CSX M512 pulls onto track 2 as it heads north from Romney at Nortonville, Ky with an oversized load at Nortonville, Kentucky on April 28th, 2023, on the Henderson Subdivision. The load is a transformer built by Royal Smit Transformers, whose home office is in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Not sure if it was built there or here in the USA.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200.
CSX M648 heads north under stormy skies with West Coast Express 903, a F59PHI engine as their 3rd unit dead in tow, at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on May 12th, 2023. From the looks of the engine, it is fresh out of the shops somewhere down south and is on its way back north to Canada.
According to masstransit.com 903 is one of Seven locomotives on the West Coast Express that will be refurbished under a project to be paid for by the governments of Canada, British Columbia and TransLink. The Metro Vancouver commuter rail service has been in service since 1995 and sees more than 2.6 million boardings annually.
The project includes refurbishing the engines of six of the seven locomotives to extend their lifespan by 15 years. In addition, all head end power units, which provide heat and lighting to the passenger cars, will be replaced to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and allow operation of longer trains.
The locomotives will be refurbished one at a time to ensure there is no disruption in service. Once work is complete, each locomotive will be tested, commissioned, and returned to service before work starts on the next locomotive.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 190.
#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #PALtrains #mavic3classic #drones #trainsfromtheair #trainsfromadrone #kentuckytrains #WestCoastExpress
CSX M512 with 8 flats of M1 Tanks departs from the north end of Kelly, Ky on April 25th, 2023, on the Henderson Subdivision. The loads behind the tanks are truck frames.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
CSX M512 waits on the main with 8 flats of M1 Tanks as loaded coal train C904 takes the siding at the north end of Kelly, Ky so they can pass each other on April 25th, 2023. M512 was too long at 13,000 plus feet to fit into the siding so they had to wait on the C904 to clear the north end of the siding, before continuing their move on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
Paducah and Louisville Railway University of Kentucky (2012) and University of Louisville (2013) locomotives head up the southbound Louisville Gas and Electric coal train, as the train sets empty on the Main at West Yards at Madisonville, Ky on April 16th, 2023. Here lately they haven’t been loading this train on the weekend, so it sat here till Monday morning, when a fresh crew showed up to move it to the Warrior Coal loop for loading.
These two engines were specially painted to honor each school’s NCAA basketball wins.
According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) 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 (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986. The 223-mile (359 km) main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with branch lines from Paducah to Kevil and Mayfield, Kentucky, and another from Cecilia to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The PAL interchanges with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad, in Paducah. In Madisonville, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation (CSXT).
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 110.
Digital Photo Art – Louisville and Indiana Railroad locomotives 2004 and 2006 sit, tied down in their yard at Jeffersonville, Indiana, on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, as the railroad wasnt working on the day of my recent visit here.
According to Wikipedia: The Louisville and Indiana Railroad is a Class III railroad that operates freight service between Indianapolis, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky, with a major yard and maintenance shop in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It is owned by Anacostia Rail Holdings. The 106-mile line was purchased from Conrail in March 1994.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 110.
An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train passes over the bridge next to the Southern Illinois Stone Company as it heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois, under stormy skies.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/240 sec, ISO 120.
Union Pacific 6808 and 2659 lead Norfolk Southern 224 off the K&I bridge out of Louisville, Kentucky as they head west over the Ohio River into New Albany, Indiana on the NS Southern East District on April 15th, 2023.
According to Wikipedia: The Kentucky & Indiana Bridge is one of the first multi modal bridges to cross the Ohio River. It is for both railway and common roadway purposes together. By federal, state, and local law railway and streetcar, wagon-way, and pedestrian modes of travel were intended by the City of New Albany, City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, State of Indiana, the United States Congress, and the bridge owners.
The K & I Bridge connects Louisville, Kentucky to New Albany, Indiana. Constructed from 1881 to 1885 by the Kentucky and Indiana Bridge Company, the original K&I Bridge opened in 1886. It included a single standard gauge track and two wagon ways, allowing wagons and other animal powered vehicles to cross the Ohio River by a method other than ferry for the first time. At the time motorized vehicles were virtually nonexistent.
