CSX C002 slowly creeps down the hill as it loads a coal train at Warrior Coal mine in Manitou, Kentucky on September 9th, 2022. Once loaded it took the load of coal south to Bostwick, FL for the Seminole Electric Seminole Generating Station, by way of the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 with a 1.4 teleconverter @ 750mm, f/8.5, 1/1600, ISO 640.
In this video we follow the Paducah and Louisville Railway Louisville Gas and Electric loaded coal train as it heads north between Madisonville and Rosine, Kentucky on September 1st, 2022.
On June 24th, 2022, I caught Norfolk Southern Heritage unit 8114 “Norfolk Southern” as it prepared to begin loading at the Warrior Coal Loop outside Nebo, Kentucky! It;s one of 20 locomotives painted as Heritage units by NS. Its been just over 10 years since the first engine rolled out and I;ve been fortunate to have photographed all 20 of them out working on the road!
According to the NS website: As part of its 30th anniversary celebration in 2012, NS painted 20 new locomotives in the color schemes of predecessor railroads. The commemorative units quickly became known as NS’ Heritage Locomotives.
Since the 1820s, hundreds of railroad companies were built, merged, reorganized, and consolidated into what eventually became Norfolk Southern, itself created from the consolidation of Southern Railway and Norfolk and Western Railway in 1982. In 1999, Norfolk Southern acquired a portion of Conrail. The Heritage Locomotives represent railroads that played significant roles in Norfolk Southerns history. The first unit, Conrail 8098, rolled out of Altoona, Pa., March 15, and the final one, Lackawanna 1074, rolled out of Muncie, Ind., on June 27, 2012.
Each paint scheme was modified to fit contemporary locomotives while staying as true as possible to the original designs. Norfolk Southern employees in Altoona and Chattanooga, Tenn., painted GE ES44AC locomotives, while the EMD SD70ACe units were painted at Progress Rail Services; facility in Muncie, Ind. The Heritage Locomotives are used in freight service across Norfolk Southern;s 19,500-mile, 22-state network.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.
BNSF 5649 sits on the inside loop at Calvert City Terminal, (CCT) as the sun rises over the train while another day of railroading begins on April 27th, 2022, on the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL). CCT is located at Calvert City, Kentucky off the Paducah and Louisville Railway line and receives coal daily from either BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX and of course PAL as well.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 170mm, f/5, 1/2500, ISO 320, -2 stops.
On March 19th, 2022, CSX E895 with 1776, CSX’s Spirit of our Armed Forces unit sits tied down east of Avon yard at Craft Runner outside of Indianapolis, Indiana on the Indianapolis Terminal Subdivision. This is one of three specialty painted units done by CSXT honoring troops, first responders and Law Enforcement. I had hoped to chase it moving south to Princeton, IN where it will load their train, but it didn’t happen until after dark.
According to the CSXT website: new spirit of service and gratitude is rolling across the CSX rail network in the form of three locomotives that have been repainted and renamed in honor of our nation’s military and first responders.
The one-of-a-kind locomotives – the Spirit of our Armed Forces, the Spirit of our First Responders, and the Spirit of our Law Enforcement – are helping promote the CSX Pride in Service program, a signature community investment initiative with a goal of positively impacting 100,000 military service members, veterans, first responders and their families by 2020.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 240mm, f/5.3, 1/400, ISO 180.
CSX northbound empty coal train, E320, meets the DPUs on its counterpart, southbound N320 (Carlisle, IN – Cross, SC) as they pass each other at Nortonville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on March 8th, 2022.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/400, ISO 360.
Norfolk Southern locomotive 3639 heads up a northbound loaded coal train on the Paducah and Louisville Railway as they pass a CSX Loaded coal train in the Pond River Siding, west of Madisonville, Kentucky on March 18th, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 120.
Paducah and Louisville’s (PAL) University of Kentucky locomotives, 2012 and 4522 lead loaded Louisville Gas and Electric coal train as it works north on the Warrior lead, passing the CSX PeeVee Spur at Madisonville, Kentucky on March 30th, 2022.
