to Forest Park passes a crossover as it approaches the Damen Station as it heads toward downtown Chicago, Illinois.

October 2, 2019 - This afternoon I caught this rainbow power move as it took the siding at the north end of the siding at Dawson Springs, Ky, on the Paducah and Louisville Railway. The power is, PAL 4518, CITIRAIL 1204, BNSF 9651 and 5653. The BNSF power came north earlier this morning and dropped off a string of empty coal cars, before the power being moved back to Paducah, Ky. Not sure of the reason for the strange move however.

This afternoon I caught this rainbow power move…

October 2, 2019 – This afternoon I caught this rainbow power move as it took the siding at the north end of the siding at Dawson Springs, Ky, on the Paducah and Louisville Railway. The power is, PAL 4518, CITIRAIL 1204, BNSF 9651 and 5653. The BNSF power came north earlier this morning and dropped off a string of empty coal cars, before the power being moved back to Paducah, Ky. Not sure of the reason for the strange move however.

September 4, 2019 - The last glow of the day starts to fade from the sky a crews get things ready for a night photo shoot in Duluth, Minnesota at a recent photo charter at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. Locomotives from left, Minnesota Steel #7 a 0-4-0ST "Tank Engine" built by Porter in 1915; Soo Line #2719, Duluth, Missabe a Class H-23, 4-6-2 "Pacific" built by ALCO in 1923; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway #332 a 2-8-0 consolidation class built by Pittsburg Works in 1906 and Duluth & Northern Minnesota #14 a 2-8-2 "Mikado" built by Baldwin in 1913.

The last glow of the day starts to fade from the sky…

September 4, 2019 – The last glow of the day starts to fade from the sky a crews get things ready for a night photo shoot in Duluth, Minnesota at a recent photo charter at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum on the North Shore Scenic Railroad.

Locomotives from left, Minnesota Steel #7 a 0-4-0ST “Tank Engine” built by Porter in 1915; Soo Line #2719, Duluth, Missabe a Class H-23, 4-6-2 “Pacific” built by ALCO in 1923; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway #332 a 2-8-0 consolidation class built by Pittsburg Works in 1906 and Duluth & Northern Minnesota #14 a 2-8-2 “Mikado” built by Baldwin in 1913.

September 21, 2019 - Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593, heads into a curve at Chattanooga, Tennessee as it heads south to Chickamauga, GA, during the 2019 L&N Convention.

Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593…

September 21, 2019 – Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593, heads into a curve at Chattanooga, Tennessee as it heads south to Chickamauga, GA, during the 2019 L&N Convention.

September 28, 2019 - CSXT 3201 leads Q503-27 as it crests the hill at the north end of Crofton Siding as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Crofton, Ky in the early morning light.

CSXT 3201 leads Q503-27 as it crests the hill…

September 28, 2019 – CSXT 3201 leads Q503-27 as it crests the hill at the north end of Crofton Siding as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Crofton, Ky in the early morning light.

September 22, 2019 - CSX W032-17, with CSXT 4062 a SD40-3 leading, meets a northbound Q581 at Sherwood, Tennessee, as it heads north on the Chattanooga Subdivision with a load of MOW equipment.

CSX W032-17, with CSXT 4062 a SD40-3 leading…

September 22, 2019 – CSX W032-17, with CSXT 4062 a SD40-3 leading, meets a northbound Q581 at Sherwood, Tennessee, as it heads north on the Chattanooga Subdivision with a load of MOW equipment.

September 21, 2019 - Somewhere on the ground behind remotely controlled engine NS 6181 stands a remote operator that is working on building a train as one of the towers at NS DeButts Yard and the train is bathed in the late evening light at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Remotely controlled engine NS 6181 at Chattanooga, TN

September 21, 2019 – Somewhere on the ground behind remotely controlled engine NS 6181 stands a remote operator that is working on building a train as one of the towers at NS DeButts Yard and the train is bathed in the late evening light at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

September 5, 2019 - The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 steam locomotive from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum passes over the Big Sucker Creek Trestle, on the North Shore Line, as it pulls a photo excursion freight train north toward Twin Harbors from Duluth, Minnesota. According to Wikipedia: Duluth & Northeastern 28 (also known as Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332) is a restored 2-8-0 (consolidation) locomotive built in 1906 by the Pittsburgh Works of American Locomotive Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was restored to operating condition by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum from 2011-2017, and now operates in excursion service on the North Shore Scenic Railroad.

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 passes over the Big Sucker Creek Trestle

September 5, 2019 – The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 steam locomotive from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum passes over the Big Sucker Creek Trestle, on the North Shore Line, as it pulls a photo excursion freight train north toward Twin Harbors from Duluth, Minnesota.

According to Wikipedia: Duluth & Northeastern 28 (also known as Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332) is a restored 2-8-0 (consolidation) locomotive built in 1906 by the Pittsburgh Works of American Locomotive Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was restored to operating condition by the Lake Superior Railroad Museum from 2011-2017, and now operates in excursion service on the North Shore Scenic Railroad.

September 4, 2019 - Part of the photo line during the night photo shoot in Duluth, Minnesota at a recent photo charter at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum on the North Shore Line.

The Photo Line!!

September 4, 2019 – Part of the photo line during the night photo shoot in Duluth, Minnesota at a recent photo charter at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum on the North Shore Line. I really enjoy taking part in photo charters! They give you an opportunity to photograph trains in spots that would otherwise be unavailable.

September 20, 2019 - CSX empty coal train E303 heads across the liftbridge at Bridgeport, Alabama as it heads north over the Tennessee River on the Chattanooga Subdivision. From what I can find on the web, "The original span was a swing type drawbridge constructed in 1852 by the Nashville & Chattanooga RR. That structure was replaced in 1890 by another swing type by successor line Louisville & Nashville. Current span was completed in 1981. The central lift section was taken from another bridge that had been abandoned on an L&N line at Danville, TN. It was dismantled, shipped to this site, and reassembled in place."

CSX empty coal train E303 heads across the liftbridge…

September 20, 2019 – CSX empty coal train E303 heads across the liftbridge at Bridgeport, Alabama as it heads north over the Tennessee River on the Chattanooga Subdivision. From what I can find on the web, “The original span was a swing type drawbridge constructed in 1852 by the Nashville & Chattanooga RR. That structure was replaced in 1890 by another swing type by successor line Louisville & Nashville. Current span was completed in 1981. The central lift section was taken from another bridge that had been abandoned on an L&N line at Danville, TN. It was dismantled, shipped to this site, and reassembled in place.”