CN U700 Crew Change A topside view of Canadian National 3023, the new Elgin Jolliet & Eastern Heritage unit, (EJ&E) leading loaded coke train U700 during a crew change (cropped photo and drone wasn't over engine or crew during flight) before heading on south on CN’s Bluford subdivision at CP South Oaks at Fulton, Kentucky on November 21st, 2020. According to a press release from CN: This is one of six locomotives representing the railways that have joined their team since their privatization, 25 years ago. Each one features the colors of the railway at the time it merged with CN as well as the logo specially created to commemorate the quarter century of our IPO. These acquisitions propelled our service farther than any other North American railway, similar to our IPO propelled CN to new heights. The engines release so far are 3115 BC Rail; 8952 Grand Trunk Western; 8898 CN; 3008 Illinois Central; 3069 Wisconsin Central; and 3023 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

Canadian National 3023 Elgin Joliet & Eastern Heritage unit at Fulton, Ky

CN U700 Crew Change

A topside view of Canadian National 3023, the new Elgin Joliet & Eastern Heritage unit, (EJ&E) leading loaded coke train U700 during a crew change (cropped photo and drone wasn’t over engine or crew during flight) before heading on south on CN’s Bluford subdivision at CP South Oaks at Fulton, Kentucky on November 21st, 2020.

According to a press release from CN: This is one of six locomotives representing the railways that have joined their team since their privatization, 25 years ago. Each one features the colors of the railway at the time it merged with CN as well as the logo specially created to commemorate the quarter century of our IPO. These acquisitions propelled our service farther than any other North American railway, similar to our IPO propelled CN to new heights. The engines release so far are 3115 BC Rail; 8952 Grand Trunk Western; 8898 CN; 3008 Illinois Central; 3069 Wisconsin Central; and 3023 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

September 26, 2020 - The last shot of the day! Today was the annual outing for the West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and many of us gathered at Crofton, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision to enjoy each others company and do a bit of railfanning COVID19 style! I've been wanting to try a blue hour photograph from my drone and while waiting for this K422 train to finish dropping of a grain portion of the train to RJ Corman in Guthrie I decided if I was going to photograph it I'd have to drive the 20 miles from Hopkinsville, where I was around sunset if I was going to catch it. So, talk about stability, this is a 3 second exposure taken during the blue hour of Canadian Pacific 8930 leading K422 as it waited for a NB green at the north end of Guthrie, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. It was shot about 20 minutes after sunset from my DJI Mavic Mini Drone. I shot several shots, but this is the one that I liked the best. I will say that it was also probably the sharpest one of the 6 that I shot, all at the same shutter speed. The ISO was 400. While the light was fading fast, as it does during the blue hour, there was enough where I could maintain line of sight with the drone. All in all it was probably one of my best days trackside with the drone so far, with fellow railfans, where I caught 15 different shots that I'll post from this days shoot over the next couple of weeks! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 3 seconds, ISO 400.

The last shot of the day!

September 26, 2020 – The last shot of the day! Today was the annual outing for the West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and many of us gathered at Crofton, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision to enjoy each others company and do a bit of railfanning COVID19 style!

I’ve been wanting to try a blue hour photograph from my drone and while waiting for this K422 train to finish dropping of a grain portion of the train to RJ Corman in Guthrie I decided if I was going to photograph it I’d have to drive the 20 miles from Hopkinsville, where I was around sunset if I was going to catch it.

So, talk about stability, this is a 3 second exposure taken during the blue hour of Canadian Pacific 8930 leading K422 as it waited for a NB green at the north end of Guthrie, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. It was shot about 20 minutes after sunset from my DJI Mavic Mini Drone.
I shot several shots, but this is the one that I liked the best. I will say that it was also probably the sharpest one of the 6 that I shot, all at the same shutter speed. The ISO was 400.

While the light was fading fast, as it does during the blue hour, there was enough where I could maintain line of sight with the drone.

All in all it was probably one of my best days trackside with the drone so far, with fellow railfans, where I caught 15 different shots that I’ll post from this days shoot over the next couple of weeks!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 3 seconds, ISO 400.

August 29, 2020 - The light from the early morning sunrise illuminates the scene as Canadian National 9634 and 8879 lead CN L533-91 around a curve as they head west into Teutopolis, Illinois on CN's Effingham Subdivision. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6 1/1000, ISO 180.

Canadian National 9634 and 8879 lead CN L533-91…

August 29, 2020 – The light from the early morning sunrise illuminates the scene as Canadian National 9634 and 8879 lead CN L533-91 around a curve as they head west into Teutopolis, Illinois on CN’s Effingham Subdivision.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6 1/1000, ISO 180.

