Canadian National and BNSF on the CSX Henderson Subdivision The CSX Henderson Subdivision usually sees foreign power on a regular basis these days and March 25th, 2021 was defiantly a busy one, with a lot of interesting moves for me to chase and photograph! Here we have loaded southbound ethanol train K423 (Bensenville, IL to Tampa, FL), with BNSF 9100 and 4418 leading, on its way south as it meets an empty ethanol train K644 (Chicago, IL – Jacksonville, FL) with Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 at Slaughters, Kentucky, as it waits in the siding to continue its move on north on the Henderson subdivision. Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Canadian National, UP and BNSF on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

The CSX Henderson Subdivision usually sees foreign power on a regular basis these days and March 25th, 2021 was defiantly a busy one, with a lot of interesting moves for me to chase and photograph!

Here we have loaded southbound ethanol train K423 (Bensenville, IL to Tampa, FL), with BNSF 9100 and 4418 leading, on its way south as it meets an empty ethanol train K644 (Chicago, IL – Jacksonville, FL) with Canadian National 3246, 2235, 2518, 2605 and 2293 at Slaughters, Kentucky, as it waits in the siding to continue its move on north on the Henderson subdivision.

Unit trains of one type or another are some of my favorite trains to photograph and video and when you throw into the mix foreign power on top of that and it makes me want to chase all day long!! I just love the uniformity of the cars, like snakes winding their way along the landscape.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision! Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia. On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I'm also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway. Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #jimpearsonphotography Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves #2

It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision!

Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia.

On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I’m also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision.

St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway.

Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision! Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia. On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I'm also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway. Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX Q513-26 with two interesting moves #1

It’s not very often that I catch a train that has two interesting moves at the same time, but March 26th, 2021 was one of those days when I caught CSX Q513 heading south on the Henderson Subdivision!

Up front behind the first engine was a GMTX 192 switcher (ex-Kansas City Southern Unit) passing through Mortons Junction at Mortons Gap, Ky, which I’m told is headed for St. Marys Railroad Company, located in St. Marys, Georgia.

On the rear of the train was Mid-America Railcar Leasing (MRLX) 1226, which appears to be an ex-Amtrak baggage car that I’m also told is headed for the Georgia coastal railway at St. Marys, Georgia. I’m also told that it will be converted to a gift shop for their excursion trains. Here it’s passing through the crossing at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Ky, behind the DPU on the rear of the train as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision.

St. Marys Railroad (reporting marks SM) is a standard gauge, Class III, common carrier railroad based out of St. Marys, Georgia. Interchange is made with the First Coast Railroad in Kingsland, Georgia and gives customers easy access to Jacksonville, Florida railroads CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Florida East Coast Railway.

Mid America Railcar Leasing is a limited liability company that leases private passenger railroad cars, most of which can be pulled on the end of Amtrak trains.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800 & 1/1250, ISO 100.

Canadian National leads CSX K813 south out of Mortons Gap, Ky With only a few days away from the first day of spring, Canadian National 2314 leads CSX K813 out of Mortons Gap, Ky, with an empty potash train, under gloomy and cold skies on March 18th, 2021, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

Canadian National leads CSX K813 south out of Mortons Gap, Ky

With only a few days away from the first day of spring, Canadian National 2314 leads CSX K813 out of Mortons Gap, Ky, with an empty potash train, under gloomy and cold skies on March 18th, 2021, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

X marks the spot on the Henderson Subdivision I keep returning to this spot called Monarch, where the CSX Henderson Subdivision crosses under the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL), attempting to catch a shot with traffic on both lines, here in Madisonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. There was a PAL train in the neighborhood when I put the drone over Monarch on March 16th, 2021, catching this shot of CSX Q500 as it headed north, however the PAL local didn’t pass until much later. I’ve found over the years that persistence pays off in the long run, so I continue to revisit this spot, waiting for the right moves to appear! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 200.

X marks the spot on the Henderson Subdivision

I keep returning to this spot called Monarch, where the CSX Henderson Subdivision crosses under the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL), attempting to catch a shot with traffic on both lines, here in Madisonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision.

There was a PAL train in the neighborhood when I put the drone over Monarch on March 16th, 2021, catching this shot of CSX Q500 as it headed north, however the PAL local didn’t pass until much later. I’ve found over the years that persistence pays off in the long run, so I continue to revisit this spot, waiting for the right moves to appear!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 200.