The K&I Bridge company also owned a ferry boat operation during both the 1st and 2nd bridge; eventually that operation was sold as the bridge’s success largely outmoded boat usage.
In 1910 the bridge company was renamed the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad Co. From 1910 to 1912, a new, heavier bridge was built on new piers just upstream from the original one, after which the old bridge was demolished. The new bridge was double tracked to handle increasingly heavier train and now automobile traffic, eventually receiving the U.S. 31W designation.
The bridge also featured a rotating swing span opening for the passage of ships in high water. The bridge was only opened four times, twice for testing in 1913 and 1915, then in 1916 for the passage of the steamer “Tarascon” and in 1920 for passage of the Australian convict ship “Success”. In 1948 it refused opening of the span for passage of the steamer “Gordon C. Greene” citing inconvenience and costs of cutting power and communication lines, an action for which K&I and LG&E both paid damages to that ship’s company. In 1955 the K&I sought and received permission to permanently tie down the swing span from the Corps of Engineers. In 1952, the creosoted wood block roadways of the second bridge were eliminated and replaced by a steel gridwork roadway.
On February 1, 1979, an overweight dump truck caused a small segment of the steel grate roadway on the bridge to sag about 1 foot (0.30 m). A quick survey promised to reopen the roadway, but automotive traffic was banned thereafter by the railroad.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec, ISO 140.
Union Pacific 6808 and 2659 lead Norfolk Southern 224 over the K&I bridge out of Louisville, Kentucky as they head west over the Ohio River into New Albany, Indiana on the NS Southern East District on April 15th, 2023.
According to Wikipedia: The Kentucky & Indiana Bridge is one of the first multi modal bridges to cross the Ohio River. It is for both railway and common roadway purposes together. By federal, state, and local law railway and streetcar, wagon-way, and pedestrian modes of travel were intended by the City of New Albany, City of Louisville, State of Kentucky, State of Indiana, the United States Congress, and the bridge owners.
The K & I Bridge connects Louisville, Kentucky to New Albany, Indiana. Constructed from 1881 to 1885 by the Kentucky and Indiana Bridge Company, the original K&I Bridge opened in 1886. It included a single standard gauge track and two wagon ways, allowing wagons and other animal powered vehicles to cross the Ohio River by a method other than ferry for the first time. At the time motorized vehicles were virtually nonexistent.
The K&I Bridge company also owned a ferry boat operation during both the 1st and 2nd bridge; eventually that operation was sold as the bridge’s success largely outmoded boat usage.
In 1910 the bridge company was renamed the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad Co. From 1910 to 1912, a new, heavier bridge was built on new piers just upstream from the original one, after which the old bridge was demolished. The new bridge was double tracked to handle increasingly heavier train and now automobile traffic, eventually receiving the U.S. 31W designation.
The bridge also featured a rotating swing span opening for the passage of ships in high water. The bridge was only opened four times, twice for testing in 1913 and 1915, then in 1916 for the passage of the steamer “Tarascon” and in 1920 for passage of the Australian convict ship “Success”. In 1948 it refused opening of the span for passage of the steamer “Gordon C. Greene” citing inconvenience and costs of cutting power and communication lines, an action for which K&I and LG&E both paid damages to that ship’s company. In 1955 the K&I sought and received permission to permanently tie down the swing span from the Corps of Engineers. In 1952, the creosoted wood block roadways of the second bridge were eliminated and replaced by a steel gridwork roadway.
On February 1, 1979, an overweight dump truck caused a small segment of the steel grate roadway on the bridge to sag about 1 foot (0.30 m). A quick survey promised to reopen the roadway, but automotive traffic was banned thereafter by the railroad.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500 sec, ISO 130.
Newly painted and refurbished RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648, along with GMTX 9059, sit at Nugent Sand Yard in Louisville, Ky on Saturday afternoon, April 15th, 2023. These first two units were recently acquired by the company from Norfolk Southern and are SD70M locomotives, which are beginning to see road service after coming out of the shops.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100.
Digital Art Photo – CSXT 7905 leads grain train G115 as it passes the Good Shepard Church at East Bank, West Virginia as it heads north on the Kanawha Subdivision on a beautiful fall afternoon on November 3rd, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 130.
