BUGX 1752 at Troy, Indiana Ohio River Scenic Railway BUGX 1752 (EMD FP9A) leads the last train of the day, on May 1st, 2021, as it waits to depart from Troy, Indiana from downtown, where their passengers were allowed to disembark for a walk around the riverfront and downtown. BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units. Ohio River Scenic Railway is headquartered out of Tell City, Indiana and they run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana on the weekends. For more and updated information visit their website at https://www.ohiorivertrain.com/ and take a ride behind this beautiful locomotive! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

BUGX 1752 at Troy, Indiana

Ohio River Scenic Railway BUGX 1752 (EMD FP9A) leads the last train of the day, on May 1st, 2021, as it waits to depart from Troy, Indiana from downtown, where their passengers were allowed to disembark for a walk around the riverfront and downtown.

BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units.

Ohio River Scenic Railway is headquartered out of Tell City, Indiana and they run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana on the weekends. For more and updated information visit their website at https://www.ohiorivertrain.com/ and take a ride behind this beautiful locomotive!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

The American Duchess passing under CN U72481-05 at West Paducah, KY The American Duchess, a river cruise paddle-wheeler owned and operated by American Queen Steamboat Company passes under southbound Canadian National U72481-05 on the bridge over the Ohio River between Metropolis, IL and West Paducah, KY. U72481-05 is carrying a load of Iron ore from Keenan, MN to Convent, LA on the CN Bluford Subdivision. According to Wikipedia: The American Duchess is a river cruise paddle-wheeler owned and operated by American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC). It is the third addition to their fleet and is advertised as being the most luxurious option of the line's vessels. The riverboat's itineraries include routes on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Illinois Rivers. Before it was American Duchess, this vessel was originally designed and built for Isle of Capri Casinos as a casino boat named Bettendorf Capri. After going land-based, Isle of Capri sold the paddle-wheeler to AQSC in 2016. On October 16, 2016, Bettendorf locals gathered on the levee to give their farewell to the 21-year-old casino boat and watched her pull off the riverbank to sail south to undergo her reconstruction. Contracted to Bollinger Shipyards in Morgan City, Louisiana, the vessel would be gutted, remodeled, and relaunched as a river cruise liner the following year. The conversion from a casino boat to an overnight passenger vessel involved the removal of over 1,000 slot machine bases and 1,200 steel chairs, the construction of new dividing walls to form 83 passenger cabins, the addition of a crew hold, a completely new interior layout and design, modifications to propulsion and a new exterior paint job. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

The American Duchess passing under CN U72481-05 at West Paducah, KY

The American Duchess, a river cruise paddle-wheeler owned and operated by American Queen Steamboat Company passes under southbound Canadian National U72481-05 on the bridge over the Ohio River between Metropolis, IL and West Paducah, KY. U72481-05 is carrying a load of Iron ore from Keenan, MN to Convent, LA on the CN Bluford Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia: The American Duchess is a river cruise paddle-wheeler owned and operated by American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC). It is the third addition to their fleet and is advertised as being the most luxurious option of the line’s vessels. The riverboat’s itineraries include routes on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and Illinois Rivers.

Before it was American Duchess, this vessel was originally designed and built for Isle of Capri Casinos as a casino boat named Bettendorf Capri.

After going land-based, Isle of Capri sold the paddle-wheeler to AQSC in 2016. On October 16, 2016, Bettendorf locals gathered on the levee to give their farewell to the 21-year-old casino boat and watched her pull off the riverbank to sail south to undergo her reconstruction.

Contracted to Bollinger Shipyards in Morgan City, Louisiana, the vessel would be gutted, remodeled, and relaunched as a river cruise liner the following year. The conversion from a casino boat to an overnight passenger vessel involved the removal of over 1,000 slot machine bases and 1,200 steel chairs, the construction of new dividing walls to form 83 passenger cabins, the addition of a crew hold, a completely new interior layout and design, modifications to propulsion and a new exterior paint job.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

On National Train Day PAL 2013 and 4518 Load at Warrior Coal, Nebo, KY Paducah and Louisville Railway 2013 (University of Louisville Unit) and 4518 lead the Louisville Gas and Electric (LG1) as it snakes its way out of the Warrior Coal loadout on May 8th, 2021 at Nebo, Kentucky on the 2021 National Train Day. According to the Web: National Train Day is a holiday that’s honors the history of the train in the U.S and promotes rail travel for all Americans. It’s observed annually on the Saturday closest to the 10th of May every year and is an opportunity for everyone to learn about how trains have revolutionized civilization and united a country at the same time. National Train Day was invented in May of 2008 by Amtrak. They wanted a way to promote rail travel, to spread information about trains to the public, and to reiterate the history of trains, so they invented this holiday. In 2011, Amtrak used the holiday as a part of its 40th-anniversary celebration. Amtrak discontinued National Train Day in 2015 to replace it with Amtrak Train Days, but people all over the world continue to celebrate this holiday as it was originally imagined. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

