Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523 leads an 8,100ft loaded military train as a crew change takes place at West Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky, on May 17th, 2024. According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky. The line is located entirely within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The 270-mile (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #militarytrain #pal #paducahandlouisvillerailway

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523 military train crew change at Madisonville, Ky

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523 leads an 8,100ft loaded military train as a crew change takes place at West Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky, on May 17th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky. The line is located entirely within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The 270-mile (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200.

CSX M512 heads north on the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana, on June 13th, 2024, with a string of 30 M1 Tanks in their consist as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The viaduct here travels over a flood plain on the Ohio River. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #csxt #trainsfromadrone #military

CSX M512 heads north on the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana with M1 Tanks

CSX M512 heads north on the viaduct at Rahm, Indiana, on June 13th, 2024, with a string of 30 M1 Tanks in their consist as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The viaduct here travels over a flood plain on the Ohio River.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

A loaded southbound ethanol train, CSX B647 with Kansas City Southern Gray Ghost 4567, KCS 4162 and Norfolk Southern 9649 leading, heads south as it approaches Casky Yard at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on April 15th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The Henderson Subdivision sees foreign power quite often and this train is one example of it. This train runs from Bensenville, IL (CPKC) to Lawrenceville, GA, as needed. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 120.

A loaded southbound ethanol train, CSX B647 with Kansas City Southern Gray Ghost…

A loaded southbound ethanol train, CSX B647 with Kansas City Southern Gray Ghost 4567, KCS 4162 and Norfolk Southern 9649 leading, heads south as it approaches Casky Yard at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on April 15th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

The Henderson Subdivision sees foreign power quite often and this train is one example of it. This train runs from Bensenville, IL (CPKC) to Lawrenceville, GA, as needed.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 120.

CSXT 3251 leads a southbound loaded grain train past the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, on the Henderson Subdivision. This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, and savvy investors star in their own success stories. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #csxt #trainsfromadrone

CSXT 3251 leads a southbound loaded grain train past the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot, Madisonville, Ky

CSXT 3251 leads a southbound loaded grain train past the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, on the Henderson Subdivision.

This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, and savvy investors star in their own success stories.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.

CSX M512 heads north past the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, with a string of 30 M1 Tanks in their consist as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #csxt #trainsfromadrone #military

CSX M512 heads north past the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky

CSX M512 heads north past the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, with a string of 30 M1 Tanks in their consist as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

CSX Seaboard System Heritage Locomotive 1982 passes over Arch Street at the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, as it leads CSX I026 north on the Henderson Subdivision. This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, and savvy investors star in their own success stories. According to Wikipedia: The Seaboard System Railroad, Inc. (reporting mark SBD) was a US Class I railroad that operated from 1982 to 1986. Since the late 1960s, Seaboard Coast Line Industries had operated the Seaboard Coast Line and its sister railroads, notably the Louisville & Nashville and Clinchfield, as the “Family Lines System”. In 1980, SCLI merged with the Chessie System to create the holding company CSX Corporation; two years later, CSX merged with the Family Lines railroads to create the Seaboard System Railroad. In 1986, Seaboard renamed itself CSX Transportation, which absorbed the Chessie System’s two major railroads the following year. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #csxt #trainsfromadrone

CSX Seaboard System Heritage Locomotive 1982 passes the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot…

CSX Seaboard System Heritage Locomotive 1982 passes over Arch Street at the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, as it leads CSX I026 north on the Henderson Subdivision.

This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, and savvy investors star in their own success stories.

According to Wikipedia: The Seaboard System Railroad, Inc. (reporting mark SBD) was a US Class I railroad that operated from 1982 to 1986.

Since the late 1960s, Seaboard Coast Line Industries had operated the Seaboard Coast Line and its sister railroads, notably the Louisville & Nashville and Clinchfield, as the “Family Lines System”. In 1980, SCLI merged with the Chessie System to create the holding company CSX Corporation; two years later, CSX merged with the Family Lines railroads to create the Seaboard System Railroad.

In 1986, Seaboard renamed itself CSX Transportation, which absorbed the Chessie System’s two major railroads the following year.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.

Two trains meet at the location known as Caliente, which is north of Bakersfield, California in the Tehachapi mountains sometime in the early 1990 in this Kodachrome slide scan. According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad's arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted. Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad's construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons. The Caliente post office opened in 1875, closed in 1883, and was re-established in 1890. The Caliente General Store was remodeled in 1980 to house the post office which is still in operation today. The sound of diesel locomotives and railroad horns are present day and night. The community is along the track of the Union Pacific Railroad, Mojave Subdivision. The track loops around the post office as it winds through the local hills. Trains climb toward the Tehachapi summit eastbound or descend toward Bakersfield if westbound. Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 800-200mm, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography

Two trains meet at the location known as Caliente, which is north of Bakersfield, California

Two trains meet at the location known as Caliente, which is east of Bakersfield, California in the Tehachapi mountains sometime in the early 1990 in this Kodachrome slide scan.

According to Wikipedia: Established in the 1870s, Caliente was originally named Allens Camp for a cattle rancher and settler named Gabriel Allen. Later, the name Agua Caliente, coming from hot springs in the area, was proposed and may have been used. This name conflicted with the community of the same name in Sonoma County. With the railroad’s arrival in 1875, the shortened name Caliente was adopted.

Caliente prospered during Southern Pacific Railroad’s construction of Tehachapi Pass line. For a time, the Telegraph Stage Line and the Cerro Gordo Freighting Co. also ran through Caliente and its full-time population grew to 200. There were approximately 60 buildings, including 20 or more saloons.

