January 26, 2020 - The Crew on CSX K815 (empty phosphate train) keeps a watchful eye, next to Canadian Pacific Heritage Unit 7011, as CSX autorack train Q217 passes it at Middle King south of Princeton, Indiana as it heads south on CSX's CE&D Subdivision. Canadian Pacific Railway No. 7011, is one of several recently released SD70ACu (Rebuilt by Progress Rail in Mayfield, Ky) units delivered in heritage paint with script lettering. I along with 11 other railfans stood at the crossing on County Road 550 waiting for K815 to continue it's move south, but after 6+ hours sitting in the siding watching other trains pass, it unfortunately didn't continue it's move before it got dark. In fact, last word we heard from the scanner was that the Danville, IL crew was waiting for a crew bus to take them off their train and that another K-train would hook into K815 and take it on to Evansville, Indiana. Don't know what the issue with the train was, but there was a lot of speculation and rumors of course, ranging from low priority to engine problems. Some days things just happen! I'm thankful for my 150-600mm lens which allowed me this shot from the road crossing as the train was probably 1/3 of a mile away. This shot was made @ 600mm on my full frame camera and then cropped in Adobe RAW.

Crew on CSX K815 at middle kings, Princeton, Indiana

January 26, 2020 – The Crew on CSX K815 (empty phosphate train) keeps a watchful eye, next to Canadian Pacific Heritage Unit 7011, as CSX autorack train Q217 passes it at Middle King south of Princeton, Indiana as it heads south on CSX’s CE&D Subdivision.

Canadian Pacific Railway No. 7011, is one of several recently released SD70ACu (Rebuilt by Progress Rail in Mayfield, Ky) units delivered in heritage paint with script lettering.

I along with 11 other railfans stood at the crossing on County Road 550 waiting for K815 to continue it’s move south, but after 6+ hours sitting in the siding watching other trains pass, it unfortunately didn’t continue it’s move before it got dark. In fact, last word we heard from the scanner was that the Danville, IL crew was waiting for a crew bus to take them off their train and that another K-train would hook into K815 and take it on to Evansville, Indiana.

Don’t know what the issue with the train was, but there was a lot of speculation and rumors of course, ranging from low priority to engine problems. Some days things just happen! I’m thankful for my 150-600mm lens which allowed me this shot from the road crossing as the train was probably 1/3 of a mile away. This shot was made @ 600mm on my full frame camera and then cropped in Adobe RAW. Many thanks to all the folks that kept us informed on the movement of this unit!

January 18, 2020 - Canadian National 5654 leads the way on CSX K445 as it pulls out of the siding at the south end of Kelly, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train.

Canadian National 5654 leads the way on CSX K445…

January 18, 2020 – Canadian National 5654 leads the way on CSX K445 as it pulls out of the siding at the south end of Kelly, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train.

January 23, 2020 - Indiana Railroad (INRD) Veterans Unit 4005 sits tied down next to a loaded coal train at Hoosier Energy Merom Generating Station at Sullivan, Indiana along with INRD units 9009 & 9001, while waiting for their next crew. The Merom Generating Station is a 2-Unit, 1080-MW rated coal-fired power plant located between Merom, Indiana and Sullivan, Indiana. It is owned by Hoosier Energy, a Touchstone Energy cooperative. The plant has been in operation since 1982. It was announced by the company a few days ago that the plant will be shut down sometime in 2023, affecting the jobs of approximately 185 workers. According to Indiana Public Media's website: Hoosier Spokesperson Greg Seiter says the decision is in large part a cost savings move. "We’re looking at potentially saving our members in excess of $700 million over the next two decades," he says. That’s in part because Hoosier Energy won’t be locked into coal, which is more expensive. It can diversify its mix, including using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. While it's a few years off, if you plan to catch the INRD servicing this power plant with coal, you had better do it sooner than later!

Indiana Railroad Veterans Unit 4005…

January 23, 2020 – Indiana Railroad (INRD) Veterans Unit 4005 sits tied down next to a loaded coal train at Hoosier Energy Merom Generating Station at Sullivan, Indiana along with INRD units 9009 & 9001, while waiting for their next crew.

The Merom Generating Station is a 2-Unit, 1080-MW rated coal-fired power plant located between Merom, Indiana and Sullivan, Indiana. It is owned by Hoosier Energy, a Touchstone Energy cooperative. The plant has been in operation since 1982.