On National Train Day PAL 2013 and 4518 Load at Warrior Coal, Nebo, KY

Paducah and Louisville Railway 2013 (University of Louisville Unit) and 4518 lead the Louisville Gas and Electric (LG1) as it snakes its way out of the Warrior Coal loadout on May 8th, 2021 at Nebo, Kentucky on the 2021 National Train Day.

According to the Web: National Train Day is a holiday that’s honors the history of the train in the U.S and promotes rail travel for all Americans. It’s observed annually on the Saturday closest to the 10th of May every year and is an opportunity for everyone to learn about how trains have revolutionized civilization and united a country at the same time.

National Train Day was invented in May of 2008 by Amtrak. They wanted a way to promote rail travel, to spread information about trains to the public, and to reiterate the history of trains, so they invented this holiday. In 2011, Amtrak used the holiday as a part of its 40th-anniversary celebration. Amtrak discontinued National Train Day in 2015 to replace it with Amtrak Train Days, but people all over the world continue to celebrate this holiday as it was originally imagined.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

A foreign power meet at the north end of Rankin, Ky CSX Q647 rolls past the head end of CSX K442 at the north end of the siding at Rankin, Kentucky as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision on May 7th, 2021 where it prepares to pass Progress Rail 7205 (SD70ACe-T4), trailing behind Canadian Pacific 9736. According to Wikipedia: Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products, and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its subsidiary Progress Rail. Electro-Motive Diesel traces its roots to the Electro-Motive Engineering Corporation, a designer and marketer of gasoline-electric self-propelled rail cars founded in 1922 and later renamed Electro-Motive Company. In 1930, General Motors purchased Electro-Motive Company and the Winton Engine Co. and in 1941 expanded EMC's realm to locomotive engine manufacturing as Electro-Motive Division. In 2005, GM sold EMD to Greenbriar Equity Group and Berkshire Partners, which formed Electro-Motive Diesel to facilitate the purchase. In 2010, Progress Rail completed the purchase of Electro-Motive Diesel from Greenbriar, Berkshire, and others. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

A foreign power meet at the north end of Rankin, Ky

CSX Q647 rolls past the head end of CSX K442 at the north end of the siding at Rankin, Kentucky as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision on May 7th, 2021 where it prepares to pass Progress Rail 7205 (SD70ACe-T4), trailing behind Canadian Pacific 9736.

According to Wikipedia: Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products, and diesel engines for the rail industry.

The company is owned by Caterpillar through its subsidiary Progress Rail. Electro-Motive Diesel traces its roots to the Electro-Motive Engineering Corporation, a designer and marketer of gasoline-electric self-propelled rail cars founded in 1922 and later renamed Electro-Motive Company.

In 1930, General Motors purchased Electro-Motive Company and the Winton Engine Co. and in 1941 expanded EMC’s realm to locomotive engine manufacturing as Electro-Motive Division.

In 2005, GM sold EMD to Greenbriar Equity Group and Berkshire Partners, which formed Electro-Motive Diesel to facilitate the purchase. In 2010, Progress Rail completed the purchase of Electro-Motive Diesel from Greenbriar, Berkshire, and others.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

CN 2852 leads Northbound W986 at Robards, Ky with Windmill Train We get trains on the CSX Henderson Subdivision from time to time that haul windmill motors and housings, but this is the first I can recall being led by a Canadian National and Union Pacific locomotive! It was early morning on May 4th, 2021 when I first heard that this train was finally making its way up the Henderson Subdivision from Nashville, Tennessee. I found this out after I had already committed to going to Evansville, Indiana to chase CSX W992-28, the high and wide move that was tied down at Harwood Siding in Evansville. Well, after getting there and sitting waiting for a crew (it had been there more than 12hrs) I decided if I wanted a chance to catch a shot and video of W986 that I needed to head back south. Of course, I did catch the high and wide move the next day and if you haven’t already you can see a shot of it on any of my sites and a video will be coming soon, but back to W986. I had planned to catch this train at Rahm where it comes across the Ohio river into Evansville, but with the weather and darkening skies I decided not to chance missing it where I could get a shot with my drone, so I made my way to the north end of Anaconda at Robards, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision and caught it heading south there with CN 2852 leading. As you can tell from the photo the light was fading fast and the train was moving fast! I didn’t have time to do much more than get the drone up and in position before the train hit this spot. If I had gotten there a bit earlier, I probably would have boosted my ISO a little, to up the shutter speed, but actually I think I like the little bit of motion blur on the lead unit as it gives a feeling of speed! Details below on the Tech stuff! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

CN 2852 leads Northbound W986 at Robards, Ky with Windmill Train

We get trains on the CSX Henderson Subdivision from time to time that haul windmill motors and housings, but this is the first I can recall being led by a Canadian National and Union Pacific locomotive!