Traffic flowing again after a dispatcher's nightmare Looking at this photograph of hot intermodal CSX Q026 passing a tied down CSX W017 rail train just north of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, you wouldn’t know what transpired over 7 hours before their arrivals here! Well, here’s what happened! On March 20th, 2021 at approximately 9am CSX Q513 (12,000+ feet long) was about halfway through Adams, Tennessee when their train ripped a coupler completely out of a refrigerated car about 2/3 through their train and went into full emergency, which ended up causing a major problem on the Henderson Subdivision! Since the train separated on the main, nothing could get around it and before it was over all four hot intermodals on the Henderson Subdivision, Q029, Q025, Q026 and Q028, were now delayed, as were many other trains, including this rail train as a result! They finally figured out a plan that worked where the power from Q029 was brought up from Guthrie, Ky and hooked onto the rear of Q513 to hold the last 1/3 of Q513 in place. Q513 then pulled the front 2/3 of their train south into the siding at Cedar Hill, Tennessee where a bracket was welded onto the reefer car, to hold the EOT device, as a new coupler couldn’t be installed due to the damage. The power on Q513 then pulled away from its train at Cedar Hill, where it went out the south end of the siding and back north on the main to pickup the rest of its train. They then brought the rest of Q513 back to Cedar Hill where they backed into the siding and hooked onto the rest of their train. By this time the crew was now out of time and they the train down, till a fresh crew showed up later to take it on south. Finally, Q029, Q025 and loaded a loaded coal train went on south where Q026 and Q028 were waiting to come north, and the railroad got to moving again! As a result of all this, the rail train, which sat at the south end of Trenton, Ky for all this time, ended up being brought on up to Guthrie where their train was also tied down just short of the crossing at Park Street. The crew was sent to a hotel and I’m not sure if it’s because they ran out of time or if the dispatcher didn’t want a slow speed train (30mp train and 10mph through turnouts and sidings) on the line as everything had been backing up for six hours! Just another day on the railroad!! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Traffic flowing again after a dispatcher’s nightmare

Looking at this photograph of hot intermodal CSX Q026 passing a tied down CSX W017 rail train just north of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, you wouldn’t know what transpired over 7 hours before their arrivals here! Well, here’s what happened!

On March 20th, 2021 at approximately 9am CSX Q513 (12,000+ feet long) was about halfway through Adams, Tennessee when their train ripped a coupler completely out of a refrigerated car about 2/3 through their train and went into full emergency, which ended up causing a major problem on the Henderson Subdivision!

Since the train separated on the main, nothing could get around it and before it was over all four hot intermodals on the Henderson Subdivision, Q029, Q025, Q026 and Q028, were now delayed, as were many other trains, including this rail train as a result!

They finally figured out a plan that worked where the power from Q029 was brought up from Guthrie, Ky and hooked onto the rear of Q513 to hold the last 1/3 of Q513 in place.

Q513 then pulled the front 2/3 of their train south into the siding at Cedar Hill, Tennessee where a bracket was welded onto the reefer car, to hold the EOT device, as a new coupler couldn’t be installed due to the damage.

The power on Q513 then pulled away from its train at Cedar Hill, where it went out the south end of the siding and back north on the main to pickup the rest of its train.

They then brought the rest of Q513 back to Cedar Hill where they backed into the siding and hooked onto the rest of their train. By this time the crew was now out of time and they the train down, till a fresh crew showed up later to take it on south.

Finally, Q029, Q025 and loaded a loaded coal train went on south where Q026 and Q028 were waiting to come north, and the railroad got to moving again!

As a result of all this, the rail train, which sat at the south end of Trenton, Ky for all this time, ended up being brought on up to Guthrie where their train was also tied down just short of the crossing at Park Street.

The crew was sent to a hotel and I’m not sure if it’s because they ran out of time or if the dispatcher didn’t want a slow speed train (30mp train and 10mph through turnouts and sidings) on the line as everything had been backing up for six hours!

