A farmer works on preparing his fields as 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 130.
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.
This week we’re chasing trains on the CSX Chattanooga Subdivision and the Norfolk Southern CNO/TP Divisions (Rathole) over a period of 3 days! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen, enjoy twelve trains! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
For more information on the Cowan Railroad Museum visit: http://www.cowanrailroadmuseum.org/
CSX hot intermodal I025, right, passes M513 at the south end of Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky on April 23rd, 2024, as they head south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.
CSX M513 heads south along the power siding at CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky on May 7th, 2024, as they head south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.
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.
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.
Norfolk Southern 1145 leads 279 as they make their way north across the New River Bridge on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District at New River, Tennessee. On June 7th, 2024.
According to the Historic Bridges website: This bridge is a very large high level deck cantilever truss bridge. It was constructed in 1963 and as such is a late example of its type, but still noteworthy as an uncommon structure type and for its size. Typical of 1960s truss bridges, the bridge still has riveted built-up beams, but v-lacing and lattice are absent in the built-up beams, and truss connections are bolted instead of riveted. It is 1,622.0 Feet (494.4 Meters) long, with 3 Main Span(s) and 6 Approach Span(s) is over 300 feet above the river.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern intermodal 28C heads northbound across High Bridge on June 8th, 2024, crossing the Kentucky River on the NS CNO&TP First District at Highbridge, Kentucky.
According to Wikipedia: The High Bridge is a railroad bridge crossing the Kentucky River Palisades, that rises approximately 275 feet from the river below and connects Jessamine and Mercer counties in Kentucky. Formally dedicated in 1879, it is the first cantilever bridge constructed in the United States. It has a three-span continuous under-deck truss used by Norfolk Southern Railway to carry trains between Lexington and Danville. It has been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
In 1851, the Lexington & Danville Railroad, with Julius Adams as chief engineer, retained John A. Roebling to build a railroad suspension bridge across the Kentucky River for a line connecting Lexington and Danville, Kentucky west of the intersection of the Dix and Kentucky rivers. In 1855, the company ran out of money and the project was resumed by Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1873 following a proposal by C. Shaler Smith for a cantilever design using stone towers designed by John A. Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge).
The bridge was erected using a cantilever design with a three-span continuous under-deck truss and was opened in 1877 on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. It was 275 feet (84 m) tall and 1,125 feet (343 m) long: the tallest bridge above a navigable waterway in North America and the tallest railroad bridge in the world until the early 20th century. Construction was completed using 3,654,280 pounds of iron at a total cost of $404,373.31. In 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attended the dedication.
After years of heavy railroad use, the bridge was rebuilt by Gustav Lindenthal in 1911. Lindenthal reinforced the foundations and rebuilt the bridge around the original structure. To keep railroad traffic flowing, the track deck was raised by 30 feet during construction and a temporary trestle was constructed. In 1929, an additional set of tracks was built to accommodate increased railroad traffic and the original limestone towers were removed.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 160.
Norfolk Southern 9758 leads 29F as they make their way south across the New River Bridge on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District at New River, Tennessee. On June 7th, 2024.
According to the Historic Bridges website: This bridge is a very large high level deck cantilever truss bridge. It was constructed in 1963 and as such is a late example of its type, but still noteworthy as an uncommon structure type and for its size. Typical of 1960s truss bridges, the bridge still has riveted built-up beams, but v-lacing and lattice are absent in the built-up beams, and truss connections are bolted instead of riveted. It is 1,622.0 Feet (494.4 Meters) long, with 3 Main Span(s) and 6 Approach Span(s) is over 300 feet above the river.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern intermodal 29F heads southbound across High Bridge on June 8th, 2024, crossing the Kentucky River on the NS CNO&TP First District at Highbridge, Kentucky.
According to Wikipedia: The High Bridge is a railroad bridge crossing the Kentucky River Palisades, that rises approximately 275 feet from the river below and connects Jessamine and Mercer counties in Kentucky. Formally dedicated in 1879, it is the first cantilever bridge constructed in the United States. It has a three-span continuous under-deck truss used by Norfolk Southern Railway to carry trains between Lexington and Danville. It has been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
In 1851, the Lexington & Danville Railroad, with Julius Adams as chief engineer, retained John A. Roebling to build a railroad suspension bridge across the Kentucky River for a line connecting Lexington and Danville, Kentucky west of the intersection of the Dix and Kentucky rivers. In 1855, the company ran out of money and the project was resumed by Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1873 following a proposal by C. Shaler Smith for a cantilever design using stone towers designed by John A. Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge).
