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.”

September 21, 2019 - A NS mixed freight slowly makes its way through DeButts Yard at Chattanooga, Tennessee with a Caterpillar Earth Mover High and Wide Load on its way south on the CNO&TP Third District.

A NS mixed freight slowly makes its way…

September 21, 2019 – A NS mixed freight slowly makes its way through DeButts Yard at Chattanooga, Tennessee with a Caterpillar Earth Mover High and Wide Load on its way south on the CNO&TP Third District.

September 22, 2019 - The early morning sunlight bathes the nose of BNSF 5749 as it makes its way past NS DeButts Yard at Chattanooga, Tennessee with a loaded coal train as it heads along the CNO&TP Third District. According to Wikipedia: The Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (abbreviated: CNO&TP; (reporting mark CNTP)) is a railroad that runs from Cincinnati, Ohio, south to Chattanooga, Tennessee, forming part of the Norfolk Southern Railway system. The physical assets of the road were initially financed by the city of Cincinnati in the 1870s, and are still owned by the city. It is the only such long-distance railway owned by a municipality in the United States. The CNO&TP continues to lease that property and operates one rail line, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, between Cincinnati and Chattanooga.

The early morning sunlight bathes the nose of BNSF 5749…

September 22, 2019 – The early morning sunlight bathes the nose of BNSF 5749 as it makes its way past NS DeButts Yard at Chattanooga, Tennessee with a loaded coal train as it heads along the CNO&TP Third District.

According to Wikipedia: The Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (abbreviated: CNO&TP; (reporting mark CNTP)) is a railroad that runs from Cincinnati, Ohio, south to Chattanooga, Tennessee, forming part of the Norfolk Southern Railway system.

The physical assets of the road were initially financed by the city of Cincinnati in the 1870s, and are still owned by the city. It is the only such long-distance railway owned by a municipality in the United States. The CNO&TP continues to lease that property and operates one rail line, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, between Cincinnati and Chattanooga.

September 22, 2019 - CSX W032-17, with CSXT 4062 a SD40-3 leading, passes the depot at Stevenson, Alabama as it heads north on the Chattanooga Subdivision with a load of MOW equipment. According to Wikipedia: The Stevenson Railroad Depot and Hotel are a historic train station and hotel in Stevenson, Alabama. They were built circa 1872 as a joint project of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, whose lines converged in Stevenson. When the Memphis & Charleston was purchased by the Southern Railway in 1898, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (who had taken over the N&C in 1880) took sole control of the depot and operated it until 1976. It was converted into a history museum in 1982. Both buildings are brick with gable roofs and Italianate details. The depot has a central, second-story tower that was added in 1887. The three-story hotel had a lobby, dining room, and kitchen on the first floor and eight large guest rooms on the upper floors. The buildings were listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1975 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The building is now operated as the Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum and features area railroad and Civil War artifacts

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

September 22, 2019 – CSX W032-17, with CSXT 4062 a SD40-3 leading, passes the depot at Stevenson, Alabama as it heads north on the Chattanooga Subdivision with a load of MOW equipment.

According to Wikipedia: The Stevenson Railroad Depot and Hotel are a historic train station and hotel in Stevenson, Alabama. They were built circa 1872 as a joint project of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, whose lines converged in Stevenson. When the Memphis & Charleston was purchased by the Southern Railway in 1898, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (who had taken over the N&C in 1880) took sole control of the depot and operated it until 1976.

It was converted into a history museum in 1982. Both buildings are brick with gable roofs and Italianate details. The depot has a central, second-story tower that was added in 1887. The three-story hotel had a lobby, dining room, and kitchen on the first floor and eight large guest rooms on the upper floors. The buildings were listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1975 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The building is now operated as the Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum and features area railroad and Civil War artifacts

September 22, 2019 - Norfolk Southern 1206 leads a early morning mixed freight across the Tenbridge, over the Tennessee River, as it heads south on the CNO&TP Third District at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Norfolk Southern 1206 leads a early morning…

September 22, 2019 – Norfolk Southern 1206 leads a early morning NS 179-21 across the Tenbridge, over the Tennessee River, as it heads south on the CNO&TP Third District at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

WEB-09.21.19 L&N 1593 from overpass, Chickamumga, GA

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

September 21, 2019 – Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593, approaches the Hwy 27 overpass on the Chattanooga & Chickamauga Railroad, as it heads south into Chickamauga, Georgia, during the 2019 L&N Convention, at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

September 20, 2019 - Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593, sits next to Southern 630, during the Annual L&N Convention night shoot, at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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

September 20, 2019 – Southern 4501, all dressed up as L&N 1593, as it sits next to Southern 630, for the Annual L&N Convention, at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee during a night photo shoot.