Just another day on the railroad!!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Roll-by inspection of CSX Q025-18 at Slaughters, Ky One of two (the other stood out of frame) crew members from CSX X584 watch on the ground from the siding as hot intermodal CSX Q025-18 zips past their train at the north end of the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on March 18th, 2021. Not sure why X584 was on the Henderson Subdivision as it normally runs between Wauhatchi, TN – Wild Creek, AL and neither is anywhere near here. I'm assuming it was due to flooding somewhere. I'm working on combining a new technique here that I've been learning that is called Long Exposure photography, which is where using a neutral density filter and with the camera on a tripod. I used a long exposure to achieve the effect of the world moving along at a fast pace, but also keeping some things rooted in place! I did a series of about six exposures as the train passed and fortunately the crew member stood still during the 30 seconds it took to make this shot. Tech details below. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @52mm f/32, 30 seconds, ISO 50, exposure delay mode, rear eyepiece closed during exposure, camera on a Manfroto tripod, 16 stop ND Filter.

Roll-by inspection of CSX Q025-18 at Slaughters, Ky

One of two (the other stood out of frame) crew members from CSX X584 watch on the ground from the siding as hot intermodal CSX Q025-18 zips past their train at the north end of the siding at Slaughters, Kentucky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on March 18th, 2021.

Not sure why X584 was on the Henderson Subdivision as it normally runs between Wauhatchi, TN – Wild Creek, AL and neither is anywhere near here. I’m assuming it was due to flooding somewhere.

I’m working on combining a new technique here that I’ve been learning that is called Long Exposure photography, which is where using a neutral density filter and with the camera on a tripod.

I used a long exposure to achieve the effect of the world moving along at a fast pace, but also keeping some things rooted in place! I did a series of about six exposures as the train passed and fortunately the crew member stood still during the 30 seconds it took to make this shot. Tech details below.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @52mm f/32, 30 seconds, ISO 50, exposure delay mode, rear eyepiece closed during exposure, camera on a Manfroto tripod, 16 stop ND Filter.

CSX loaded grain train G108 southbound at Madisonville, Ky This is a spot I've never been able to photograph a train at before, as it's pretty much inaccessible unless you trespass and walk in along the right-of-way, which I don't do. The drone has opened a lot of new spots to photograph such as this location south of East Diamond on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, where the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) crosses over the CSX Earlington Cutoff at Madisonville, Ky. On March 16th, 2021 I flew my DJI Air 2 to this spot to capture this photo of CSXT 3261 leading an exceptionally long loaded grain train, G108, as it passed under the PAL on its way south on what's called the Earlington Cutoff on the Henderson Subdivision. This track allows the CSX dispatcher to run trains around the towns of Madisonville and Earlington, Ky, freeing up the mainline track through both these towns, to run trains around and past each other. I've never heard this specific spot called anything special by the crews, unlike the PAL crossover at Monarch on the CSX main at Madisonville. For those who are wondering, I waited for the train to get to my spot in this photo and then moved the drone away from the track before the train passed under my drone, keeping within the FAA guidelines. The photo was obviously cropped to a vertical from a much wider shot at 48mp. This is how I obtain all my verticals when using the drone. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CSX loaded grain train G108 southbound at Madisonville, Ky

This is a spot I’ve never been able to photograph a train at before, as it’s pretty much inaccessible unless you trespass and walk in along the right-of-way, which I don’t do. The drone has opened a lot of new spots to photograph such as this location south of East Diamond on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, where the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) crosses over the CSX Earlington Cutoff at Madisonville, Ky.

On March 16th, 2021 I flew my DJI Air 2 to this spot to capture this photo of CSXT 3261 leading an exceptionally long loaded grain train, G108, as it passed under the PAL on its way south on what’s called the Earlington Cutoff on the Henderson Subdivision.

This track allows the CSX dispatcher to run trains around the towns of Madisonville and Earlington, Ky, freeing up the mainline track through both these towns, to run trains around and past each other.

I’ve never heard this specific spot called anything special by the crews, unlike the PAL crossover at Monarch on the CSX main at Madisonville.

For those who are wondering, I waited for the train to get to my spot in this photo and then moved the drone away from the track before the train passed under my drone, keeping within the FAA guidelines. The photo was obviously cropped to a vertical from a much wider shot at 48mp. This is how I obtain all my verticals when using the drone.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CSX southbound intermodal at Guthrie, Ky CSXT 3392 leads hot intermodal Q025-23 as it climbs the grade coming out of the south end of Guthrie, Kentucky after meeting a northbound on the Henderson Subdivision on the afternoon of February 23rd, 2021. The train is running much later than usual as there were delays along it's route today. This is one of the hottest trains on the Henderson Subdivision and the bosses do not like for it to be delayed as it can cost the railroad money! However, things do happen, and trains do get delayed sometimes, it's a fact of life. This little jog in the track as they come out of Guthrie is a favorite long lens shot of mine. I like how it looks when it makes the jog coming up the slight grade past the signals on the south end. I like to use my 1.4 teleconverter on my Sigma 150-600mm lens to get this shot and you can only pull it off if the weather is cool, otherwise you get a lot of heat distortion, which can produce an interesting photo as well. Technical details are below. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @600mm f/9 1/1600, ISO 800.