The Caliente post office opened in 1875, closed in 1883, and was re-established in 1890. The Caliente General Store was remodeled in 1980 to house the post office which is still in operation today.

The sound of diesel locomotives and railroad horns are present day and night. The community is along the track of the Union Pacific Railroad, Mojave Subdivision. The track loops around the post office as it winds through the local hills. Trains climb toward the Tehachapi summit eastbound or descend toward Bakersfield if westbound.

Tech Notes: Nikon F3 Film Camera, Nikon 800-200mm, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 5407 leading CSX I128 north after coming off the Gum Lick Trestle, north of Kelly, Kentucky, on May 30th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 10, f/5.6, 1/450., ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #infaredtrainphotography #csxt #intermodal #trending

Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 5407 leading CSX I128…

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 5407 leading CSX I128 north after coming off the Gum Lick Trestle, north of Kelly, Kentucky, on May 30th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 10, f/5.6, 1/450., ISO 400.

CSX local 391 comes off the cutoff onto the Henderson Main, at Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, as it makes the return trip to Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on May11th, 2024 after working on drop off and pickups at CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 120. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #CSXT #KentuckyTrains

CSX local 391 southbound at Mortons Junction, Mortons Gap, Kentucky

CSX local 391 comes off the cutoff onto the Henderson Main, at Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, as it makes the return trip to Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on May11th, 2024 after working on drop off and pickups at CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 120.

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523, 4142, 2101 and 2104, lead an 8,100ft military train across the Tennessee River at Kentucky Dam at Gilbertsville, Kentucky, on May 17th, 2024. The crew took the train on to Paducah, Ky where it was tied down for the night. Where it went beyond there I’ve not heard, but in the past BNSF has picked up these moves and took them on west. Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 160. #railroad #railroads #train #trains #bestphoto #railroadengines #picturesoftrains #picturesofrailway #bestphotograph #photographyoftrains #trainphotography #JimPearsonPhotography #trendingphoto #militarytrain #pal #paducahandlouisvillerailway

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523, 4142, 2101 and 2104, lead an 8,100ft military train at Gilbertsville, Ky

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 4523, 4142, 2101 and 2104, lead an 8,100ft military train across the Tennessee River at Kentucky Dam at Gilbertsville, Kentucky, on May 17th, 2024.

The crew took the train on to Paducah, Ky where it was tied down for the night. Where it went beyond there I’ve not heard, but in the past BNSF has picked up these moves and took them on west.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 160.

Norfolk Southern 168 passes 174 in the NS Yard at Burnside, Kentucky during the golden hour as it heads north on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District on June 7th, 2024. According to American-rails.com, It used to be called the Rathole Division when it was the Southern Railway and is often remembered as a road with relatively flat and tangent main lines due to the region in which it operated. However, the system did feature its share of steep, circuitous main lines such as Saluda Grade in western North Carolina and its famed “Rathole Division” through Kentucky and Tennessee that reached as far north as Cincinnati. Technically, this stretch of the Southern main line was known as the 2nd District of subsidiary Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNO&TP), which was plagued for years by numerous tunnels resulting in its famous nickname by the crews which operated over it. Over the years the Southern worked to daylight or bypass these obstacles as the route saw significant freight tonnage, a task finally completed during the 1960s. Today, the Rathole remains an important artery in Norfolk Southern’s vast network. Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/200, ISO 450. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #NorfolkSouthern #KentuckyRailroads

Norfolk Southern 168 passes 174 in the NS Yard at Burnside, Kentucky

Norfolk Southern 168 passes 174 in the NS Yard at Burnside, Kentucky during the golden hour as it heads north on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District on June 7th, 2024.

According to American-rails.com, It used to be called the Rathole Division when it was the Southern Railway and is often remembered as a road with relatively flat and tangent main lines due to the region in which it operated. However, the system did feature its share of steep, circuitous main lines such as Saluda Grade in western North Carolina and its famed “Rathole Division” through Kentucky and Tennessee that reached as far north as Cincinnati.

Technically, this stretch of the Southern main line was known as the 2nd District of subsidiary Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific (CNO&TP), which was plagued for years by numerous tunnels resulting in its famous nickname by the crews which operated over it.

Over the years the Southern worked to daylight or bypass these obstacles as the route saw significant freight tonnage, a task finally completed during the 1960s. Today, the Rathole remains an important artery in Norfolk Southern’s vast network.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/200, ISO 450.

Norfolk Southern New York Central Heritage unit 1066 leads NS 167 as it heads south at Keno cut on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District, south of Tateville, Kentucky, on June 7th, 2024. This was my second trip to chase the Rathole and again didn’t make it all the way to Danville, Ky like I had planned as me and fellow railfan Ryan Scott (SteelRails) decided to go to High Bridge, Ky instead and then ran out of time shooting there! We're already panning another trip to chase north from Danville. Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 350mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 320. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #KinoCut #NorfolkSouthern #TennesseeTrains

Norfolk Southern New York Central Heritage unit 1066 leads NS 167 as it heads south at Keno cut…

Norfolk Southern New York Central Heritage unit 1066 leads NS 167 as it heads south at Keno cut on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District, south of Tateville, Kentucky, on June 7th, 2024.

This was my second trip to chase the Rathole and again didn’t make it all the way to Danville, Ky like I had planned as me and fellow railfan Ryan Scott (SteelRails) decided to go to High Bridge, Ky instead and then ran out of time shooting there! We’re already panning another trip to chase north from Danville.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 350mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 320.