The two locomotives have been painted to commemorate the NCAA wins by the University of Kentucky and theyve also got a couple painted for the University of Louisvilles wins as well in the system.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 200
Norfolk Southern Heritage Unit 1072, Illinois Terminal, and NS 8090 bring up the rear of a coal train as they at the Warrior Coal Mine loop, outside Madisonville, Kentucky on March 18th, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.
#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography
Southbound CSX loaded coal train N002 meets CSX Q648 at the north end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on March 17th, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200
On March 19th, 2022 CSX E895 with 1776, CSX’s Spirit of our Armed Forces unit sits tied down east of Avon yard at Craft Runner outside of Indianapolis, Indiana on the Indianapolis Terminal Subdivision. This is one of three specialty painted units done by CSXT honoring troops, first responders and Law Enforcement. I had hoped to chase it moving south to Princeton, IN where it will load their train, but it didnt happen until after dark.
According to the CSXT website: new spirit of service and gratitude is rolling across the CSX rail network in the form of three locomotives that have been repainted and renamed in honor of our nations military and first responders.
The one-of-a-kind locomotives the Spirit of our Armed Forces, the Spirit of our First Responders and the Spirit of our Law Enforcement are helping promote the CSX Pride in Service program, a signature community investment initiative with a goal of positively impacting 100,000 military service members, veterans, first responders and their families by 2020.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 200
The unmanned CSX DPU’s on a combined 12,000 ft empty coal train on E302 passes loaded military train S864 sitting in the siding at Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on March 8th, 2022.
According to the web: DPU – Stands for Distributed Power Unit, a locomotive set capable of remote-control operation in conjunction with locomotive units at the train’s head end. DPUs are placed in the middle or at the rear of heavy trains (such as coal, grain, soda ash and even manifest) to help climb steep grades.
CSX S864 is a Rose Lake, IL – Hopkinsville, Ky train and was returning the military equipment to Ft. Campbell, Ky from training exercises in the west, where Ft. Campbell Rail picked the train up off the Ft. Campbell wye connection and took it onto the post.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.
CSXT 3026 leads a combined 12,000 ft empty coal train E302 as it passes loaded military train S864 sitting in the siding at Kelly, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on March 8th, 2022.
CSX S864 is a Rose Lake, IL – Hopkinsville, Ky train and was returning the military equipment to Ft. Campbell, Ky from training exercises in the west, where Ft. Campbell Rail picked the train up off the Ft. Campbell Wye connection and took it onto the post.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 120.
CSXT 397 leads loaded coal train Z419 across the Ohio River at Henderson, Kentucky as they head south on the Henderson CSXT 397 leads loaded Coke train B419 across the Ohio River at Henderson, Kentucky as they head south on the Henderson Subdivision. The train ran from Chicago to Atkinson Yard at Madisonville, Ky where it was picked up by a Paducah and Louisville Railway crew, who took it on south on their line to the loadout at Calvert City, KY on February 18th, 2022.
I love the way the shadows play a big part in this image! I did a live video here of this train and it was really cool to watch the shadows come across the bridge before the train came into view. Its on my page if youd like to watch it. Ive been wanting to catch this shot for some time now.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 110.
The afternoon sun moves more toward the southwest where it illuminates the ice-covered trees surrounding Gum Lick Trestle as loaded coal train CSX N319 makes its way south, between Kelly and Crofton, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 5th, 2022. CSX N319 runs between Sugar Camp Mine (Akin, IL) on the EVWR to Santee Cooper’s Cross Generating Station in Cross, SC, via Chattanooga, TN
I spent the better part of the whole day waiting for CSX to send a northbound train my way, as the light was better for showing the ice-covered trees due to the winter storm that moved across the region. However, it wasnt to be and so to make the best of the situation this is one of several going away shots I made that day. Don’t get me wrong, I like going away shots and Im very happy with how this one came out, but there were several shots I had lined up for this ice storm event that just didnt get captured like I wanted. There’ll be other times and situations though!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/3000, ISO 120.
Paducah and Louisville Railway’s University of Kentucky locomotives 4522 and 2012 bring up the rear of an empty Louisville Gas and Electric coal train, as it heads up the lead to the Warrior coal mine loop, outside of Madisonville, Ky on an icy February 3rd, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/125, ISO 140.