CSX southbound intermodal at Guthrie, Ky

CSXT 3392 leads hot intermodal Q025-23 as it climbs the grade coming out of the south end of Guthrie, Kentucky after meeting a northbound on the Henderson Subdivision on the afternoon of February 23rd, 2021.

The train is running much later than usual as there were delays along it’s route today. This is one of the hottest trains on the Henderson Subdivision and the bosses do not like for it to be delayed as it can cost the railroad money! However, things do happen, and trains do get delayed sometimes, it’s a fact of life.

This little jog in the track as they come out of Guthrie is a favorite long lens shot of mine. I like how it looks when it makes the jog coming up the slight grade past the signals on the south end. I like to use my 1.4 teleconverter on my Sigma 150-600mm lens to get this shot and you can only pull it off if the weather is cool, otherwise you get a lot of heat distortion, which can produce an interesting photo as well. Technical details are below. Photo was shot from a public crossing a very long way away.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 with a 1.4 teleconverter @850mm f/9 1/1600, ISO 800.

CSX MOW train northbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky CSXT 8060 leads CSX W035, a loaded Maintenance of Way train, under the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Monarch as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Kentucky on March 13th, 2021 under winter cloudy skies. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX MOW train northbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky

CSXT 8060 leads CSX W035, a loaded Maintenance of Way train, under the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Monarch as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Kentucky on March 13th, 2021 under winter cloudy skies.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX Local J732 northbound passing the L&N Depot at Hopkinsville, Ky This has been probably the best snow year we've had for a long time where in Western Kentucky, allowing for an abundance of favorite railroad snow scenes for me and this one taken on February 19th, 2021 is no exception! CSX J732, the local between Casky Yard at Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, heads north past the old Louisville and Nashville Railway depot at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, as a blanket of snow covers the ground and depot. It’s running with a trio of SD 40's 4286 leading the way with a SD40-3. According to Wikipedia: "The L &N Railroad Depot in the Hopkinsville Commercial Historic District of Hopkinsville, Kentucky is a historic railroad station on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1892. The year 1832 saw the first of many attempts to woo a railroad to Hopkinsville. This first attempt was to connect Hopkinsville to Eddyville, Kentucky. In 1868 Hopkinsville finally obtained a railroad station, operated by the Evansville, Henderson, & Nashville Railroad. The Louisville & Nashville Railroad acquired the railroad in 1879. The Hopkinsville depot is a single-story frame building with a slate roof. It has six rooms: A Ladies Waiting room (the room closest to the street), a General Waiting Room, a Colored Waiting Room, a baggage room (the furthest room from the street), a ticket office (the only room which connected to all three waiting rooms), and a ladies' restroom. Immediately outsides were warehouses for freight, usually tobacco. Its last long-distance (passenger) train was the Louisville and Nashville's Georgian, last operating in 1968. During its operating years, the Hopkinsville depot was a popular layover spot for those traveling by train. It was the only Louisville & Nashville station between Evansville, Indiana and Nashville, Tennessee where it was legal to drink alcohol. Hopkinsville got the nickname "Hop town" due to train passengers asking the conductors when they would arrive at Hopkinsville, so they could "hop off and get a drink". The Hopkinsville L & N Railroad Depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 1975. CSX, which bought out the Louisville & Nashville, still run trains on the tracks next to the depot, but do not stop." Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon DX 10-20mm lens @24mm (crop lens) f/4.5, 1/800, ISO 100.

CSX Local J732 northbound passing the L&N Depot at Hopkinsville, Ky

This has been probably the best snow year we’ve had for a long time where in Western Kentucky, allowing for an abundance of favorite railroad snow scenes for me and this one taken on February 19th, 2021 is no exception!

CSX J732, the local between Casky Yard at Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, heads north past the old Louisville and Nashville Railway depot at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, as a blanket of snow covers the ground and depot. It’s running with a trio of SD 40’s 4286 leading the way with a SD40-3.

