This morning (March 3rd, 2021) I got a text at about 10 minutes till 7am that there was a southbound phosphate train with three BNSF units on it! Needless to say I was still in bed and this isn’t it!
However, this turned out to be my favorite shot on a full day of chasing, which really was a spur of the moment thing starting with the early morning text message.
It was about 30 miles later to the south on the Henderson Subdivision (HD) before I caught up with the BNSF train and so I figured since I was out in this early morning light and so far south I’d go ahead and spend the day shooting in the southern part of the HD so I could fly the drone in some locations that I hadn’t done so yet, hence, this shot right here.
Now, in all fairness this shot of hot intermodal Q029-03 heading south isn’t the at spot I started out to shoot it at, but I’m glad I found it!
I parked at the crossing on Baker Station Road, about 1.5 miles from the south end of the Baker Tunnel at Ridgetop, Tennessee and the plan was to fly back to the south end of Baker tunnel from there. However, due to the terrain, the drone had issues of maintaining a GPS signal unless I was was up much higher than I wanted to be.
However, I passed the spot as I was flying back, about 1/2 mile from the crossing, and thought it’d make a good backup spot! When I got back to this location and got down low enough for what I wanted, I knew right away that I was going to love it!
The only thing I was worried about is it was if the train would make it to the spot before I had to bring the drone back to me due to a lack of battery power and also if I could tell when it was coming so I could shoot in the spot I wanted!
Keeping my ears open, eyes glued to the DJI Fly App on the iPhone screen, and I was able to get this shot of Q029 as it sliced its way south through this great crop of rocks!
Yes, it was a good day to get out early (thanks Tom Wortham) for getting me out and trackside this morning!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100 Exposure Comp: -0.7 (helps control the highlights).