Illinois Central 1019 (Death Star) leads a Canadian National mixed freight as they pull onto the main from the south end of the yard lead in Effingham, Illinois and head south on the CN Champagne Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 240mm, f/5.3, 1/1600, ISO 450.
A southbound Canadian National intermodal waits to depart on the main from the south end of Effingham, Illinois on the CN Champagne Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025, under stormy skies.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 370.
The conductor on Illinois Central 1019 (Death Star) does a roll-by inspection on a northbound Canadian National mixed freight at the south end of the yard lead in Effingham, Illinois on the CN Champagne Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 440mm, f/6, 1/1600, ISO 640.
Illinois Central 1019 (Death Star) leads a Canadian National mixed freight as they pull onto the main from the south end of the yard lead in Effingham, Illinois and head south on the CN Champagne Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1600, ISO 560.
Norfolk Southern 4780 and 4830 lead a mixed freight across the diamond at Mt. Vernon, Illinois as it heads east on the NS Southern East District as they cross over the Union Pacific Mount Vernon Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 100.
Union Pacific 7314 leads a hot intermodal (Z183?) as it heads south through Kell, Illinois on the Union Pacific Mount Vernon Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025, passing the grain complex.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 160.
Norfolk Southern 219 sits in the siding at Smoot at Princeton, Indiana on the NS Southern East District on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 24-70 @24mm, f/4.5, 1/500, ISO 200.
#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #infaredtrainphotography #trending
In this week’s video we’re chasing trains in southern and middle Illinois on the CN and UP lines at Effingham, Keil and Mount Vernon during my swing through there recently. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
Union Pacific 7314 leads a hot intermodal (Z183?) as it passes through Kell, Illinois on the Union Pacific Mount Vernon Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025, passing the grain complex.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 130.
Union Pacific 1412 leads a local across the diamond at Mt. Vernon, Illinois as it heads east the Union Pacific Mount Vernon Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025, as they cross over the NS Southern East District.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern 4780 and 4830 lead a mixed freight across the diamond at Mt. Vernon, Illinois as it heads east on the NS Southern East District as they cross over the Union Pacific Mount Vernon Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
A southbound Canadian National intermodal waits to depart on the main from the south end of Effingham, Illinois on the CN Champaign Subdivision, on April 25th, 2025, under stormy skies.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 230.
September 2, 2018 – A CTA pink line train takes a right at Tower 12 as another train rounds a curve heading into the interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @300mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 160.
![September 1, 2018 - St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad steam locomotive 1630 sits in the station at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, waiting for it's 8pm run, as the last light of day begins to fade from the sky.
According to Wikipedia, the locomotive was built in 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for use in Russia as a class Ye locomotive. However, it, along with approximately 200 other locomotives, remained in the United States, due to the inability of the Bolshevik government to pay for them, following the Russian Revolution.
1630 was converted from 5 ft (1,524 mm) Russian track gauge to 4 ft 8 1/2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge. After being re-gauged, #1630 was sold to the USRA and was numbered 1147. Shortly after, 1147 was briefly leased for use on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1920, the locomotive was sold to the St. Louis San Francisco Railway, where it was used as a mixed traffic engine. In 1951, the locomotive was sold to Eagle-Picher, who used it to haul lead ore from a mine to their smelter.
In 1967, the locomotive was donated to the Illinois Railway Museum, in Union, Illinois, where they began restoring it in 1972, it returned to operating condition in 1974 and made its first revenue run. Sometime after arriving at the museum, 1630 was restored from her Eagle Picher appearance back to her Frisco appearance. 1630 was taken out of service in 2004, and after more than six years undergoing repairs and a federally mandated rebuild, it was returned to operational condition on October 30, 2013.
On Memorial Day weekend 2014, the locomotive returned to excursion service. In 2016, the locomotive received a cylinder overhaul, which according to Steam department curator, Nigel Bennett, made the locomotive, "probably more powerful than she has been since her [sic] first arrival at IRM in the 1970s." The locomotive, during Memorial Day weekend 2016, pulled 137 empty coal cars in storage at the museum as what was considered to be one of the longest revenue freight trains powered by a steam locomotive in at least 25 years as said by IRM's Steam department curator.
- #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #steamtrains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #illinoisrailwaymuseum #steamtrain](https://www.jimpearsonphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WEB-09.01.18-Frisco-1630-Steam-at-station-IRM-Union-IL-1170x781.jpg)
September 1, 2018 – St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad steam locomotive 1630 sits in the station at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, waiting for it’s 8pm run, as the last light of day begins to fade from the sky.
According to Wikipedia, the locomotive was built in 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for use in Russia as a class Ye locomotive. However, it, along with approximately 200 other locomotives, remained in the United States, due to the inability of the Bolshevik government to pay for them, following the Russian Revolution.
