CSX I026 passes over old Madisonville Road as it heads south through the Kentucky countryside on a beautiful summer afternoon, between Crofton and Nortonville, Ky, on July 19th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 140.
CSX I025 heads southbound with CSX Pere Marquette Heritage Unit, 1899, leading the way along the CSX Henderson Subdivision, as they roll slowly through a work area where a crew is working on one of the crossings at Hanson, Kentucky, on July 18th, 2024.
According to a CSX Press Release: May 1, 2024 – CSX has introduced the latest addition in its heritage locomotive series, paying homage to the rich history of the Pere Marquette Railroad. This new unit showcases the Pere Marquette’s legacy, dating back to its inception on November 1, 1899.
The Pere Marquette Railroad, operating in the Great Lakes region of the United States and parts of southern Ontario, Canada, derived its name from Jacques Marquette, a notable French Jesuit missionary credited with founding Michigan’s first European settlement in Sault Ste Marie. After years of operation, the company merged with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) on June 6, 1947, eventually becoming part of the renowned CSX network.
The design of the Pere Marquette heritage locomotive was meticulously crafted by employees at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop. According to CSX Carman Painter Eric Lee, “We had to measure each stripe precisely and position the words just right to ensure it captured the look of the original design. It took us about four days just to lay out the stripes before we could begin painting.”
A fascinating tidbit related to the history of Pere Marquette is its cameo in the 2004 film “The Polar Express.” The steam locomotive Pere Marquette 1225 served as the inspiration for the train depicted in the movie, with audio recordings of the actual locomotive in operation featured in the film. Interestingly, the locomotive had been donated to Michigan State University and was exhibited near the university’s football stadium. The author of “The Polar Express” book drew inspiration from seeing this locomotive on display during childhood, solidifying its place in popular culture.
CSX’s dedication to honoring the history and significance of the Pere Marquette Railroad through this new locomotive underscores the company’s commitment to preserving and celebrating the heritage of American railroads. Keep an eye out as this remarkable piece of history moves across the CSX network, bridging the past with the present.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
Union Pacific 5954, sporting their new paint scheme, leads a southbound Norfolk Southern Intermodal off the Tennbridge, over the Tennessee River at sunset, on the CNO&TP Third District, at East Chattanooga, TN.
According to Wikipedia: Tenbridge is a vertical-lift railroad bridge over the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It has a main span of 310 feet (94 m).
The original span was a swing span with a center pivot that was originally built in ca. 1879/1880. It was replaced by a vertical lift span in 1917, but the lift towers and machinery were not installed until 1920. It remains a very busy crossing on the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway, a major subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Railway. The bridge carries two mainline tracks across the river.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 290.
Norfolk Southern intermodal 28C heads northbound across High Bridge on June 8th, 2024, crossing the Kentucky River on the NS CNO&TP First District at Highbridge, Kentucky.
According to Wikipedia: The High Bridge is a railroad bridge crossing the Kentucky River Palisades, that rises approximately 275 feet from the river below and connects Jessamine and Mercer counties in Kentucky. Formally dedicated in 1879, it is the first cantilever bridge constructed in the United States. It has a three-span continuous under-deck truss used by Norfolk Southern Railway to carry trains between Lexington and Danville. It has been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
In 1851, the Lexington & Danville Railroad, with Julius Adams as chief engineer, retained John A. Roebling to build a railroad suspension bridge across the Kentucky River for a line connecting Lexington and Danville, Kentucky west of the intersection of the Dix and Kentucky rivers. In 1855, the company ran out of money and the project was resumed by Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1873 following a proposal by C. Shaler Smith for a cantilever design using stone towers designed by John A. Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge).
The bridge was erected using a cantilever design with a three-span continuous under-deck truss and was opened in 1877 on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. It was 275 feet (84 m) tall and 1,125 feet (343 m) long: the tallest bridge above a navigable waterway in North America and the tallest railroad bridge in the world until the early 20th century. Construction was completed using 3,654,280 pounds of iron at a total cost of $404,373.31. In 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attended the dedication.
After years of heavy railroad use, the bridge was rebuilt by Gustav Lindenthal in 1911. Lindenthal reinforced the foundations and rebuilt the bridge around the original structure. To keep railroad traffic flowing, the track deck was raised by 30 feet during construction and a temporary trestle was constructed. In 1929, an additional set of tracks was built to accommodate increased railroad traffic and the original limestone towers were removed.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 160.
The CSX Conrail Heritage Locomotive leads CSX I026 northbound through the curve at Breton, Ky, on July 10th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as they make their daily run to Chicago, Illinois.
According to a CSX Press Release: July 22, 2023 – CSX has unveiled the fourth locomotive in its series of custom paint designs that honor its heritage railroads. The latest in the series commemorates the Consolidated Rail Corporation, or Conrail, and bears the number 1976, the year the railroad was founded.
CSX and Norfolk Southern acquired and divided most of the Conrail network in 1997. Today, the company continues to exist as a terminal and switching railroad for CSX and NS customers in North Jersey-New York City metro area.
