April 15, 2017 – It’s the late hours of the night as Savatrans (SVTX) 5 lights up the rails, as the train stains, during it’s pull up the Vectran lead with a load of coal for the Sitran Dock, at Abee, Indiana.
Aprils 19, 2017 – CSXT 5344 leads an autorack train south on the CE&D Subdivision at Haubstadt, Indiana.
April 6, 2017 – It was a wet and soggy day with threatening skies still looming overhead, but at least it stopped raining long enough for me to catch this shot of empty coal train CSX E303-04 heading south with 403, 266 and 8782 leading the charge, as they headed north past the siding at Slaughters, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision. Getting out and shooting trains in bad weather can be more difficult, but it can make for some great scenes and after all, trains run in all kinds of weather!
April 19, 2017 – Despite it being a hot muggy day, with way too many gnats buzzing around, we found a parade of north bounds making their way up CSX’s CE&D subdivision across the Patoka River box bridge at Patoka, Indiana. Here CSXT 3247 heads up CSX Q592-18 (Nashville, TN Chicago, IL) as it was train number four in a line of the ones we caught. Traffic has been affected due to CSX MOW do major upgrades along the line with their current maintenance blitz which from what I’m told is scheduled to continue through next week. A big shout out to fellow railfan Ryan Scott for showing me this location!
April 14, 2017 – As the last light of day fades from the sky, Savatrans (SVTX 1912) 5 pulls away from the south end of Nations Siding, after picking up a Evansville Western Railway pusher, south of Mount Vernon, Indiana with a load of coal, for the Sitran Dock, at Abee, Indiana.
April 15, 2017 – Savatrans (SVTX) 5 heads up the Vectran lead in the late hours of the night with a load of coal, for the Sitran Dock, being pulled by SVTX 1912 and 1986 as power, at Abee, Indiana. The train also had SVTX 1982 as a mid-train helper and called in Evansville Western Railway to provide a pusher to get it’s heavy load up the Vectran lead. The Chris Cline Group are owners of the company “Savatrans” which purchased three ES44AC locomotives which operate from Sugar Camp Mine in Akin, IL to Abee, IN near the Mount Vernon/West Franklin area.
April 14, 2017 – In the still of night, aglow with light from streetlights and the occasional sound of air being release from the engines, Paducah and Louisville Railway power sits idling in the yard behind the corporate offices in Mount Vernon, Indiana.
April 14, 2017 – The conductor on CSXT 8196, a northbound CSX manifest, does paperwork after arriving at the north end of CSX’s Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana, The headlights from a northbound autorack, Q244, illuminates the train from behind as it prepares to pass him during the late hours of the night. The scene is a reminder that the railroad never sleeps!
April 6, 2017 – A Evansville Western Railway local, with Paducah and Louisville’s 2108 leading, passes a loaded CSX coal train at Nations Siding outside Mount Vernon, Indiana as it heads for Evansville, IN to do interchange work at CSX’s Howell Yard.
April 6, 2017 – CSX Q247 (St. Louis, MO – Louisville, KY) approaches the Kinsey Lane crossing with Citirail CREX 1522 leading a autorack train, as it heads east on the Texas Line at Henderson, Ky.
April 6, 2017 – Evansville Western Railway’s 3838 heads up a local as it drops off cars at the Country Mark plant in Mount Vernon, Indiana.
April 6, 2017 – MALX 4111, Ex-CN GP9RM, backs into an wye at the Port of Indiana in Mount Vernon, Indiana as it prepares to make a drop off at the Valero Renewable Fuels. The train was being controlled remotely by the engineer.
April 6, 2017 – CSX Q247 (St. Louis, MO – Louisville, KY) passes under I-69 at the east end of Henderson, with Citirail CREX 1522 leading a autorack train, as it heads east on the Texas Line at Henderson, Ky.
April 8, 2017 – SLRG 1394 Dome Car, Prairie View brings up the rear of CSX Q294-08 as it heads north past Casky Inspection Yard at Hopkinsville, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision. A little history: Great Northern 1394 “Prairie View” – to BN 3/70 (same number), to Amtrak 9364. Was eventually used as an Amtrak parts car and was sold 5/93 as a shell (less trucks) to the BN. Stored Springfield MO (ex Frisco shops) until sold 1994 to Holland America Westours. After putting over $1m into it, car is now in service in Alaska. It carries the name “Deshka” and entered service in 1997. In 2003 Westours put all but 3 of their Budd domes up for sale as `”excess”. They kept 1394 because it required no coupler pocket modifications for the new Colorado Railcar domes and it has Budd braked trucks (from under one of the two 1956 Budd built Santa Fe business cars that were retrucked with 4 wheel trucks in 1989). Car transferred late 2004 to a new division called Alaska Rail Tours (defunct) with the other retained cars to begin service in 2005 in a non “cruise ship” travel/tour operation in Alaska. Sold 10/09 to Iowa Pacific/San Luis & Rio Grande. Renamed back to original “Prairie View”.
April 6, 2017 – Consolidated Grain and Barge locomotive 602 (EMD GP7) shuttles grain cars at the Port of Indiana in Mt. Vernon, Indiana.
April 6, 2017 – CSX Q247 (St. Louis, MO – Louisville, KY) passes the old L&N Depot that’s under restoration, with Citirail CREX 1522 leading a autorack train as it prepares to enter the Texas Line off the Henderson Subdivision at Henderson, Ky on it’s way to Louisville.
April 6, 2017 – CSX Q515-06 passes through the north end of the siding at Robards, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with San Luis & Rio Grande RR (SLRG) 4144, a GP40PH-2 as it’s trailing power, running dead in tow. I’m told it’s bound for Memphis and eventually to Canton, MS. According to the Diesel Shop Website it’s an Ex-NJ Transit 4144 < MK rebuilt from CRIP GP40 354 (32246, 9/66) with F45 cowl shell. Going for another rebuild and paint job perhaps?
March 25, 2017 CSX Autorack train Q247 arrives at the north end of Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana with CSXT 7778 leading the way.
March 15, 2017 – CSX loaded grain train G222 rolls to a stop, for a red signal, as it heads down the grade at Casky Inspection Yard in Hopkinsville, Ky as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.
March 27, 2017 – Paducah and Louisville Railway’s “Salute the Troops” engine 2121 with 3807 trailing sits tied down at West Yards in Madisonville, Ky. It’s been working a ballast train that’s part of a MOW crew which has been working the area for a couple weeks now.
March 25, 2017 – Lights from a signal down the track illuminate NS 871 and it’s trailing engines, as it heads up a empty Norfolk Southern coal train tied down at Lyle Siding in Princeton, Indiana, waiting on a crew to take it on east on the NS Southern West district.