The bridge was erected using a cantilever design with a three-span continuous under-deck truss and was opened in 1877 on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. It was 275 feet (84 m) tall and 1,125 feet (343 m) long: the tallest bridge above a navigable waterway in North America and the tallest railroad bridge in the world until the early 20th century. Construction was completed using 3,654,280 pounds of iron at a total cost of $404,373.31. In 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attended the dedication.
After years of heavy railroad use, the bridge was rebuilt by Gustav Lindenthal in 1911. Lindenthal reinforced the foundations and rebuilt the bridge around the original structure. To keep railroad traffic flowing, the track deck was raised by 30 feet during construction and a temporary trestle was constructed. In 1929, an additional set of tracks was built to accommodate increased railroad traffic and the original limestone towers were removed.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 180.
Norfolk Southern 4796 leads 40D south on the NS CNO&TP Third District as they pass the old depot in downtown Spring City, Tennessee as the sun sets and stormy skies roll through the area, on June 6th, 2024.
According to https://theclio.com website: The restored railroad depot was built In 1900 by the Queen and Crescent Railroad Company that extended out of Cincinnati Ohio built for the purposes of extending travel and commerce to the south.
In addition to it’s function of providing access to the southern areas of the United States, the Depot eventually became a museum that chronicled the story of a group of female rebels dubbed “The Rhea County Spartans.” During the course of the Civil War these Women Served as spies for the Confederate Army. However they were eventually caught and as a result of their actions they were arrested and sent 54 miles to the Market Street in Chattanooga. It was there that they were forced to swear allegiance to the Union before being sent back home on foot.
Today it houses the Spring City History Museum.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 400.
Norfolk Southern New York Central Heritage Unit, 1066, with BNSF 3809 and 7174 lead NS 167 past the old Southfork Coal Company mine loadout at Revelo outside Sterns, Kentucky as they head southbound with a mixed freight on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Subdivision, on June 7th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 150.
![A Southern Pacific tank train makes it's way through the Cajon Pass in Sothern California in March of 1995 with 5 units pulling hard.
I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It's a great place to catch trains and I've been back several times over the years since then.
In fact I'm headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I'm really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!
According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad's maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.
Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded](http://www.jimpearsonphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/WEB-03.1995-SP-Train-at-Morman-Rocks-1170x675.jpg)
A Southern Pacific tank train makes it’s way through the Cajon Pass in Sothern California in March of 1995 with 5 units pulling hard.
I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It’s a great place to catch trains and I’ve been back several times over the years since then.
In fact I’m headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I’m really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!
According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.
Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 70-300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded
In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch Norfolk Southern 4821 leading CSX B210 south at Crofton, 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 @ 14mm, f/5.6, 1/950., ISO 400.
This week we’re chasing trains between Robards and Crofton, Kentucky including CSX M502 at Hanson, Ky with CSX Locomotive 1899 Honoring the Pere Marquette Heritage Locomotive leading. That and also some CP and BNSF action! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen, enjoy and please like, share, subscribe!
CSX M502 through the south end of Atkinson Yard at Madisonville, Ky with CSX Pere Marquette Heritage Unit, 1899, leading the way on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on May 20th, 2024.
According to a CSX Press Release: May 1, 2024 – CSX has introduced the latest addition in its heritage locomotive series, paying homage to the rich history of the Pere Marquette Railroad. This new unit showcases the Pere Marquette’s legacy, dating back to its inception on November 1, 1899.
The Pere Marquette Railroad, operating in the Great Lakes region of the United States and parts of southern Ontario, Canada, derived its name from Jacques Marquette, a notable French Jesuit missionary credited with founding Michigan’s first European settlement in Sault Ste Marie. After years of operation, the company merged with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) on June 6, 1947, eventually becoming part of the renowned CSX network.
The design of the Pere Marquette heritage locomotive was meticulously crafted by employees at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop. According to CSX Carman Painter Eric Lee, “We had to measure each stripe precisely and position the words just right to ensure it captured the look of the original design. It took us about four days just to lay out the stripes before we could begin painting.”
A fascinating tidbit related to the history of Pere Marquette is its cameo in the 2004 film “The Polar Express.” The steam locomotive Pere Marquette 1225 served as the inspiration for the train depicted in the movie, with audio recordings of the actual locomotive in operation featured in the film. Interestingly, the locomotive had been donated to Michigan State University and was exhibited near the university’s football stadium. The author of “The Polar Express” book drew inspiration from seeing this locomotive on display during childhood, solidifying its place in popular culture.
CSX’s dedication to honoring the history and significance of the Pere Marquette Railroad through this new locomotive underscores the company’s commitment to preserving and celebrating the heritage of American railroads. Keep an eye out as this remarkable piece of history moves across the CSX network, bridging the past with the present.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
Canadian Pacific 8925 leads CSX B647, a loaded ethanol train, southbound through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky on May 25th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/6, 1/500, ISO 110.