The Conrail paint scheme of a double-lined C inside a large, bold Q was a fixture for many years across the Northeast where the majority of the railroad’s operations were centered. The heritage locomotive design conceived and executed at CSX’s locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, recreates the iconic “Conrail Quality” logo and features Conrail blue on the rear two-thirds of the engine, then transitions to the current CSX colors and design on the cab portion of the unit.
CSX 1976 and other locomotives in the heritage series will be placed into revenue service and travel CSX’s 20,000 rail network, reinforcing employee pride in the history of the railroad that continues to move the nation’s economy with safe, reliable and sustainable rail-based transportation services.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Atlantic Coast Line Heritage Unit CSXT 1871 runs as a mid-train DPU unit as it heads south through downtown Mortons Gap, Kentucky on July 12th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This was my first catch on this heritage unit and while I would prefer it to be leading, I didn’t want to pass up a chance of catching this unit for my first time!
According to a CSX Press Release: November 29, 2023 – The CSX fleet of heritage locomotives is continuing to grow with the introduction of a unit painted in a custom design honoring the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
Designated CSX 1871, the seventh locomotive in the heritage series was unveiled at the CSX Locomotive Shop in Waycross, Georgia, which has designed and applied the paint schemes for all the heritage units. The latest in the series features the modern CSX design on the head end, transitioning to historic paint scheme and logo of the Atlantic Coast Line at the rear.
The Atlantic Coast Line name first appeared in 1871, and the American Coast Line Railroad (ACL) was officially incorporated in 1900. The ACL extended from Georgia to Richmond, Virginia, and later expanded into Florida. In 1960, the company opened a new headquarters building in Jacksonville, which continues as CSX headquarters to this day. The ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967 to form the Seaboard Coast Line, which later became part of CSX.
“We do a lot of research on the colors and the schemes just to make sure that we get it right,” said Jeromy Hutchison, CSX carman painter. “We want to make sure we do our heritage justice.”
CSX 1871 will carry the ACL colors in service across the 20,000-mile CSX network, reinforcing employee pride in the history of the railroad that continues to move the nation’s economy with safe, reliable and sustainable rail-based transportation services.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
CSX I025 meets G366 at Anaconda, just north of Sebree, Kentucky as it heads south on July 5th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. G366 is normally just an empty grain train, but today it was hauling a long string of maintenance of way equipment which will be used in an upcoming CSX work curfew that is scheduled to begin on the subdivision in the next week or so.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 110.
In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 3379 leading CSX I025 southbound at Casky, Hopkinsville, Kentucky on May 30th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 11mm, f/5.6, 1/950, ISO 400.
This week we catch CSX action between Ridgetop, Tennessee and Slaughters, Kentucky, including the Seaboard System Heritage unit as DPU on an I025 at Crofton, Ky, the P&LE HU at Nortonville, Ky and CSX M512 northbound with a newly rebuilt Metra 515 locomotive trailing, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
CSXT 7205 leads CSX hot Intermodal I025 as it passes the signals at the south end of Romney at Nortonville, Kentucky as they head south on July 2nd, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 110.
CSXT 3245 leads CSX I025, one of the hottest intermodals southbound on the subdivision, across the Red River Trestle at Adams, Tennessee on June 24th, 2024 along the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This train typically runs with a string of autoracks also that contain Tesla automobiles bound for Florida. Right behind the second engine is a geometry track inspection boxcar that also typically runs with them.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 160.
In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 3170 leading CSX I025 south prepare to pass under the overpass at Mannington, Kentucky, on May 30th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 13mm, f/5.6, 1/1000., ISO 400.
This week we catch CSX M512 with a string of M1 Tanks, I026 with the Seaboard System Heritage Unit and a meet between I128 and M647 at Mortons Junction, Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
CSX intermodal I128 passes through downtown Sebree, Ky, on June 13th, 2024, as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 110.
CSXT 3320 and 5414 lead on CSX I025 as it passes the Earlington-Madisonville cutoff at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, on the Henderson Subdivision as it makes its way south.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
CSX Seaboard System Heritage Locomotive 1982 passes over Arch Street at the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot in downtown Madisonville, Kentucky, on June 13th, 2024, as it leads CSX I026 north on the Henderson Subdivision.
This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, and savvy investors star in their own success stories.
According to Wikipedia: The Seaboard System Railroad, Inc. (reporting mark SBD) was a US Class I railroad that operated from 1982 to 1986.
Since the late 1960s, Seaboard Coast Line Industries had operated the Seaboard Coast Line and its sister railroads, notably the Louisville & Nashville and Clinchfield, as the “Family Lines System”. In 1980, SCLI merged with the Chessie System to create the holding company CSX Corporation; two years later, CSX merged with the Family Lines railroads to create the Seaboard System Railroad.
In 1986, Seaboard renamed itself CSX Transportation, which absorbed the Chessie System’s two major railroads the following year.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 5407 leading CSX I128 north after coming off the Gum Lick Trestle, north of Kelly, Kentucky, on May 30th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 10, f/5.6, 1/450., ISO 400.