According to Wikipedia: “The L &N Railroad Depot in the Hopkinsville Commercial Historic District of Hopkinsville, Kentucky is a historic railroad station on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1892.

The year 1832 saw the first of many attempts to woo a railroad to Hopkinsville. This first attempt was to connect Hopkinsville to Eddyville, Kentucky. In 1868 Hopkinsville finally obtained a railroad station, operated by the Evansville, Henderson, & Nashville Railroad. The Louisville & Nashville Railroad acquired the railroad in 1879.

The Hopkinsville depot is a single-story frame building with a slate roof. It has six rooms: A Ladies Waiting room (the room closest to the street), a General Waiting Room, a Colored Waiting Room, a baggage room (the furthest room from the street), a ticket office (the only room which connected to all three waiting rooms), and a ladies’ restroom. Immediately outsides were warehouses for freight, usually tobacco.

Its last long-distance (passenger) train was the Louisville and Nashville’s Georgian, last operating in 1968.

During its operating years, the Hopkinsville depot was a popular layover spot for those traveling by train. It was the only Louisville & Nashville station between Evansville, Indiana and Nashville, Tennessee where it was legal to drink alcohol. Hopkinsville got the nickname “Hop town” due to train passengers asking the conductors when they would arrive at Hopkinsville, so they could “hop off and get a drink”.

The Hopkinsville L & N Railroad Depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 1975. CSX, which bought out the Louisville & Nashville, still run trains on the tracks next to the depot, but do not stop.”

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon DX 10-20mm lens @24mm (crop lens) f/4.5, 1/800, ISO 100.

Running from the Law on the CSX Henderson Subdivision Well, that's what they call it when the train crew is getting close to being out of crew time, based on the laws that govern how long they can work. When they get to this point, they're trying to get to a spot they can do a crew change or tie their train down. A good friend Charles Lavender gave me a heads up that this W035 was northbound with loaded Maintenance of Way train coming out of Goodlettsville, TN on March 13th, 2021. I was still at home when I got the word and at least 30 minutes from Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky where I planned on catching it. There were also unconfirmed reports that they would tie the train down at Casky as well. Well, I got to the first exit for Hopkinsville when I got word from another fellow railfan, Steve Miller, that the train had already cleared the yard and was continuing north, which had me changing to my second spot at Kelly, Kentucky. This train was flying, partly because they were running out of time and also, because hot intermodal CSX Q028 was hot on his tail!! As I launched the drone and found my spot in the sky, dark clouds and the light band prefect between them and the ground helped add drama to the scene!!, I knew I had my favorite shot for this train! All in all, a hectic and rushed chase, but I was able to get my drone at three different locations and still able to do a live video of the move north at Crofton, Kentucky. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

Running from the Law on the CSX Henderson Subdivision

Well, that’s what they call it when the train crew is getting close to being out of crew time, based on the laws that govern how long they can work. When they get to this point, they’re trying to get to a spot they can do a crew change or tie their train down.

A good friend Charles Lavender gave me a heads up that this W035 was northbound with loaded Maintenance of Way train coming out of Goodlettsville, TN on March 13th, 2021.

I was still at home when I got the word and at least 30 minutes from Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Kentucky where I planned on catching it. There were also unconfirmed reports that they would tie the train down at Casky as well.

Well, I got to the first exit for Hopkinsville when I got word from another fellow railfan, Steve Miller, that the train had already cleared the yard and was continuing north, which had me changing to my second spot at Kelly, Kentucky.

This train was flying, partly because they were running out of time and also, because hot intermodal CSX Q028 was hot on his tail!!

As I launched the drone and found my spot in the sky, dark clouds and the light band prefect between them and the ground helped add drama to the scene!!, I knew I had my favorite shot for this train! All in all, a hectic and rushed chase, but I was able to get my drone at three different locations and still able to do a live video of the move north at Crofton, Kentucky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

CSX Heading southbound into the light! CSX Q025 heads southbound (railroad south, but more southeast) towards the rays of early morning light, at Henderson, Kentucky, after crossing the Ohio River bridge on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with CSXT 3184 leading the way. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CSX Heading southbound into the light!