It was announced by the company a few days ago that the plant will be shut down sometime in 2023, affecting the jobs of approximately 185 workers.

According to Indiana Public Media’s website: Hoosier Spokesperson Greg Seiter says the decision is in large part a cost savings move.

“We’re looking at potentially saving our members in excess of $700 million over the next two decades,” he says.

That’s in part because Hoosier Energy won’t be locked into coal, which is more expensive. It can diversify its mix, including using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.

While it’s a few years off, if you plan to catch the INRD servicing this power plant with coal, you had better do it sooner than later!

January 23, 2020 - Indiana Railroad's (INRD) 25th Anniversary locomotive 9025 leads the Hiawatha-Palestine turn HWPAT-23 as it crosses the CSX CE&D/INRD diamond at Sullivan, Indiana on it's return trip north to the INRD Hiawatha Yard at Jasonville, Indiana. According to Wikipedia: The Indiana Rail Road (reporting mark INRD) is a United States Class II railroad, originally operating over former Illinois Central Railroad trackage from Newton, Illinois, to Indianapolis, Indiana, a distance of 155 miles (249 km). This line, now known as the Indiana Rail Road's Indianapolis Subdivision, comprises most of the former IC line from Indianapolis to Effingham, Illinois; Illinois Central successor Canadian National Railway retains the portion from Newton to Effingham. INRD also owns a former Milwaukee Road line from Terre Haute, Indiana, to Burns City, Indiana (site of the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center), with trackage rights extending to Chicago, Illinois. INRD serves Louisville, Kentucky, and the Port of Indiana on the Ohio River at Jeffersonville, Indiana, through a haulage agreement with the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC).

Indiana Railroad’s 25th Anniversary locomotive…

January 23, 2020 – Indiana Railroad’s (INRD) 25th Anniversary locomotive 9025 leads the Hiawatha-Palestine turn HWPAT-23 as it crosses the CSX CE&D/INRD diamond at Sullivan, Indiana on it’s return trip north to the INRD Hiawatha Yard at Jasonville, Indiana.

According to Wikipedia: The Indiana Rail Road (reporting mark INRD) is a United States Class II railroad, originally operating over former Illinois Central Railroad trackage from Newton, Illinois, to Indianapolis, Indiana, a distance of 155 miles (249 km).

This line, now known as the Indiana Rail Road’s Indianapolis Subdivision, comprises most of the former IC line from Indianapolis to Effingham, Illinois; Illinois Central successor Canadian National Railway retains the portion from Newton to Effingham. INRD also owns a former Milwaukee Road line from Terre Haute, Indiana, to Burns City, Indiana (site of the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center), with trackage rights extending to Chicago, Illinois. INRD serves Louisville, Kentucky, and the Port of Indiana on the Ohio River at Jeffersonville, Indiana, through a haulage agreement with the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC).

January 18, 2020 - CSXT 3421 leads CSX Q025 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision after crossing the diamond at Trident in Madisonville, Ky with its loaded stack train approaching the north Main overpass.

CSXT 3421 leads CSX Q025 south at Madisonville, Ky

January 18, 2020 – CSXT 3421 leads CSX Q025 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision after crossing the diamond at Trident in Madisonville, Ky with its loaded stack train approaching the north Main overpass.

January 18, 2020 - CSX K628 makes for a nice reflection shot as it approaches the defect detector at Ace, just south of Guthrie, Kentucky as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision with CSXT 6468 leading a empty ethanol train.

CSX K628 makes for a nice reflection shot…

January 18, 2020 – CSX K628 makes for a nice reflection shot as it approaches the defect detector at Ace, just south of Guthrie, Kentucky, as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision with CSXT 6468 leading a empty ethanol train.

