August 20, 2016 – CSX K443, with Kansas City Southern 4868 and 4830 leading the way, approach the crossing at County Road 550 at Middle King just outside of Ft. Branch, Indiana at dusk as it makes its way south with a loaded Ethanol Train on the CE&D Subdivision.
August 20, 2016 – Norfolk Southern Wabash Heritage Unit, 1070, is reflected in standing water, as it makes its way east into the yard at Princeton, Indiana on NS 223 with a loaded intermodal at sunset.
August 18, 2016 Paducah and Louisville Railway engine 3831 backs out of the Oak Street Yard in Louisville, Ky with it’s local train onto the Norfolk Southern main in Louisville, Ky.
August 18, 2016 Norfolk Southern 8160 approaches NS’s L.S. Junction at Louisville, Ky as it heads north with its loaded coal train.
August 18, 2016 Paducah and Louisville Railway engine 3831 leads a local train through Norfolk Southern’s L.S. Junction at Louisville, Ky as it heads to the south.
Welcome to my first installment on this new column! I hope that everyone gets at least something from my ramblings here!
On July 22, 2016 I made a trip to find the South Tunnel on CSX’s Mainline Subdivision. I didn’t catch a train unfortunately, but this shot taken with my iPhone 6s really doesn’t need one! Look for photos that can provide you with good leading lines to help draw your subject into your picture!
The Best Camera
I’m often asked what’s the best camera to use when taking photographs? My short answer is, the one you have with you! It doesn’t really matter what brand you use or like as long as you get out trackside and shoot pictures!
Now, of course some cameras offer better results than perhaps others, but what it all comes down to is that it’s the person behind the camera that “makes” the picture, not the equipment you use! I shoot and have seen others shoot with everything from smartphones to high priced digital cameras, but what it really comes down to a lot is you, the photographer and how you see and capture the scene before you! That’s what I love about photography, the ability to decide when and what I want to photograph. No one else tells me, or you, when to press the shutter.
August 5, 2016 – Southbound CSX loaded coal train N320 (Evansville, IN (EVWR) – Cross, SC) meets W987-30 with a load of windmill motors waiting to go north from the north end of Hanson siding as N320 makes it’s way south on the Henderson Subdivision at Hanson, Ky.
Simple advice to keep in mind when shooting pictures. First and foremost, if something in your picture doesn’t contribute to what you want the final photo to say then eliminate it when your shooting. Do this by getting closer, lower, higher, picking up trash or whatever else it takes. It’s much easier to do it before you shoot than it is to have to do it in the computer. Second, when shooting trains, don’t get hung up on the direction of the light! It is what it is and you can’t always control it. You have to shoot the picture when the train and you are there! Third, don’t shoot everything from eye level! Get low sometime to add drama to your pictures, or high sometimes to give a different perspective. Fourth, don’t shoot just on bright and sunny days. Great pictures are to be made on cloudy, rainy, snowy filled days.
Fifth, don’t put the camera away when it gets dark! Drag out the tripod or fast lens and shoot! There’s great pictures to be made during twilight and after dark. Sixth, Study the pictures of photographers you like! Ask yourself questions such as why did he shoot form this angle, time of day, etc. Seventh, look for things to photograph that are different. Heritage Locomotives, Steam Engines, Unusual paint schemes, obscure out of the way short lines, trains with different types of cargo, etc. I hope some of these help and good luck trackside and always be safe! Keep Clicking!!!
August 15, 2016 A CSX Q597 (Chicago, IL (BRC) – Nashville, TN) heads through Guthrie, Ky as light begins to fade as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.
August 2, 2016 Paducah and Louisville Railway’s engine 2110 leads a local train north through the crossing at West Yard in Madisonville, Ky as the sun starts to set as it makes heads for CSX’s Atkinson Yard on the Henderson Subdivision for interchange work. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/6.3 | ISO 200 | Lens: Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 12, 2016 – A CSX empty coal train with CSXT 3099, Spirit of West Springfield and CSX Safety Train engine, heads north through Hanson, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: 1/1600 | f/2.8 | ISO 110 | Lens: Rokinon 14mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 10, 2016 Hot intermodal CSX Q028-09 (Atlanta, GA – Chicago, IL) rounds the curve approaching Poorhouse in Madisonville, Ky as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1600 | f/5.6 | ISO 640 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 270mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 2, 2016 CSX S515-02, (Indianapolis, IN – Nashville, TN) with Union Pacific 5543 leading and Canadian Pacific 8813 trailing, passes through Mortons Gap, Ky with its 10,000 foot train southbound on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/6.3 | ISO 560 | Lens: Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 5, 2016 A short CSX Q647-04 (Chicago, IL (BRC) – Waycross, GA) heads down the Power Siding at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/3200 | f/5.6 | ISO 800 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 300mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 2, 2016 A Paducah and Louisville Railway local moves slowly over a newly replaced switch at the Pee Vee Spur, just south of West Yard in Madisonville, Ky as it makes its way north. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/6.3 | ISO 400 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 320mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 5, 2016 CSX loaded coal train N311-02 pulls off the Earlington Cutoff onto the main at Mortons Gap, Ky as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/3200 | f/6 | ISO 1800 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 440mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 5, 2016 CSX W987-30, with a load of wind turbine motors, heads north on the Henderson Subdivision at Slaughters, Ky with CSXT 2491 and 8367 as power. – Tech Info: 1/3200 | f/2.8 | ISO 125 | Lens: Nikon 18mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 5, 2016 Southbound CSX loaded coal train N320 (Evansville, IN (EVWR) – Cross, SC) meets W987-30 with a load of windmill motors waiting to go north from the north end of Hanson siding as N320 makes it’s way south on the Henderson Subdivision at Hanson, Ky. – Tech Info: 1/640 | f/13 | ISO 720 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 290mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 1, 2016 CSX Q647-31, (Chicago, IL – Waycross, GA) with Canadian Pacific 8613 leading and NS 7025 and 2627 trailing, rounds Elmwood Curve at MP 290, north of Slaughters, Ky, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/6.3 | ISO 640 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 500mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 2, 2016 CSX S515-02, (Indianapolis, IN – Nashville, TN) with Union Pacific 5543 leading and Canadian Pacific 8813 trailing, passes through Hanson, Ky with its 10,000 foot train as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/6.3 | ISO 160 | Lens: Nikon 18mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 1, 2016 CSX Q647-31, (Chicago, IL – Waycross, GA) with Canadian Pacific 8613 leading and NS 7025 and 2627 trailing, pases the signals at south Rankin at Rankin, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/7 | ISO 280 | Lens: Sigma 24-70 @ 32mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
August 1, 2016 CSX Q647-31, (Chicago, IL – Waycross, GA) with Canadian Pacific 8613 leading and NS 7025 and 2627 trailing, passes the old L&N Depot at Henderson, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1000 | f/5.6 | ISO 180 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
July 22, 2016 CSX loaded coal train N302 (Evansville, IN (EVWR) – Stilesboro, GA) approaches Casky Lane crossing in Hopkinsville, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. – Tech Info: 1/1250 | f/6 | ISO 1100 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.