CSX Q025 heads southbound (railroad south, but more southeast) towards the rays of early morning light, at Henderson, Kentucky, after crossing the Ohio River bridge on the CSX Henderson Subdivision with CSXT 3184 leading the way.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

BNSF Southbound Phosphate stopped at Guthrie, Ky If you recall from my March 3rd, 2021 post, I got a text at about 10 minutes till 7am that CSX K811-28, a phosphate train, with three BNSF units on it was headed south on the Henderson Subdivision and I decided to get out of bed and give chase! It was about 45 miles later at Guthrie, Ky when I finally got ahead of it enough to where I could launch the drone, after they stopped after getting red signal due to track work being done ahead at Cedar Hill, TN. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

BNSF Southbound Phosphate stopped at Guthrie, Ky

If you recall from my March 3rd, 2021 post, I got a text at about 10 minutes till 7am that CSX K811-28, a phosphate train, with three BNSF units on it was headed south on the Henderson Subdivision and I decided to get out of bed and give chase!

It was about 45 miles later at Guthrie, Ky when I finally got ahead of it enough to where I could launch the drone, after they stopped after getting red signal due to track work being done ahead at Cedar Hill, TN.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

CSX trains passing in the curve on the Henderson Subdivision CSX local J732 with a trio of SD40's makes it's way past the empties at Nortonville, Ky as they both work their way through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on January 30th, 2021. This is a prime example of why I love long lenses, like my Sigma 150-600mm which was used for this shot! There's no other way to get this shot, with the compression and in your face type of photography. It really adds impact to the image and allows an image that you just can't get without a long lens! When out shooting your pictures always look for unique and different angles and shots to help add impact to your pictures! Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/800, ISO 800.

CSX trains passing in the curve on the Henderson Subdivision at Nortonville, Ky

CSX local J732 with a trio of SD40’s makes it’s way past the empties at Nortonville, Ky as they both work their way through the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on January 30th, 2021.

This is a prime example of why I love long lenses, like my Sigma 150-600mm which was used for this shot! There’s no other way to get this shot, with the compression and in your face type of photography. It really adds impact to the image and allows an image that you just can’t get without a long lens! When out shooting your pictures always look for unique and different angles and shots to help add impact to your pictures!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 460mm, f/6, 1/800, ISO 800.

Power move on the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Princeton, Ky Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 2100 leads the daily local south, as it arrives at their yard in Princeton, Ky after making its pickup from CSX at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky. Part of it's pickup on January 18th, 2021, was six engines, dead in tow, bound for the National Railway Equipment shops in Paducah, Kentucky. The power on this train was, PAL, 2100, 2121, 2101, 2104, dead in tow were, CIT/CBFX 1579, 1589 switchers, NERX 2710, 8580 (both ex SP), Northside Mining 2001 and NREX 2724, also ex-SP. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 46mm, f/4, 1/800, ISO 220.

Power move on the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Princeton, Ky

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) 2100 leads the daily local south, as it arrives at their yard in Princeton, Ky after making its pickup from CSX at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Kentucky. Part of it’s pickup on January 18th, 2021, was six engines, dead in tow, bound for the National Railway Equipment shops in Paducah, Kentucky.

The power on this train was, PAL, 2100, 2121, 2101, 2104, dead in tow were, CIT/CBFX 1579, 1589 switchers, NERX 2710, 8580 (both ex SP), Northshore Mining 2001 and NREX 2724, also ex-SP.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 46mm, f/4, 1/800, ISO 220.

A snowy meet at Arklow, Madisonville, Ky As the last light of the day fades the crew on board CSX K814 braves the cold, winter's snow as they step to the ground from Canadian Pacific 8109 at Arklow, to conduct a roll-by inspection of hot intermodal Q029 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Kentucky. CSX Q029 is usually an early morning move, but due to the winter storms that blew through the region, it along with many other trains moved a lot slower than usual with the conditions making it harder for the crews getting their trains loaded and moving. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 400.

A snowy meet at Arklow, Madisonville, Ky

As the last light of the day fades the crew on board CSX K814 braves the cold, winter’s snow as they step to the ground from Canadian Pacific 8109 at Arklow, to conduct a roll-by inspection of hot intermodal Q029 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Kentucky.

CSX Q029 is usually an early morning move, but due to the winter storms that blew through the region, it along with many other trains moved a lot slower than usual with the conditions making it harder for the crews getting their trains loaded and moving.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 400.