It was early morning on May 4th, 2021 when I first heard that this train was finally making its way up the Henderson Subdivision from Nashville, Tennessee. I found this out after I had already committed to going to Evansville, Indiana to chase CSX W992-28, the high and wide move that was tied down at Harwood Siding in Evansville.

Well, after getting there and sitting waiting for a crew (it had been there more than 12hrs) I decided if I wanted a chance to catch a shot and video of W986 that I needed to head back south.

Of course, I did catch the high and wide move the next day and if you haven’t already you can see a shot of it on any of my sites and a video will be coming soon, but back to W986.

I had planned to catch this train at Rahm where it comes across the Ohio river into Evansville, but with the weather and darkening skies I decided not to chance missing it where I could get a shot with my drone, so I made my way to the north end of Anaconda at Robards, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision and caught it heading south there with CN 2852 leading.

As you can tell from the photo the light was fading fast and the train was moving fast! I didn’t have time to do much more than get the drone up and in position before the train hit this spot. If I had gotten there a bit earlier, I probably would have boosted my ISO a little, to up the shutter speed, but actually I think I like the little bit of motion blur on the lead unit as it gives a feeling of speed! Details below on the Tech stuff!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

Southbound W992-28 High and Wide Move over the Red River at Adams, Tennessee When you're running at 25 mph and only 5 mph through switches, it pretty much takes forever to get anywhere as with CSX W992-28 as it heads south across the Red River trestle at Adams, Tennessee on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with CSXT #9 leading on May 5th, 2021. It left Evansville, Indiana around midnight and ended up tying down at Courtland, TN where it covered 125 miles in about 12 hours. Based on past moves this looks like another GE generator that is bound for Florida. Still trying to find out and will add it to the caption once I do. This was an Emmert International train move with CSXT #9 as power and BBCX 1002 as the trailing manned caboose with what appeared to be a steam generator of some sort that was being hauled on their BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar. According to the Emmert International website: "Emmert International's BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is specifically designed to carry heavy (up to 1 million pounds) and oversized loads in such a way that the load itself makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to a pivot above an assembly of pivots and frames that carry the weight of the load and the lifting arm." For loads not designed to be part of the car Emmert International's BBCX1000 is equipped with a deck designed to carry the loads in standard configuration up to 836,000 pounds. Customized decks can be manufactured to increase the overall payload weight. Emmert International's BBCX1000 is equipped with hydraulic equipment that will either lift the load vertically or horizontally shift the load while in transit to clear obstructions along the cars route. With 20 axles (ten for each half) containing four trucks connected by a complex system of span bolsters its tare (unloaded) weight without deck is 424,000 lbs. The BBCX1000's empty car length is 115' 10" with a maximum length with the loading deck at 168' 9". Maximum vertical load shifting ability is 14" and the maximum horizontal load shifting ability is 22". The heavy-duty AAR railcar mechanical designation is LS’. Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is accompanied by the BBCX 1002 Caboose and BBCX1003 flat car that carries the deck when not in service. The BBCX1000 is pulled by special train service and requires 2 operators who control the BBCX 1000 railcar ride in the caboose. I'll be posting a video on this move in a few days on my YouTube Channel and here on Facebook, once I get it edited. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

Southbound W992-28 High and Wide Move over the Red River at Adams, Tennessee

When you’re running at 25 mph and only 5 mph through switches, it pretty much takes forever to get anywhere as with CSX W992-28 as it heads south across the Red River trestle at Adams, Tennessee on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with CSXT #9 leading on May 5th, 2021. It left Evansville, Indiana around midnight and ended up tying down at Courtland, TN where it covered 125 miles in about 12 hours.

Based on past moves this looks like another GE generator that is bound for Florida. Still trying to find out and will add it to the caption once I do.

This was an Emmert International train move with CSXT #9 as power and BBCX 1002 as the trailing manned caboose with what appeared to be a steam generator of some sort that was being hauled on their BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar.

According to the Emmert International website: “Emmert International’s BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is specifically designed to carry heavy (up to 1 million pounds) and oversized loads in such a way that the load itself makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to a pivot above an assembly of pivots and frames that carry the weight of the load and the lifting arm.”