Norfolk Southern 1145 leads 279 as they make their way north across the New River Bridge on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District at New River, Tennessee. On June 7th, 2024.
According to the Historic Bridges website: This bridge is a very large high level deck cantilever truss bridge. It was constructed in 1963 and as such is a late example of its type, but still noteworthy as an uncommon structure type and for its size. Typical of 1960s truss bridges, the bridge still has riveted built-up beams, but v-lacing and lattice are absent in the built-up beams, and truss connections are bolted instead of riveted. It is 1,622.0 Feet (494.4 Meters) long, with 3 Main Span(s) and 6 Approach Span(s) is over 300 feet above the river.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern intermodal 28C heads northbound across High Bridge on June 8th, 2024, crossing the Kentucky River on the NS CNO&TP First District at Highbridge, Kentucky.
According to Wikipedia: The High Bridge is a railroad bridge crossing the Kentucky River Palisades, that rises approximately 275 feet from the river below and connects Jessamine and Mercer counties in Kentucky. Formally dedicated in 1879, it is the first cantilever bridge constructed in the United States. It has a three-span continuous under-deck truss used by Norfolk Southern Railway to carry trains between Lexington and Danville. It has been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
In 1851, the Lexington & Danville Railroad, with Julius Adams as chief engineer, retained John A. Roebling to build a railroad suspension bridge across the Kentucky River for a line connecting Lexington and Danville, Kentucky west of the intersection of the Dix and Kentucky rivers. In 1855, the company ran out of money and the project was resumed by Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1873 following a proposal by C. Shaler Smith for a cantilever design using stone towers designed by John A. Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge).
The bridge was erected using a cantilever design with a three-span continuous under-deck truss and was opened in 1877 on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. It was 275 feet (84 m) tall and 1,125 feet (343 m) long: the tallest bridge above a navigable waterway in North America and the tallest railroad bridge in the world until the early 20th century. Construction was completed using 3,654,280 pounds of iron at a total cost of $404,373.31. In 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attended the dedication.
After years of heavy railroad use, the bridge was rebuilt by Gustav Lindenthal in 1911. Lindenthal reinforced the foundations and rebuilt the bridge around the original structure. To keep railroad traffic flowing, the track deck was raised by 30 feet during construction and a temporary trestle was constructed. In 1929, an additional set of tracks was built to accommodate increased railroad traffic and the original limestone towers were removed.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 160.
Norfolk Southern 9758 leads 29F as they make their way south across the New River Bridge on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Second District at New River, Tennessee. On June 7th, 2024.
According to the Historic Bridges website: This bridge is a very large high level deck cantilever truss bridge. It was constructed in 1963 and as such is a late example of its type, but still noteworthy as an uncommon structure type and for its size. Typical of 1960s truss bridges, the bridge still has riveted built-up beams, but v-lacing and lattice are absent in the built-up beams, and truss connections are bolted instead of riveted. It is 1,622.0 Feet (494.4 Meters) long, with 3 Main Span(s) and 6 Approach Span(s) is over 300 feet above the river.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern intermodal 29F heads southbound across High Bridge on June 8th, 2024, crossing the Kentucky River on the NS CNO&TP First District at Highbridge, Kentucky.
According to Wikipedia: The High Bridge is a railroad bridge crossing the Kentucky River Palisades, that rises approximately 275 feet from the river below and connects Jessamine and Mercer counties in Kentucky. Formally dedicated in 1879, it is the first cantilever bridge constructed in the United States. It has a three-span continuous under-deck truss used by Norfolk Southern Railway to carry trains between Lexington and Danville. It has been designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
In 1851, the Lexington & Danville Railroad, with Julius Adams as chief engineer, retained John A. Roebling to build a railroad suspension bridge across the Kentucky River for a line connecting Lexington and Danville, Kentucky west of the intersection of the Dix and Kentucky rivers. In 1855, the company ran out of money and the project was resumed by Cincinnati Southern Railroad in 1873 following a proposal by C. Shaler Smith for a cantilever design using stone towers designed by John A. Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge).
The bridge was erected using a cantilever design with a three-span continuous under-deck truss and was opened in 1877 on the Cincinnati Southern Railway. It was 275 feet (84 m) tall and 1,125 feet (343 m) long: the tallest bridge above a navigable waterway in North America and the tallest railroad bridge in the world until the early 20th century. Construction was completed using 3,654,280 pounds of iron at a total cost of $404,373.31. In 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes and Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman attended the dedication.
After years of heavy railroad use, the bridge was rebuilt by Gustav Lindenthal in 1911. Lindenthal reinforced the foundations and rebuilt the bridge around the original structure. To keep railroad traffic flowing, the track deck was raised by 30 feet during construction and a temporary trestle was constructed. In 1929, an additional set of tracks was built to accommodate increased railroad traffic and the original limestone towers were removed.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 180.