A snowy Paducah and Louisville Railway local Paducah and Louisville Railway 2100 leads a short snow covered local south after passing the south end of Pond River Siding at Madisonville, Ky on the early afternoon of February 16th, 2021. The one thing I'm still getting used to is the delay you get when photographing moving objects with a drone. This shot for instance was at least 1/2 engine length back when I fired the shutter on the drone controller, but the train moved that much before the drone actually made the photo. I still obviously like the shot, but there's been more than one shot I missed due to the delay and with patience and practice I'm getting better at my timing! When shooting, I try my best to frame the picture the way I want the final shot to look as this is the full frame I shot. However, it seems the answer may be to shoot a little wider then crop in a little when I process the image. When shooting the Air 2 at 48mp RAW/JPG this isn't a problem, but then at that quality I'll only get one shot as it takes longer to save the image to the card and the train will be past the position I want before I can shoot again. If shooting at the 12mp RAW/JPG size I can shoot several shots, but I like the larger 48mp size to work with, so I'll continue to work on my timing. If any of my fellow Drone pilots out there have any suggestions please leave them in the comments below! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

A snowy Paducah and Louisville Railway local

Paducah and Louisville Railway 2100 leads a short snow covered local south after passing the south end of Pond River Siding at Madisonville, Ky on the early afternoon of February 16th, 2021.

The one thing I’m still getting used to is the delay you get when photographing moving objects with a drone. This shot for instance was at least 1/2 engine length back when I fired the shutter on the drone controller, but the train moved that much before the drone actually made the photo. I still obviously like the shot, but there’s been more than one shot I missed due to the delay and with patience and practice I’m getting better at my timing!

When shooting, I try my best to frame the picture the way I want the final shot to look as this is the full frame I shot. However, it seems the answer may be to shoot a little wider then crop in a little when I process the image.

When shooting the Air 2 at 48mp RAW/JPG this isn’t a problem, but then at that quality I’ll only get one shot as it takes longer to save the image to the card and the train will be past the position I want before I can shoot again. If shooting at the 12mp RAW/JPG size I can shoot several shots, but I like the larger 48mp size to work with, so I’ll continue to work on my timing.

If any of my fellow Drone pilots out there have any suggestions please leave them in the comments below!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

A military train and a study in lines in the snow I love how the lines flow in this shot of CSX W809 that was waiting to head south February 20th, 2021 on the Henderson Subdivision with a load of military vehicles on track two at Nortonville, Ky. Here we find the train where it finally crawled to a stop just south of Nortonville with CSXT 5473 and 3348 leading the 5,000+ load of military vehicles elephant style, to wait for another northbound Q648. Him stopping for this meet worked really well for my shot since the train came to a full stop and I was able to shoot with a slow shutterspeed to keep my ISO and noise down from the low light scene as the last rays of light swept across the valley! I did crop this image some from the full frame 48mp file in order to keep the drone from hovering directly over the train, via FAA rules. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

A military train and a study in lines in the snow

I love how the lines flow in this shot of CSX W809 that was waiting to head south February 20th, 2021 on the Henderson Subdivision with a load of military vehicles on track two at Nortonville, Ky.

Here we find the train where it finally crawled to a stop just south of Nortonville with CSXT 5473 and 3348 leading the 5,000+ load of military vehicles elephant style, to wait for another northbound Q648. Him stopping for this meet worked really well for my shot since the train came to a full stop and I was able to shoot with a slow shutterspeed to keep my ISO and noise down from the low light scene as the last rays of light swept across the valley!

I did crop this image some from the full frame 48mp file in order to keep the drone from hovering directly over the train, via FAA rules.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 100.

CSX hot intermodal rolls south across Gum Lick Trestle This picture really shows the difference a day or so can make! Two days before there was about 4-6 inches of at this location and the temperature was 17 degrees and on this day if was 65 degrees!!! Makes for very different photos, but both situations make for great photo possibilities! Here we have hot intermodal CSX Q029-23 with CSXT 928 leading on February 23rd, 2021 as it makes its way across the Gum Lick Trestle between Crofton and Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on a beautiful winter (kinda) day. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

CSX hot intermodal rolls south across Gum Lick Trestle

This picture really shows the difference a day or so can make! Two days before there was about 4-6 inches of snow at this location and the temperature was 17 degrees and on this day if was 65 degrees!!! Makes for very different photos, but both situations make for great photo possibilities!

Here we have hot intermodal CSX Q029-23 with CSXT 928 leading on February 23rd, 2021 as it makes its way across the Gum Lick Trestle between Crofton and Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on a beautiful winter (kinda) day.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.