August 29, 2020 - Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) heads up Canadian National R940-92 in the early morning light as it works the CN Grand Avenue yard in Decatur, Illinois. The yard supports the CN Mattoon Sub and Peoria district along with the Decatur and Eastern Illinois Railroad. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500.

Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) at Effingham, IL

August 29, 2020 – Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) heads up Canadian National R940-92 in the early morning light as it works the yard at Effingham, Illinois.
 
Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500.
August 17, 2020 - Canadian National 5735, 2138 and Union Pacific 5446 head up CSX K421, a loaded ethanol train, as it makes its way down the main at the south end of the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/7.1, 1/640, ISO 100.

Canadian National 5735, 2138 and Union Pacific 5446 head up CSX K421…

August 17, 2020 – Canadian National 5735, 2138 and Union Pacific 5446 head up CSX K421, a loaded ethanol train, as it makes its way down the main at the south end of the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/7.1, 1/640, ISO 100.

August 15, 2020 - Canadian National 5485 leads the CN Fulton to Paducah local as it passes the LED signals at CN's P&I Junction in Paducah, Kentucky after making its drop-off and pickup at the Paducah & Louisville Railway. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 56mm, f/11. 1/500, ISO 220.

Canadian National 5485 leads the CN Fulton to Paducah local…

August 15, 2020 – Canadian National 5485 leads the CN Fulton to Paducah local as it passes the LED signals at CN’s P&I Junction in Paducah, Kentucky after making its drop-off and pickup at the Paducah & Louisville Railway.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 56mm, f/11. 1/500, ISO 220.

July 21, 2020 - CSX K815-19, with CP 7021, approaches the crossing at Old State Road outside Darmstadt, Indiana as it heads south on the CSX CE&D Subdivision with a loaded phosphate train. Canadian Pacific unveiled 5 of these specially painted locomotives in November of 2019 on Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the U.S. honoring the culture and history of the armed forces. The five Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs will take the message of military pride across the CP system. CP 7021 wears the sand colour that the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in arid climates. Tech Info: Fuji XT1, RAW, Fuji 18-55mm @ 18mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200.

CSX K815-19, with CP 7021, approaches the crossing at Old State Road outside Darmstadt, Indiana

July 21, 2020 – CSX K815-19, with CP 7021, approaches the crossing at Old State Road outside Darmstadt, Indiana as it heads south on the CSX CE&D Subdivision with a loaded phosphate train.

Canadian Pacific unveiled 5 of these specially painted locomotives in November of 2019 on Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the U.S. honoring the culture and history of the armed forces. The five Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs will take the message of military pride across the CP system.

CP 7021 wears the sand colour that the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in arid climates.

Tech Info: Fuji XT1, RAW, Fuji 18-55mm @ 18mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200.

July 21, 2020 - CSX K815-19 with CP 7021 approaches milepost 278 on the CSX CE&D Subdivision at Haubstadt, Indiana with a loaded phosphate train as it heads southbound with every railfan between here and south of Nashville, TN waits for his arrival at their location. The wait however was a bit long as it stopped at Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana where it dropped off all its cars, changed crews and picked up a load of mixed freight before continuing it's run south on the Henderson Subdivision. This was my first catch of one of these units! Canadian Pacific unveiled 5 of these specially painted locomotives in November of 2019 on Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the U.S. honoring the culture and history of the armed forces. The five Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs will take the message of military pride across the CP system. CP 7020 wears North Atlantic Treaty Organization green, which the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in temperate climates. CP 7021 wears the sand colour that the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in arid climates. CP 7022 wears the grey, red and black colour pattern of modern Canadian and American warships. CP 7023 wears a two-tone gray paint scheme designed after the livery applied to Canadian and American fighter jets. CP 6644 wears the camouflage colours applied to Royal Canadian Air Force "Spitfire" fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/320, ISO 360.

CSX K815-19 with CP 7021 approaches milepost 278…

July 21, 2020 – CSX K815-19 with CP 7021 approaches milepost 278 on the CSX CE&D Subdivision at Darmstadt, Indiana with a loaded phosphate train as it heads southbound with every railfan between here and south of Nashville, TN waits for his arrival at their location.

The wait however was a bit long as it stopped at Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana where it dropped off all its cars, changed crews and picked up a load of mixed freight before continuing it’s run south on the Henderson Subdivision. This was my first catch of one of these units!

Canadian Pacific unveiled 5 of these specially painted locomotives in November of 2019 on Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the U.S. honoring the culture and history of the armed forces. The five Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACUs will take the message of military pride across the CP system.