September 19, 2019 - The sun begins to set over the Paducah and Louisville Railway at the crossing from West Yard in Madisonville, Ky as we approach the first day of fall.

The sun begins to set…

September 19, 2019 – The sun begins to set over the Paducah and Louisville Railway at the crossing from West Yard in Madisonville, Ky as we approach the first day of fall.

September 6, 2019 - Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A sits in the station at Two Harbors, Minnesota as the CN yard man and the engineer from our photo excursion train talk on the platform. Everyone from the photo excursion passenger train on the North Shore Scenic Railroad with are off the train shooting their photos of the train set, as we all wait for permission into the CN yard at Two Harbors so our train can be turned and head back to Duluth, Minnesota. According to Wikipedia: With steam operations on North American Railroads being converted to diesel operations, Electro-Motive, along with other locomotive builders, began building demonstrator units to be tested by various railroads. Electro-Motive built a set of three FP7 units, 7001 (A-unit) and 7002 & 7003 (B-units). In November 1949, Canadian Pacific Railway tested these units. Canadian Pacific owned most of the Soo Line, and after testing the three demonstrator units, they were sent to the Soo Line. In April 1950, Soo Line ran the set from Minneapolis, MN to Portal, ND then Duluth, MN to Winnipeg. 7001 hosted the United Kingdom's Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, in its cab through North Dakota. Soo Line was so impressed with the set, that it purchased them for use on Wisconsin Central. In May 1950, they were delivered as WC 2500-A, 2500-B, and 2501-B. WC 2500-A often pulled Soo's Laker from Chicago to Duluth. Although numbered as Wisconsin Central, 2500 was painted in Soo Line's maroon and gold scheme. In 1960 Wisconsin Central became part of the Soo Line, and 2500 was repainted into the red and gray Soo Line scheme. When passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s, 2500 was used to pull freight trains.

Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A…

September 6, 2019 – Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A sits in the station at Two Harbors, Minnesota as the CN yard man and the engineer from our photo excursion train talk on the platform. Everyone from the photo excursion passenger train on the North Shore Scenic Railroad with are off the train shooting their photos of the train set, as we all wait for permission into the CN yard at Two Harbors so our train can be turned and head back to Duluth, Minnesota.

According to Wikipedia: With steam operations on North American Railroads being converted to diesel operations, Electro-Motive, along with other locomotive builders, began building demonstrator units to be tested by various railroads. Electro-Motive built a set of three FP7 units, 7001 (A-unit) and 7002 & 7003 (B-units). In November 1949, Canadian Pacific Railway tested these units. Canadian Pacific owned most of the Soo Line, and after testing the three demonstrator units, they were sent to the Soo Line.

In April 1950, Soo Line ran the set from Minneapolis, MN to Portal, ND then Duluth, MN to Winnipeg. 7001 hosted the United Kingdom’s Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, in its cab through North Dakota. Soo Line was so impressed with the set, that it purchased them for use on Wisconsin Central. In May 1950, they were delivered as WC 2500-A, 2500-B, and 2501-B.

WC 2500-A often pulled Soo’s Laker from Chicago to Duluth. Although numbered as Wisconsin Central, 2500 was painted in Soo Line’s maroon and gold scheme. In 1960 Wisconsin Central became part of the Soo Line, and 2500 was repainted into the red and gray Soo Line scheme. When passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s, 2500 was used to pull freight trains.

September 8, 2019 - CTA Blue Line train 117 crests a hill coming out of downtown Chicago, Illinois as it approaches the Damen Station, headed toward O'Hare airport.

CTA Blue Line train 117 crests a hill…

September 8, 2019 – CTA Blue Line train 117 crests a hill coming out of downtown Chicago, Illinois as it approaches the Damen Station, headed toward O’Hare airport.

September 10, 2019 - Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210 approaches heads toward the crossing at 1st Street at Terre Haute, Indiana as it heads onto the Danville Secondary Subdivision with a mixed freight. According to Wikipedia: The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco Companies 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 Secondary 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 Paris, Illinois.