January 9, 2020 - CSXT 3096 leads loaded coal train N307 as it passes the signals at the RR location known as poorhouse, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky. This location got it's name from the L&N Railroad days when the Hopkins County Poorhouse stood near here. According to the Kentucky Historic Institutions website: In 1910 there were more than 84 thousand paupers that were enumerated in poorhouses in the United States; this was a marked increase of 3 percent compared to 1904. In Kentucky, the number of enumerated people in poorhouses in 1910 were 1,522; 871 being male and 651 being female. Of that population, 1,044 were native born, 167 were foreign born, 27 have unknown nativity, and 284 were “colored.” Irish and Swiss immigrants had a much high ratio of pauperism in 1910 than any other nationality. According to the occupations of individuals admitted into poorhouses, unskilled laborers made up the highest number. Skilled trades also held a relatively considerable number as well. Women frequently were domestic servants prior to admission. A relatively large number of about two filths reported being unable to do any work of any kind. A statistically significant number of paupers during the year 1910 were consider physically or mentally defective though the number of insane and feeble-minded almshouses was on the decline in 1910. Three fourths of discharges were done so as self-supporting. Approximately 17,000 paupers died in poorhouses during 1910 a rate of 207.7 paupers per 1,000. The most common cause of death at that time was tuberculosis of the lungs. In earlier days, poorhouses were sometimes used as temporary shelters for vagrants as well as a place of detention for petty criminals. This was often due to poorhouses being the only public agency available to offer relief, even to those who were insane, feeble-minded, or epileptic. Some communities combined poorhouses with free hospitals or infirmaries that catered to the poor.

CSXT 3096 leads loaded coal train N307…

January 9, 2020 – CSXT 3096 leads loaded coal train N307 as it passes the signals at the RR location known as poorhouse, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky.

This location got it’s name from the L&N Railroad days when the Hopkins County Poorhouse stood near here.

According to the Kentucky Historic Institutions website: In 1910 there were more than 84 thousand paupe… See More

January 15, 2020 - Paducah and Louisville Railway 2121 leads the yard job as it works on moving cars just past the CN crossover in the yard at Paducah, Ky on a foggy morning.

Paducah and Louisville Railway 2121…

January 15, 2020 – Paducah and Louisville Railway 2121 leads the yard job as it works on moving cars just past the CN crossover in the yard at Paducah, Ky on a foggy morning.

December 20, 2019 - RJ Corman's Cumberland City turn local exits the bridge over the Cumberland River as it makes it's return trip northbound on the Memphis Line at Clarksville, Tennessee with RJC 3801 and 3837 leading with their long noses forward elephant style for their return trip to Guthrie, KY. It is a Swing through truss bridge and was constructed in 1891 by the Pencoyd Bridge & Construction Company for the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway. It is still an operating bridge on the river and sees at most two trains a day, but most days only one. Trains head to Cumberland City, TN (SB) usually around 9:30am CST and return north on average about 2:30-3:30pm CST.

RJ Corman’s Cumberland City turn local…

December 20, 2019 – RJ Corman’s Cumberland City turn local exits the bridge over the Cumberland River as it makes it’s return trip northbound on the Memphis Line at Clarksville, Tennessee with RJC 3801 and 3837 leading with their long noses forward elephant style for their return trip to Guthrie, KY.

It is a Swing through truss bridge and was constructed in 1891 by the Pencoyd Bridge & Construction Company for the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway. It is still an operating bridge on the river and sees at most two trains a day, but most days only one. Trains head to Cumberland City, TN (SB) usually around 9:30am CST and return north on average about 2:30-3:30pm CST.

January 1, 2020 - RSSX 3021 backs a couple cars into a track at the Kellogg plant in Jackson, Tennessee as it does it's work on New Years Day. The unit is leased from Rail Switching Service by the Kellogg Company and from what I can find online is it's a GP30 that was rebuilt into a LEAF unit and was originally built as DRGW 3021 in February 1963. According to Wikipedia: The Railserve Leaf is a genset locomotive built by Railserve. It is constructed in both single- and dual-engine variants, and is primarily used in low-speed and high tractive effort switching and shortline applications. The Leaf was introduced in the single-engine model in 2010, of which 32 had been built by the end of 2012. The dual-engine version of the locomotive, powered by two 600-horsepower Cummins QSX15 engines, was introduced in 2012. In 2016, the locomotive was updated to meet EPA Tier 4 emissions standards and the first Tier 4–compliant Leaf entered service in mid-2017.

RSSX 3021 backs a couple cars into a track at the Kellogg plant in Jackson, Tennessee…

January 1, 2020 – RSSX 3021 backs a couple cars into a track at the Kellogg plant in Jackson, Tennessee as it does it’s work on New Years Day. The unit is leased from Rail Switching Service by the Kellogg Company and from what I can find online is it’s a GP30 that was rebuilt into a LEAF unit and was originally built as DRGW 3021 in February 1963.