For loads not designed to be part of the car Emmert International’s BBCX1000 is equipped with a deck designed to carry the loads in standard configuration up to 836,000 pounds. Customized decks can be manufactured to increase the overall payload weight.

Emmert International’s BBCX1000 is equipped with hydraulic equipment that will either lift the load vertically or horizontally shift the load while in transit to clear obstructions along the cars route.

With 20 axles (ten for each half) containing four trucks connected by a complex system of span bolsters its tare (unloaded) weight without deck is 424,000 lbs. The BBCX1000’s empty car length is 115′ 10″ with a maximum length with the loading deck at 168′ 9″. Maximum vertical load shifting ability is 14″ and the maximum horizontal load shifting ability is 22″. The heavy-duty AAR railcar mechanical designation is LS’.

Emmert Internationals BBCX1000 Schnabel Railcar is accompanied by the BBCX 1002 Caboose and BBCX1003 flat car that carries the deck when not in service. The

BBCX1000 is pulled by special train service and requires 2 operators who control the BBCX 1000 railcar ride in the caboose.

I’ll be posting a video on this move in a few days on my YouTube Channel and here on Facebook, once I get it edited.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

BUGX 1752 waits to depart Troy, Indiana in Infrared On May 1st, 2021 I chased the BUGX 1752 between Tell City and Troy, Indiana for my first time on the Ohio River Scenic Railway with good friend Ryan Scott! This nose shot photograph was shot as Infrared and really like the way it turned out! Last fall I started dabbling into the realm of Infrared (IR) photography, specifically to apply it to railroad photography, but with the onset of winter I put it on the back burner as IR just doesn’t work as well without the greenery, at least for what I want. I even started a group here on Facebook for Infrared Train Photography if any of my subscribers are interested in the technique! BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units. Tech Info: Fuji X-T1, RAW, 18-35 @18mm. f/5.6, 1/40, ISO 3200 with a 720nm IR Filter.

BUGX 1752 waits to depart Troy, Indiana in Infrared

On May 1st, 2021 I chased the BUGX 1752 between Tell City and Troy, Indiana for my first time on the Ohio River Scenic Railway with good friend Ryan Scott! This nose shot photograph was shot as Infrared and really like the way it turned out!

Last fall I started dabbling into the realm of Infrared (IR) photography, specifically to apply it to railroad photography, but with the onset of winter I put it on the back burner as IR just doesn’t work as well without the greenery, at least for what I want.

I even started a group here on Facebook for Infrared Train Photography if any of my subscribers are interested in the technique!

BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units.

Tech Info: Fuji X-T1, RAW, 18-35 @18mm. f/5.6, 1/40, ISO 3200 with a 720nm IR Filter.

B&O 185th Anniversary Caboose northbound at Princeton, Indiana Just something you don't see much these days is a caboose on the end of a train, such as here where the B&Q 185th Anniversary Caboose bringing up the rear of CSX Q0648 as it passes the signal at the north end of Dugger Siding at Princeton, Indiana on the CSX CE&D Subdivision on May 1st, 2021. I still remember as clear as day the times when this was an everyday occurrence and even manned with a crew, but today, it's a rare occurrence and almost never with a crew. Mostly they're in museums or used as shoving platforms for a crew when they're working a yard or industrial complex that requires the conductor to ride on the end of the train as the engine shoves the train. According to Wikipedia: A caboose is a manned North American railroad car coupled at the end of a freight train. Cabooses provide shelter for crew at the end of a train, who were formerly required in switching and shunting, keeping a lookout for load shifting, damage to equipment and cargo, and overheating axles. Originally flatcars fitted with cabins or modified box cars, they later became purpose-built with projections above or to the sides of the car to allow crew to observe the train from shelter. The caboose also served as the conductor's office, and on long routes included sleeping accommodations and cooking facilities. A similar railroad car, the brake van, was used on British and Commonwealth railways (the role has since been replaced by the crew car in Australia). On trains not fitted with continuous brakes, brake vans provided a supplementary braking system, and they helped keep chain couplings taut. Cabooses were used on every freight train in the United States until the 1980s, when safety laws requiring the presence of cabooses and full crews were relaxed. Developments in monitoring and safety technology, such as lineside defect detectors and end-of-train devices, resulted in crew reductions and the phasing out of caboose cars. Nowadays, they are generally only used on rail maintenance or hazardous materials trains, as a platform for crew on industrial spur lines when it is required to make long reverse movements, or on heritage and tourist railroads. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

B&O 185th Anniversary Caboose northbound at Princeton, Indiana

Just something you don’t see much these days is a caboose on the end of a train, such as here where the B&Q 185th Anniversary Caboose bringing up the rear of CSX Q0648 as it passes the signal at the north end of Gibson Siding at Princeton, Indiana on the CSX CE&D Subdivision on May 1st, 2021.