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210…

September 10, 2019 – Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210 approaches heads toward the crossing at 1st Street at Terre Haute, Indiana as it heads onto the Danville Secondary Subdivision with a mixed freight.

According to Wikipedia: The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco Companies 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 Secondary 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 Paris, Illinois.

September 4, 2019 - A loaded BNSF coal train navigates the loop at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal along the St. Louis Bay, at the mouth of the St. Louis River (Lake Superior) in Superior, Wisconsin.

A loaded BNSF coal train navigates…

September 4, 2019 – A loaded BNSF coal train navigates the loop at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal along the St. Louis Bay, at the mouth of the St. Louis River (Lake Superior) in Superior, Wisconsin.

September 9, 2019 - Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight over the BNSF Aurora Subdivision, at the diamond, as a track inspector watches from the side as it heads westbound on the the UP Geneva Subdivision at Rochelle, Illinois.

Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight…

September 9, 2019 – Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight over the BNSF Aurora Subdivision, at the diamond, as a track inspector watches from the side as it heads westbound on the the UP Geneva Subdivision at Rochelle, Illinois.

September 6, 2019 - Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A sits in the station at Two Harbors, Minnesota on the North Shore Scenic Railroad with a photo excursion passenger train. According to Wikipedia: With steam operations on North American Railroads being converted to diesel operations, Electro-Motive, along with other locomotive builders, began building demonstrator units to be tested by various railroads. Electro-Motive built a set of three FP7 units, 7001 (A-unit) and 7002 & 7003 (B-units). In November 1949, Canadian Pacific Railway tested these units. Canadian Pacific owned most of the Soo Line, and after testing the three demonstrator units, they were sent to the Soo Line. In April 1950, Soo Line ran the set from Minneapolis, MN to Portal, ND then Duluth, MN to Winnipeg. 7001 hosted the United Kingdom's Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, in its cab through North Dakota. Soo Line was so impressed with the set, that it purchased them for use on Wisconsin Central. In May 1950, they were delivered as WC 2500-A, 2500-B, and 2501-B. WC 2500-A often pulled Soo's Laker from Chicago to Duluth. Although numbered as Wisconsin Central, 2500 was painted in Soo Line's maroon and gold scheme. In 1960 Wisconsin Central became part of the Soo Line, and 2500 was repainted into the red and gray Soo Line scheme. When passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s, 2500 was used to pull freight trains.

Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A…

September 6, 2019 – Soo Line/Wisconsin Central FP7 Number 2500-A sits in the station at Two Harbors, Minnesota on the North Shore Scenic Railroad with a photo excursion passenger train.

According to Wikipedia: With steam operations on North American Railroads being converted to diesel operations, Electro-Motive, along with other locomotive builders, began building demonstrator units to be tested by various railroads. Electro-Motive built a set of three FP7 units, 7001 (A-unit) and 7002 & 7003 (B-units). In November 1949, Canadian Pacific Railway tested these units. Canadian Pacific owned most of the Soo Line, and after testing the three demonstrator units, they were sent to the Soo Line.

In April 1950, Soo Line ran the set from Minneapolis, MN to Portal, ND then Duluth, MN to Winnipeg. 7001 hosted the United Kingdom’s Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, in its cab through North Dakota. Soo Line was so impressed with the set, that it purchased them for use on Wisconsin Central. In May 1950, they were delivered as WC 2500-A, 2500-B, and 2501-B.

WC 2500-A often pulled Soo’s Laker from Chicago to Duluth. Although numbered as Wisconsin Central, 2500 was painted in Soo Line’s maroon and gold scheme. In 1960 Wisconsin Central became part of the Soo Line, and 2500 was repainted into the red and gray Soo Line scheme. When passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s, 2500 was used to pull freight trains.

September 5, 2019 - The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 steam locomotive under full steam heads back toward Duluth, Minnesota during a recent photo charter from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum on the North Shore Line.

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 steam locomotive…

September 5, 2019 – The Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 332 steam locomotive, under full steam, heads back toward Duluth, Minnesota during a recent photo charter from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, on the North Shore Line.