According to Wikipedia: The Railserve Leaf is a g… See More

January 7, 2020 - CSX K443-06 (Chicago to Lawrenceville, GA), a Canadian Pacific loaded ethanol train, passes through the S Curve at Nortonville, Kentucky, with Canadian Pacific 8915, CP 8824 and CSX 5491 as power, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

CSX K443-06 (Chicago to Lawrenceville, GA)…

January 7, 2020 – CSX K443-06 (Chicago to Lawrenceville, GA), a Canadian Pacific loaded ethanol train, passes through the S Curve at Nortonville, Kentucky, with Canadian Pacific 8915, CP 8824 and CSX 5491 as power, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Blast From The Past - October 20, 2015 - Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Locomotive 484 sits next to the water tower at Chama, New Mexico, after the last day of scheduled revenue runs for the year. Chama is one of my favorite steam operations to photograph! According to Wikipedia: The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, often abbreviated as C&TSRR, is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad running for 64 miles (103 km) between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico, United States. The railroad gets its name from two geographical features along the route, the 10,015-foot (3,053 m)-high Cumbres Pass and the Toltec Gorge. Originally part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's narrow-gauge network, the line has been jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970. The rail line over which the Cumbres & Toltec operates was constructed in 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) as part of their San Juan extension stretching from Alamosa, Colorado to Durango, Colorado. The line was originally built to support mining operations in the San Juan Mountains, mainly around Durango and Silverton. By the mid 20th century, the ore traffic had dwindled but the line continued to support various agricultural and industrial operations until the 1960s. In 1968, freight traffic was virtually gone and the railroad began the process of abandoning the line. However, the states of Colorado and New Mexico purchased the 64 mile portion between Antonito and Chama in 1970 and began excursion services on the route as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operates between late May and late October with two trains (one in each direction) departing each morning from Antonito and Chama. Both trains are timed to meet at Osier, an old section town located about halfway along the route, for a lunch stop. Afterwards, passengers continue with their train to its destination or switch trains to return to their original terminal. Through riders are returned to their starting place by motorcoach after the train arrives at its destination. In addition to the through service, the C&TSRR operates various special excursions during the season such as dinner trains. On certain days during the holiday season, the railroad offers special "Santa Trains" from both Chama and Antonito and guests are encouraged to bring gifts and/or food for the less fortunate.

Blast From The Past – October 20, 2015 – Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad…

Blast From The Past – October 20, 2015 – Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Locomotive 484 sits next to the water tower at Chama, New Mexico, after the last day of scheduled revenue runs for the year. Chama is one of my favorite steam operations to photograph!

According to Wikipedia: The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, often abbreviated as C&TSRR, is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad running for 64 miles (103 km) between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico, United States. The railroad gets its name from two geographical features along the route, the 10,015-foot (3,053 m)-high Cumbres Pass and the Toltec Gorge. Originally part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad’s narrow-gauge network, the line has been jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970.

The rail line over which the Cumbres & Toltec operates was constructed in 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) as part of their San Juan extension stretching from Alamosa, Colorado to Durango, Colorado. The line was originally built to support mining operations in the San Juan Mountains, mainly around Durango and Silverton. By the mid 20th century, the ore traffic had dwindled but the line continued to support various agricultural and industrial operations until the 1960s.

In 1968, freight traffic was virtually gone and the railroad began the process of abandoning the line. However, the states of Colorado and New Mexico purchased the 64 mile portion between Antonito and Chama in 1970 and began excursion services on the route as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operates between late May and late October with two trains (one in each direction) departing each morning from Antonito and Chama. Both trains are timed to meet at Osier, an old section town located about halfway along the route, for a lunch stop. Afterwards, passengers continue with their train to its destination or switch trains to return to their original terminal. Through riders are returned to their starting place by motorcoach after the train arrives at its destination.

In addition to the through service, the C&TSRR operates various special excursions during the season such as dinner trains. On certain days during the holiday season, the railroad offers special “Santa Trains” from both Chama and Antonito and guests are encouraged to bring gifts and/or food for the less fortunate.