I still remember as clear as day the times when this was an everyday occurrence and even manned with a crew, but today, it’s a rare occurrence and almost never with a crew. Mostly they’re in museums or used as shoving platforms for a crew when they’re working a yard or industrial complex that requires the conductor to ride on the end of the train as the engine shoves the train.

According to Wikipedia: A caboose is a manned North American railroad car coupled at the end of a freight train. Cabooses provide shelter for crew at the end of a train, who were formerly required in switching and shunting, keeping a lookout for load shifting, damage to equipment and cargo, and overheating axles.

Originally flatcars fitted with cabins or modified box cars, they later became purpose-built with projections above or to the sides of the car to allow crew to observe the train from shelter. The caboose also served as the conductor’s office, and on long routes included sleeping accommodations and cooking facilities.

A similar railroad car, the brake van, was used on British and Commonwealth railways (the role has since been replaced by the crew car in Australia). On trains not fitted with continuous brakes, brake vans provided a supplementary braking system, and they helped keep chain couplings taut.

Cabooses were used on every freight train in the United States until the 1980s, when safety laws requiring the presence of cabooses and full crews were relaxed. Developments in monitoring and safety technology, such as lineside defect detectors and end-of-train devices, resulted in crew reductions and the phasing out of caboose cars. Nowadays, they are generally only used on rail maintenance or hazardous materials trains, as a platform for crew on industrial spur lines when it is required to make long reverse movements, or on heritage and tourist railroads.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

BUGX 1752 heads into Troy, Indiana Ohio River Scenic Railway BUGX 1752 (EMD FP9A) leads the last train of the day, on May 1st, 2021, as it approaches the Indiana 64 crossing at Troy, Indiana as they begin their reverse move back downtown, where their passengers will be allowed to disembark for a walk around the riverfront and downtown. Afterwards they reboarded the train for the return trip to Tell City, IN. BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units. Ohio River Scenic Railway is headquartered out of Tell City, Indiana and they run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana on the weekends. For more and updated information visit their website at https://www.ohiorivertrain.com/ and take a ride behind this beautiful locomotive! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

BUGX 1752 heads into Troy, Indiana

Ohio River Scenic Railway BUGX 1752 (EMD FP9A) leads the last train of the day, on May 1st, 2021, as it approaches the Indiana 66 crossing at Troy, Indiana as they begin their reverse move back downtown, where their passengers will be allowed to disembark for a walk around the riverfront and downtown. Afterwards they reboarded the train for the return trip to Tell City, IN.

BUGX 1752 is an ex-CN Rebuilt EMD that is leased now by the Ohio River Scenic Railway from Dieselmotive Company of Northern California. It is a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway to Dieselmotive and has become one of their lease units.

Ohio River Scenic Railway is headquartered out of Tell City, Indiana and they run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana on the weekends. For more and updated information visit their website at https://www.ohiorivertrain.com/ and take a ride behind this beautiful locomotive!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Northbound Paducah and Louisville Railway LG1 at Rosine, Ky Paducah and Louisville Railway 4516 and 2012 lead a loaded Louisville Gas and Electric (LG1) loaded coal train through the cut just north of Rosine, Kentucky as it makes its way toward Louisville on April 14th, 2021. According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway 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 line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 100.

Northbound Paducah and Louisville Railway LG1 at Rosine, Ky

Paducah and Louisville Railway 4516 and 2012 lead a loaded Louisville Gas and Electric (LG1) loaded coal train through the cut just north of Rosine, Kentucky as it makes its way toward Louisville on April 14th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway 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 line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 100.

Monticello Railway Museum's Southern 401 I’ve missed photographing steam last year and today I thought I’d share this shot from May 18, 2018 of Monticello Railway Museum's Southern 401 pulling into the depot at Monticello, Illinois, during Southern Rail Production's Photo Charter event. The engine is a 2-8-0 Consolidation class locomotive built for Southern Railway by Baldwin locomotive works in 1907. With the two shots under my belt, (not booze LOL) I’ve finally made plans for a 4-day trip to Strasburg, PA for a steam photo charter event there in November and planning for a trip to Chattanooga to chase steam there before that. Looking forward to both trips!! Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70mm @ 65mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 280.