1630 was converted from 5 ft (1,524 mm) Russian track gauge to 4 ft 8 1/2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge. After being re-gauged, #1630 was sold to the USRA and was numbered 1147. Shortly after, 1147 was briefly leased for use on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1920, the locomotive was sold to the St. Louis San Francisco Railway, where it was used as a mixed traffic engine. In 1951, the locomotive was sold to Eagle-Picher, who used it to haul lead ore from a mine to their smelter.
In 1967, the locomotive was donated to the Illinois Railway Museum, in Union, Illinois, where they began restoring it in 1972, it returned to operating condition in 1974 and made its first revenue run. Sometime after arriving at the museum, 1630 was restored from her Eagle Picher appearance back to her Frisco appearance. 1630 was taken out of service in 2004, and after more than six years undergoing repairs and a federally mandated rebuild, it was returned to operational condition on October 30, 2013.
On Memorial Day weekend 2014, the locomotive returned to excursion service. In 2016, the locomotive received a cylinder overhaul, which according to Steam department curator, Nigel Bennett, made the locomotive, “probably more powerful than she has been since her [sic] first arrival at IRM in the 1970s.” The locomotive, during Memorial Day weekend 2016, pulled 137 empty coal cars in storage at the museum as what was considered to be one of the longest revenue freight trains powered by a steam locomotive in at least 25 years as said by IRM’s Steam department curator.
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Nebraska Zephyr “Silver Pilot” makes its way east from the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM), Union, Illinois on September 16th, 2023, with its passenger trainset during the museum’s 70th Anniversary celebration. The IRM ran trains continuously from 11am on Saturday until 5pm Sunday during the event.
According to the IRM website: The Nebraska Zephyr is the most famous train at the Illinois Railway Museum. It is an articulated streamlined train built entirely of stainless steel. The train is known as the “Train of the Goddesses” because each of its five cars is named after a classical deity. It is the only complete Zephyr train from the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad in operation today.
When it was built, the Nebraska Zephyr was pulled by a two-unit set of “shovel nose” diesels. In later years it was commonly hauled by stainless steel E5 passenger diesels, and today the train is still hauled by the last surviving E5, CB&Q 9911A “Silver Pilot.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 130
An empty BNSF 4 Rivers empty coal train heads north on April 21st, 2023, on the UP Marion/BNSF Beardstown Subdivision at Goreville, Illinois approaching the Side Street overpass.
Tech Info: Fuji XT1 converted to 720nm, Nikon 10-24 @ 16mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400.
I spent New Year’s Day with fellow railfan Ryan Scott and we spent it chasing Norfolk Southern’s newest Heritage Unit, Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway locomotive 4851 as it ran as the DPU on NS 167 On January 1st, 2025. Here the TAG locomotive prepares to pass over the Wabash river at Mt. Carmel, IL on their move east.
Norfolk Southern recently unveiled their newest addition to their Heritage Fleet: the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway locomotive!
“Once a vital link between Chattanooga and Gadsden, the TAG Railway played a key role in moving coal, steel, and more. Its legacy is now proudly reflected in our fleet.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 120.
I spent New Year’s Day with fellow railfan Ryan Scott and we spent it chasing Norfolk Southern’s newest Heritage Unit, Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway locomotive 4851 as it ran as the DPU on NS 167 On January 1st, 2025.
The first location was at the Viterra Grain elevator that is located at Browns, Illinois, just east of Albion, IL, as the engine passed their GP9 5000 there. This locomotive was built for the Milwaukee Road in May 1959, as MILW 311. From the Milwaukee, this engine worked for Indiana Railroad (IRRC 311), Nucor Steel (NUCX 311), and ConAgra (CAGX 5000) and now Viterra, although I’m not sure if it is still in use today.
Norfolk Southern recently unveiled their newest addition to their Heritage Fleet: the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway locomotive!
“Once a vital link between Chattanooga and Gadsden, the TAG Railway played a key role in moving coal, steel, and more. Its legacy is now proudly reflected in our fleet.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 140.
This week we catch action on the Norfolk Southern Lafyette Division between Shadeland, Indiana and Tolono, Illinois. Also, we catch a Decatur and Eastern train at La Place, IL. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
Union Pacific locomotives 5340 and 7630 lead a intermodal past one of many old corn cribs that dart the landscape along the UP Villa Grove Subdivision as they head north at Sidney, Illinois on August 17th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 240.
August 24th, 2024 – A eastbound Norfolk Southern Railway mixed freight makes its way across Decatur Lake, just outside Decatur, Illinois on the NS Lafyette District. From what I can find online the construction on the bridge was completed in 1907 by the Wabash railroad.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.