January 1, 2020 - On a very quiet New Years Day I waited and waited and waited and waited and a train never appeared for this picture from a grade crossing around Gibson, Tennessee on the CSX Memphis Subdivision. Sometimes it happens, but the scene makes for a nice shot at 600mm!! I'll revisit this spot with my long lens on a day there's regular traffic for sure! Remember, there doesn't always have to be a train to come back with a great picture!

On a very quiet New Years Day I waited and waited and…

January 1, 2020 – On a very quiet New Years Day I waited and waited and waited and waited and a train never appeared for this picture from a grade crossing around Gibson, Tennessee on the CSX Memphis Subdivision. Sometimes it happens, but the scene makes for a nice shot at 600mm!! I’ll revisit this spot with my long lens on a day there’s regular traffic for sure! Remember, there doesn’t always have to be a train to come back with a great picture!

January 1, 2020 - A string on power sits next to the engine house at the West Tennessee Railroad engine house at their yard in Jackson, Tennessee on a very quiet New Years Day. From front to back are, 3576, 7855, 3560 and SCTR 483 (The Duck River Route). According to Wikipedia: The West Tennessee Railroad (reporting mark WTNN) is a shortline railroad in the Southern U.S., connecting Corinth, Mississippi, to Fulton, Kentucky, via western Tennessee. The company began operating in 1984 on a portion of the former Mobile and Ohio Railroad (M&O) main line between Jackson and Kenton, Tennessee. It significantly expanded operations in 2001 through the lease, from the Norfolk Southern Railway, of the ex-M&O south to Corinth and a former main line of the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) north to Fulton, as well as a branch from Jackson to Poplar Corner (ex-Birmingham and Northwestern Railway, acquired by the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad in 1924). All of these lines were part of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad (ICG) prior to its 1980s program of spin-offs, during which Gibson County purchased the Jackson-Kenton line and the Southern Railway acquired the Corinth-Fulton line and Poplar Corner branch. The company is under common control with the South Central Tennessee Railroad and the Tennken Railroad. Its main line was upgraded as part of the MidAmerica Corridor, an initiative by the Canadian National Railway and Norfolk Southern Railway to improve rail service between Illinois and the Southeast. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad completed a line between Mobile, Alabama, and Columbus, Kentucky, in 1861, and the Mississippi Central Railroad, an Illinois Central Railroad predecessor, completed its north-south line between New Orleans, Louisiana and Cairo, Illinois in 1873. The Birmingham and Northwestern Railway opened a line between Jackson, where the M&O and IC lines crossed, and Dyersburg in 1912 and was purchased by the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad in 1924. Thr

Digital Art – West Tennessee Railroad

From time to time I’m going to do a Digital Art Piece of some of my work. This one is of a string on power as it sits next to the engine house at the West Tennessee Railroad in Jackson, Tennessee. These pieces are for sale at my normal prices via my online sales store! Something different for the railroad enthusiast.

It’s available for purchase here: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/digital-art-west-tennessee-railroad-jim-pearson.html?newartwork=true

November 13, 2019 - Union Pacific 4014 "Big Boy" locomotive releases built up steam as it sits at the station in Prescott, Arkansas, waiting for time to depart north on UP's Little Rock Subdivision during UP's Great Race Across the Southwest steam tour. According to Wikipedia: Union Pacific 4014 is a four-cylinder simple articulated 4-8-8-4 Big Boy-type steam locomotive owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. Built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York, No. 4014 is the only operating Big Boy of the eight that remain in existence. The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959. It was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex in Pomona, California. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[citation needed] In 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after it sat dormant for almost six decades. Part of Union Pacific's heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.

Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive releases built up steam…

November 13, 2019 – Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” locomotive releases built up steam as it sits at the station in Prescott, Arkansas, waiting for time to depart north on UP’s Little Rock Subdivision during UP’s Great Race Across the Southwest steam tour.

According to Wikipedia: Union Pacific 4014 is a four-cylinder simple articulated 4-8-8-4 Big Boy-type steam locomotive owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. Built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York, No. 4014 is the only operating Big Boy of the eight that remain in existence.

The locomotive operated in revenue service until 1959. It was donated to the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society in late 1961 and thereafter displayed in Fairplex in Pomona, California. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at their Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[citation needed] In 2019, No. 4014 was operated for the first time after it sat dormant for almost six decades. Part of Union Pacific’s heritage fleet, it now operates in excursion service, in addition to hauling revenue freight during ferry moves.