Monticello Railway Museum’s Southern 401

I’ve missed photographing steam last year and today I thought I’d share this shot from May 18, 2018 of Monticello Railway Museum’s Southern 401 pulling into the depot at Monticello, Illinois, during Southern Rail Production’s Photo Charter event. The engine is a 2-8-0 Consolidation class locomotive built for Southern Railway by Baldwin locomotive works in 1907.

With the two shots under my belt, (not booze LOL) I’ve finally made plans for a 4-day trip to Strasburg, PA for a steam photo charter event there in November and planning for a trip to Chattanooga to chase steam there before that. Looking forward to both trips!!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70mm @ 65mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 280.

Waiting for a crew at the TVA Shawnee Power Plant, West Paducah, KY An empty Burlington Northern Santa Fe coal train, with BNSF 6098 leading, sits tied down at the gate to the TVA Shawnee Power Plant, West Paducah, KY after dropping off a load of coal to the plant on April 3rd, 2021. Now it waits for a fresh crew to take the empty train back for another load of coal. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 250.

Waiting for a crew at the TVA Shawnee Power Plant, West Paducah, KY

An empty Burlington Northern Santa Fe coal train, with BNSF 6098 leading, sits tied down at the gate to the TVA Shawnee Power Plant, West Paducah, KY after dropping off a load of coal to the plant on April 3rd, 2021. Now it waits for a fresh crew to take the empty train back for another load of coal.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 250.

Canadian National 3188 southbound with a load of ethanol Beautiful day, beautiful sunlight, signs of spring, Canadian National Railways 3188 leading a loaded ethanol train and a nice curve makes for a great picture as it heads south out of Fulton, Tennessee on the Fulton Subdivision on April 3rd, 2021. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 500mm, f/6, 1/1000, ISO 220.

Canadian National 3188 southbound with a load of ethanol

Beautiful day, beautiful sunlight, signs of spring, Canadian National Railways 3188 leading a loaded ethanol train and a nice curve makes for a great picture as it heads south out of Fulton, Tennessee on the Fulton Subdivision on April 3rd, 2021.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 500mm, f/6, 1/1000, ISO 220.

RJ Corman Wye Work at Woodburn, Ky Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I really lucked out when we railfanned the RJ Corman Memphis line on April 14th, 2021. We caught the northbound RJC ML25 at South Union, Kentucky and chased it up to the RJ Corman Distribution Center at Woodburn, Ky. After dropping their power on the wye and pulling one unit off they moved it on north and I got this shot of it just passing the switch before it was put in the track on the right! The train on the left then came out on the main and backed down on the main to pickup the cars and it continued north as MR25 to Louisville. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

RJ Corman Wye Work at Woodburn, Ky

Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I really lucked out when we railfanned the RJ Corman Memphis line on April 14th, 2021. We caught the northbound RJC MR25 at South Union, Kentucky and chased it up to the RJ Corman Distribution Center at Woodburn, Ky.

After dropping their power on the wye and pulling one unit off they moved it on north and I got this shot of it just passing the switch before it was put in the track on the right! The train on the left then came out on the main and backed down on the main to pickup the cars and it continued north to Bowling Green, Ky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4334 and 4433 Southbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky Thanks to a heads up from good friend Bill Grady I found out this southbound NS empty coal train was coming out of Louisville, Ky and heading down the Paducah and Louisville Railway to pickup a load of coal from Warrior Coal at Madisonville, Ky. It left Louisville around midnight and I wasn't sure if I'd catch it on its way to the loadout, but I was fortunate enough to catch it passing over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Monarch in Madisonville, Ky on April 20th, 2021. I was surprised to see it arrive with a single unit leading the train and the two units on the rear acting as DPUs. They do this from time to time when the train is empty and after it loads, what was the DPUs on the Southbound run become the lead units when it heads back north. One of these days I'll catch a scene here with trains on both tracks! I'm still working on it! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4334 and 4433 Southbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky

Thanks to a heads up from good friend Bill Grady I found out this southbound NS empty coal train was coming out of Louisville, Ky and heading down the Paducah and Louisville Railway to pickup a load of coal from Warrior Coal at Madisonville, Ky.

It left Louisville around midnight and I wasn’t sure if I’d catch it on its way to the loadout, but I was fortunate enough to catch it passing over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Monarch in Madisonville, Ky on April 20th, 2021.

I was surprised to see it arrive with a single unit leading the train and the two units on the rear acting as DPUs. They do this from time to time when the train is empty and after it loads, what was the DPUs on the Southbound run become the lead units when it heads back north.