Newly painted and refurbished Canadian Pacific 5798 sits tied down in the Paducah and Louisville Railway Yard in Louisville, Kentucky on April 15th, 2023. The markings under the cab window are SD40-2 DRF-30. Not sure where it was rebuilt and what was done to it however, with the recent merger between the CP and KCS, the road name on this newly painted unit is now incorrect!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec, ISO 130.
Louisville and Indiana Railroad locomotives 2004 and 2006 sit, tied down in their yard at Jeffersonville, Indiana, on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, as the railroad wasn’t working on the day of my recent visit here.
According to Wikipedia: The Louisville and Indiana Railroad is a Class III railroad that operates freight service between Indianapolis, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky, with a major yard and maintenance shop in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It is owned by Anacostia Rail Holdings. The 106-mile line was purchased from Conrail in March 1994.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 110.
After a 1.5 hour wait, I caught Burlington Northern Santa Fe 6739 as it led Norfolk Southern 167, as it passes through the cut at Tunnel Hill on the NS Southern East District just north of Depauw, Indiana, as it makes its way east to Louisville, Ky on April 15th, 2023. This cut was made close to the old existing tunnel where the trains used to run.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec, ISO 200.
Hot intermodal CSX I025 passes a loaded coal train at Sebree, Kentucky as the coal trains conductor performs a roll-by inspection of the intermodal on April 8th, 2023, as they pass the Tyson Foods Grain facility. This intermodal runs with autoracks loaded with Teslas, bound for Florida.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100.
Empty coal train CSX E302 passes the Hopkinsville Elevator Company on Skyline Drive as they make their way north on April 5th, 2023, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Hopkinsville, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 320, ISO 110.
Paducah and Louisville Railway 1998, painted in University of Kentucky colors to honor their 1998 NCAA win, passes under the US 70 West overpass with a ballast train as they head south at Richland, Kentucky on April 7th, 2023.
According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) 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 (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986. The 223-mile (359 km) main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with branch lines from Paducah to Kevil and Mayfield, Kentucky, and another from Cecilia to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The PAL interchanges with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad, in Paducah. In Madisonville, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation (CSXT).
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 150.
CSXT 4540 and 3231 lead CSX S988, a combined Windmill parts and coal train, as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision through downtown Mortons Gap, Ky, on April 6th, 2023.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 180.
CSXT 5398 leads Geometry Train W001 through the signals at the south end of Kelly siding at they inspect their way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Kelly, Ky on April 5th, 2023.
A track geometry train is a track inspection train on a rail transport system used to test several parameters of the track geometry without obstructing normal railroad operations. Some of the parameters generally measured include position, curvature, alignment of the track, smoothness, and the cross level of the two rails. The cars use a variety of sensors, measuring systems, and data management systems to create a profile of the track being inspected.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 180.
DIGITAL PHOTO ART – Meadow River Lumber Company steam locomotive, Heisler No. 6, leads a freight train past an old barn at Hosterman, West Virginia during the Mountain Rail WV, Rail Heritage Photography Weekend on November 4th, 2022. The event was held at the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Durbin, WV, and Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass, WV, from November 4-6th, 2022.
According to Wikipedia: The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (reporting mark DGVR) is a heritage and freight railroad in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. It operates the West Virginia State Rail Authority-owned Durbin Railroad and West Virginia Central Railroad (reporting mark WVC), as well as the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in Virginia.
Beginning in 2015, DGVR began operating the historic geared steam-powered Cass Scenic Railroad, which was previously operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources as part of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200.
CSXT 3200 and BCRAIL 4648 lead CSX B744, a combined empty ethanol and coal train, into the south end of CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky on April 3rd, 2023, on the Henderson Subdivision. This is where the crew dropped off the coal half of their train before continuing their move north.
According to Wikipedia: BC Rail is a railway in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Chartered as a private company in 1912 as the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, it was acquired by the provincial government in 1918. In 1972 it was renamed to the British Columbia Railway, and in 1984 it took on its present name of BC Rail and currently is owned by CN.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 110.