CP 7020 wears North Atlantic Treaty Organization green, which the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in temperate climates.

CP 7021 wears the sand colour that the Canadian and U.S. armies apply to fighting vehicles and equipment serving in arid climates.

CP 7022 wears the grey, red and black colour pattern of modern Canadian and American warships.

CP 7023 wears a two-tone gray paint scheme designed after the livery applied to Canadian and American fighter jets.

CP 6644 wears the camouflage colours applied to Royal Canadian Air Force “Spitfire” fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/320, ISO 360.

June 2, 2020 - This is one of my favorite shots from a 5 state, 22hr railfan trip, with fellow railfan Ryan Scott! This is a Canadian Nation local running long hood forward as it passed the iconic Memphis Pyramid with Grand Trunk 4917 at the North Parkway crossing in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. We just barely made it to this crossing before it showed up! Although there was a work curfew at the diamond in downtown, which affected the traffic, we both came back with a nice set of pictures! A big shout out goes to the folks on the Memphis Railfans Group for their help!! We departed my house at 4am in the morning and railfanned through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois over a span of the 22 hours. A long, but very productive trip for us both. Look for more images to come over the next few weeks! According to Wikipedia: The Memphis Pyramid, initially known as the Great American Pyramid, formerly referred to as the Pyramid Arena and locally referred to as The Pyramid, the Tomb of Doom and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, was originally built as a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis, in the U.S. state of Tennessee, at the banks of the Mississippi River. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/3200sec, ISO 140.

Grand Trunk 4917 at Memphis, Tennessee

June 2, 2020 – This is one of my favorite shots from a 5 state, 22hr railfan trip, with fellow railfan Ryan Scott! This is a Canadian Nation local running long hood forward as it passed the iconic Memphis Pyramid with Grand Trunk 4917 at the North Parkway crossing in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. We just barely made it to this crossing before it showed up!

Although there was a work curfew at the diamond in downtown, which affected the traffic, we both came back with a nice set of pictures! A big shout out goes to the folks on the Memphis Railfans Group for their help!!

We departed my house at 4am in the morning and railfanned through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois over a span of the 22 hours. A long, but very productive trip for us both. Look for more images to come over the next few weeks!

According to Wikipedia: The Memphis Pyramid, initially known as the Great American Pyramid, formerly referred to as the Pyramid Arena and locally referred to as The Pyramid, the Tomb of Doom and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, was originally built as a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis, in the U.S. state of Tennessee, at the banks of the Mississippi River.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/3200sec, ISO 140.

June 2, 2020 - This is one of my favorite shots from a 5 state, 22hr railfan trip, with fellow railfan Ryan Scott! This is a Canadian Nation local running long hood forward as it passed the iconic Memphis Pyramid with Grand Trunk 4917 at the North Parkway crossing in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. We just barely made it to this crossing before it showed up! Although there was a work curfew at the diamond in downtown, which affected the traffic, we both came back with a nice set of pictures! A big shout out goes to the folks on the Memphis Railfans Group for their help!! We departed my house at 4am in the morning and railfanned through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois over a span of the 22 hours. A long, but very productive trip for us both. Look for more images to come over the next few weeks! According to Wikipedia: The Memphis Pyramid, initially known as the Great American Pyramid, formerly referred to as the Pyramid Arena and locally referred to as The Pyramid, the Tomb of Doom and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, was originally built as a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis, in the U.S. state of Tennessee, at the banks of the Mississippi River. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/3200sec, ISO 140.

The CN Woodstock Switcher at Memphis, TN

June 2, 2020 – This is one of my favorite shots from a 5 state, 22hr railfan trip, with fellow railfan Ryan Scott! This is a Canadian Nation local (The Woodstock Switcher) running long hood forward as it passed the iconic Memphis Pyramid with Grand Trunk 4917 at the North Parkway crossing in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. We just barely made it to this crossing before it showed up!

Although there was a work curfew at the diamond in downtown, which affected the traffic, we both came back with a nice set of pictures! A big shout out goes to the folks on the Memphis Railfans Group for their help!!

We departed my house at 4am in the morning and railfanned through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois over a span of the 22 hours. A long, but very productive trip for us both. Look for more images to come over the next few weeks!

According to Wikipedia: The Memphis Pyramid, initially known as the Great American Pyramid, formerly referred to as the Pyramid Arena and locally referred to as The Pyramid, the Tomb of Doom and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, was originally built as a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis, in the U.S. state of Tennessee, at the banks of the Mississippi River.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/3200sec, ISO 140.