One of these days I’ll catch a scene here with trains on both tracks! I’m still working on it!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX K443 southbound at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision A fellow railfan Frank Knight sent me a heads up on this train as it passed through Henderson, Ky early this morning on April 22nd, 2021 and here we find it passing the old Louisville and Nashville Depot in downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky with BNSF 5202 and KCS 4677 leading a loaded ethanol train south. I tried catching this train at the south end of Slaughters, Hanson and at Nortonville, but ended up arriving at each of my spots as the train was passing through them! It seemed like every traffic light was red and every car that drove 10mph under the speed limit was between me and my next spot!! It happens sometimes and while I didn't get the shots I wanted at each of those locations, I did at several others! Sometimes you must be persistent! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX K443 southbound at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision

A fellow railfan Frank Knight sent me a heads up on this train as it passed through Henderson, Ky early this morning on April 22nd, 2021 and here we find it passing the old Louisville and Nashville Depot in downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky with BNSF 5202 and KCS 4677 leading a loaded ethanol train south.

I tried catching this train at the south end of Slaughters, Hanson and at Nortonville, but ended up arriving at each of my spots as the train was passing through them! It seemed like every traffic light was red and every car that drove 10mph under the speed limit was between me and my next spot!! It happens sometimes and while I didn’t get the shots I wanted at each of those locations, I did at several others! Sometimes you must be persistent!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

NS 224 WB meets NS 167 WB at East Junction, Princeton, Indiana Norfolk Southern Intermodal NS 224 heads east as it passes westbound NS 167 at East Junction as the two trains meet in Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021 on the NS Southern East/West District. BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last of 7 units 167 after it worked at the Princeton Yard, dropping off and picking up. BUGX 1752 was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana and I'm told that its first revenue run on the tourist line will be on April 24th, 2021 at 1pm. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

NS 224 WB meets NS 167 EB at East Junction, Princeton, Indiana

Norfolk Southern Intermodal NS 224 heads west as it passes eastbound NS 167 at East Junction as the two trains meet in Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021 on the NS Southern East/West District.

BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last of 7 units 167 after it worked at the Princeton Yard, dropping off and picking up.

BUGX 1752 was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana and I’m told that its first revenue run on the tourist line will be on April 24th, 2021 at 1pm.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

CN 5761 headed south at Fulton, Kentucky On April 3rd, 2021 Canadian National 5761 pulls away from the fuel racks on the CN Bluford Subdivision, as it passes the fuel racks on the CN Cairo Subdivision, on its way south with a manifest at Fulton, Kentucky as the last bit of sunlight rakes across the scene. The tracks on the other side of the engine are the West Tennessee Railroad, which interchanges with the CN here at Fulton. Fulton is also an Amtrak intercity train stop where the station is a flag stop on the City of New Orleans route, served only when passengers have tickets to and from the station. This is an unstaffed station; there is no agent and no assistance, and it normally passes through here in the dark. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 550mm, f/8.5, 1/400, ISO 500.

CN 5761 headed south at Fulton, Kentucky

On April 3rd, 2021 Canadian National 5761 pulls away from the fuel racks on the CN Bluford Subdivision, as it passes the fuel racks on the CN Cairo Subdivision, on its way south with a manifest at Fulton, Kentucky as the last bit of sunlight rakes across the scene. The tracks on the other side of the engine are the West Tennessee Railroad, which interchanges with the CN here at Fulton.

Fulton is also an Amtrak intercity train stop where the station is a flag stop on the City of New Orleans route, served only when passengers have tickets to and from the station. This is an unstaffed station; there is no agent and no assistance, and it normally passes through here in the dark.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 550mm, f/8.5, 1/400, ISO 500.

BUGX on the move! BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last unit on Norfolk Southern Railways train 167 as it sits at "Smoot" just west of Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021, waiting to meet two eastbound trains on the NS Southern East/West District. The unit was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that runs through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana. This was without a doubt the longest and shortest chase I've done in a long time! I started from my home in Richland, KY to travel to Princeton, IN to meet up with fellow railfan Ryan Scott to catch this train. Well, after the 1.5hr drive and hoping I hadn't missed it, I finally linked up with Ryan, who had been sitting a couple hours west of Princeton, waiting to catch it also! Well, needless to say, we were worried that we'd missed it somehow as it was last reported around Centralia, IL at 8am and the trip to Princeton normally takes a couple hours and by the time I linked up with Ryan it had been close to 4! Ryan jumped in with me (I like to drive) and we decided to head west looking for the train and low and behold, we found it in the siding at Smoot, just west of town! Well, it sat there for two west bounds before it headed into the yard for a crew change at Ohio Street. After the crew change, they had to do their work, where they dropped off one engine, picked up three more and then two exceptionally long stings of cars! Needless to say, it was 6pm before they finished their work, moved to East Junction where they where they had to wait for two more west bounds!! A total of 6 hours to move about 6 miles, but finally they made their way out of town to Huntingburg where they dropped of the FP9A unit for a local to take it to Tell City. Some days railfanning is like this! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

BUGX on the move!

BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last unit on Norfolk Southern Railways train 167 as it sits at “Smoot” just west of Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021, waiting to meet two eastbound trains on the NS Southern East/West District.

The unit was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that runs through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana.

This was without a doubt the longest and shortest chase I’ve done in a long time!

I started from my home in Richland, KY to travel to Princeton, IN to meet up with fellow railfan Ryan Scott to catch this train. Well, after the 1.5hr drive and hoping I hadn’t missed it, I finally linked up with Ryan, who had been sitting a couple hours west of Princeton, waiting to catch it also!

Well, needless to say, we were worried that we’d missed it somehow as it was last reported around Centralia, IL at 8am and the trip to Princeton normally takes a couple hours and by the time I linked up with Ryan it had been close to 4!

Ryan jumped in with me (I like to drive) and we decided to head west looking for the train and low and behold, we found it in the siding at Smoot, just west of town!

Well, it sat there for two west bounds before it headed into the yard for a crew change at Ohio Street. After the crew change, they had to do their work, where they dropped off one engine, picked up three more and then two exceptionally long stings of cars! Needless to say, it was 6pm before they finished their work, moved to East Junction where they where they had to wait for two more west bounds!! A total of 6 hours to move about 6 miles, but finally they made their way out of town to Huntingburg where they dropped of the FP9A unit for a local to take it to Tell City. Some days railfanning is like this!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

A rainbow of power waits at Kelly, Ky for a loaded coal to pass The early morning sun sends shadows and beautiful light across this scene, as CSX K442-19 waits in the siding at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky, with Canadian Pacific 8519, 9359, KCS 4699 and Ferromex 4054 as power, for loaded CSX coal train N040 to clear the way on April 20th, 2021. K442 was a combined empty ethanol train, heading back north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with a length of 12,500 feet and with that length, there were only a few places along the line between Nashville, TN and Evansville, IN where they could meet other trains, and Kelly siding is one of those spots. I’d been following the progress of this train for a couple days and thanks to a heads up from fellow railfan Reed Reding about it being north of Nashville and then another railfan, Steve Miller that it was passing through Hopkinsville, Ky I decided it was time to get dressed (about 7:30am) and head south to find this interesting move! About 20 miles later I found it waiting in the siding at Kelly in plenty of time to catch it and then chase it back to Madisonville, catching it a few more times! Thanks to Reed and Steve, along with all the other railfans along the lines with updates!! This shot wouldn’t have happened without you!! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

A rainbow of power waits at Kelly, Ky for a loaded coal to pass

The early morning sun sends shadows and beautiful light across this scene, as CSX K442-19 waits in the siding at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky, with Canadian Pacific 8519, 9359, KCS 4699 and Ferromex 4054 as power, for loaded CSX coal train N040 to clear the way on April 20th, 2021.

K442 was a combined empty ethanol train, heading back north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with a length of 12,500 feet and with that length, there were only a few places along the line between Nashville, TN and Evansville, IN where they could meet other trains, and Kelly siding is one of those spots.

I’d been following the progress of this train for a couple days and thanks to a heads up from fellow railfan Reed Reding about it being north of Nashville and then another railfan, Steve Miller that it was passing through Hopkinsville, Ky I decided it was time to get dressed (about 7:30am) and head south to find this interesting move! About 20 miles later I found it waiting in the siding at Kelly in plenty of time to catch it and then chase it back to Madisonville, catching it a few more times!

Thanks to Reed and Steve, along with all the other railfans along the lines with updates!! This shot wouldn’t have happened without you!!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Two way meet at Courland, TN on the CSX Henderson Subdivision A southbound CSX K423 passes a northbound CSX E002 at Courtland, Tennessee as they head their separate ways on the Henderson Subdivision on April 19th, 2021. The southbound K423 was headed up by a SD40-2 leading, with two Canadian Pacific units, pulling a loaded ethanol train and the NB E002 was a 12,500ft empty coal train (actually two trains joined together) with two DPUs in the middle. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Two way meet at Courland, TN on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

A southbound CSX K443 passes a northbound CSX E002 at Courtland, Tennessee as they head their separate ways on the Henderson Subdivision on April 19th, 2021.

The southbound K443 was headed up by a SD40-2 leading, with two Canadian Pacific units, pulling a loaded ethanol train and the NB E002 was a 12,500ft empty coal train (actually two trains joined together) with two DPUs in the middle.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.