September 9, 2019 - Lights reflect off the side of refrigerated reefers as Burlington Northern Railway 1517 works on picking up and dropping off cars at the Americold plant in Rochelle, Illinois on the City of Rochelle Railroad. According to Wikipedia: "The Burlington Junction Railway (reporting mark BJRY) is a Class III short line railroad which was chartered in 1985. Originally operating on the southernmost 3 miles (4.8 km) of the former Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway mainline in Burlington, Iowa after abandonment by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it provides short freight hauling, switching operations, locomotive repair, and transloading services, the latter currently handling over 3,000 carloads a year. Typical commodity types transported include chemicals and fertilizer." The BJRY operation in Rochelle is more sophisticated than most. First of all, the track is owned by the City of Rochelle Railroad. Second of all, it interchanges with UP as well as BNSF. It has enough track capacity to handle unit trains. It does not provide intermodal service because UP has its Global 3 intermodal yard on the other side of town.

Burlington Junction Railway 1517…

September 9, 2019 – Lights reflect off the side of refrigerated reefers as Burlington Junction Railway 1517 works on picking up and dropping off cars at the Americold plant in Rochelle, Illinois on the City of Rochelle Railroad.

According to Wikipedia: “The Burlington Junction Railway (reporting mark BJRY) is a Class III short line railroad which was chartered in 1985. Originally operating on the southernmost 3 miles (4.8 km) of the former Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway mainline in Burlington, Iowa after abandonment by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it provides short freight hauling, switching operations, locomotive repair, and transloading services, the latter currently handling over 3,000 carloads a year. Typical commodity types transported include chemicals and fertilizer.”

The BJRY operation in Rochelle is more sophisticated than most. First of all, the track is owned by the City of Rochelle Railroad. Second of all, it interchanges with UP as well as BNSF. It has enough track capacity to handle unit trains. It does not provide intermodal service because UP has its Global 3 intermodal yard on the other side of town.

September 12, 2019 - It has been several weeks since Dotki Mine in Clay, Kentucky shut down and today the town of Providence, Ky turnout for the last load of coal (20 cars or so) from the mine. The last run today was dedicated in honor the miners who worked there–and the miner Jeremy Elder–who died just one week ago in an accident at Warrior Coal Mine outside Madisonville, Ky. The Elder family, from left, brother Adam Elder, wife Kristi Elder, mother Loretta Elder, son Holden Elder and father Terry Elder. Not pictured is son Rylan Elder, who was on a field trip with his school, posing for pictures on Paducah and Louisville Railway's 4522, University of Kentucky engine, which was heading up CSX Z464-12 on the last trip along the CSX Morganfield Branch. Coal trains have been passing through Providence since the 1800's according to a Facebook post by Providence Mayor Doug Hammers and a banner on the last coal car read; for the last 52 years the railroad has hauled a total of over 193 Million tons of coal from the Dotki Mine. The mine was operated by Alliance Resource Partner's (ARP) subsidiary, Webster County Coal LLC and according to recent news reports by the Gleaner Newspaper in Henderson, Kentucky, the mine closed due to a decline in the coal market. "Unfortunately, weak market conditions made this action necessary," said Joseph W. Craft III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of ARP. "We are saddened that production will be ending at the Dotiki Mine, which was opened in 1969 and is the oldest mine operated by ARLP."

Last Train from Dotki Mine at Providence, Kentucky

September 12, 2019 – It has been several weeks since Dotki Mine in Clay, Kentucky shut down and today the town of Providence, Ky turnout for the last load of coal (20 cars or so) from the mine. The last run today was dedicated in honor the miners who worked there–and the miner Jeremy Elder–who died just one week ago at Warrior Coal Mine in Madisonville, Ky.

In this photo we see the Elder family posing for pictures on Paducah and Louisville Railway’s 4522, University of Kentucky engine, which was heading up CSX Z464-12 on the last trip along the CSX Morganfield Branch.

Coal trains have been passing through Providence since the 1800’s according to a Facebook post by Providence Mayor Doug Hammers and a banner on the last coal car read; for the last 52 years the railroad has hauled a total of over 193 Million tons of coal from the Dotki Mine.

The mine was operated by Alliance Resource Partner’s (ARP) subsidiary, Webster County Coal LLC nad according to recent news reports by the Gleaner Newspaper in Henderson, Kentucky, the mine closed due to a decline in the coal market. “Unfortunately, weak market conditions made this action necessary,” said Joseph W. Craft III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of ARP. “We are saddened that production will be ending at the Dotiki Mine, which was opened in 1969 and is the oldest mine operated by ARLP.”