BNSF 25th Anniversary unit 6078 and 9282 bring up the rear of a loaded coal train as DPUs as they head into the loop at four Rivers Terminal at West Paducah, Kentucky on December 29th, 2021.
Four Rivers Marine Terminal (FRT) is owned by SCH Services, LLC, and located at West Paducah, KY at Ohio River mile marker 943. Four Rivers has an annual throughput capacity of 10 MM tons. Illinois Basin and Powder River Basin coals are transferred from railcar to barge here.
According to SCH Services Website: It is primarily designed as a direct train-to-barge transfer terminal, FRT offers its customers an unparalleled combination of access to major waterways and multiple Class I railroads. Our connection to the Paducah and Illinois Railroad gives FRT direct access to the BNSF, CN, and PAL railroads. Considering only the modern Olmsted Lock and Dam separates the terminal from the Mississippi River, FRT presents a unique option for rail-bound shipments destined for both southeastern customers and export through New Orleans. Four Rivers Terminal boasts a double, 150-car rail loop, coupled with a material handling system capable of transloading 4,000 tons of dry bulk material per hour.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern 7603 and 8410 approach the western entrance to the Gallitzin Tunnel at Gallitzin, Pennsylvania as they head west on the Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Line on November 3rd, 2021, with an empty coal train.
According to Wikipedia: The Gallitzin Tunnels in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, are a set of three adjacent tunnels through the Allegheny Mountains in western Pennsylvania. They were completed in 1854, 1855, and 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad as part of the cross-state route that includes the nearby Horseshoe Curve to the east. Their ownership has since passed to Penn Central Transportation Company, then to Conrail, and most recently to the Norfolk Southern Railway. The tunnels are currently used by Norfolk Southern freight trains and Amtrak Pennsylvanian passenger trains.
The first tunnel, which is the middle of the three bores through the mountain, was built by the PRR from 1851 to 1854. Originally named “Summit” Tunnel, it is 3,612 feet long at an elevation of 2,167 feet above mean sea level and is known today as the Allegheny Tunnel.
The second tunnel, the southernmost of the bores, was constructed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1855 as part of the New Portage Railroad (NPRR). In 1857, the PRR bought the New Portage Railroad from the Commonwealth and appropriated the “Allegheny” name for its “Summit” tunnel. The PRR took the New Portage Tunnel out of service shortly thereafter. In the 1890s, it was expanded to two tracks and used as the primary route for eastbound traffic.
The third tunnel, the Gallitzin Tunnel, was begun in 1902 and opened in 1904 immediately to the north of the Allegheny Tunnel.
In the early 1990s, Conrail (with money from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) enlarged the Allegheny and New Portage Tunnels to accommodate double-stack container on flatcar (COFC) trains. The New Portage Tunnel was opened for eastbound COFC traffic in 1993. The Allegheny Tunnel was enlarged from its original 1854 cross-section to contain two tracks for that could be used for double-stack rail transport in either direction. The work was completed in September 1995, and the Gallitzin Tunnel (which was not enlarged) was taken out of service.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-24 @ 22mm, f/4.5, 1/800, ISO 560.
Norfolk Southern 4290 leads an empty coal train north down Main Street past the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church at Brownsville, Pennsylvania on the NS Mon line. I never knew there was street running in this area until fellow railfan Ben Sutton put me onto this spot! Came away from here with several shots that I love and will be posting over the next weeks! Thanks Ben!
According to Wikipedia: The Mon Line is an 85-mile-long Norfolk Southern rail line which runs along the Monongahela River for most of its route.
The predecessor of this line is the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railroad. The northern portion (Pittsburgh to West Brownsville) of the line is the former main line of the Monongahela Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the southern portion (West Brownsville to Waynesburg) was once part of the Monongahela Railway’s Waynesburg Southern Branch.
Its northern terminus was formerly at the junction with the Panhandle Route at the Panhandle Bridge in Pittsburgh, and its southern terminus was near Brownsville, Pennsylvania where it had a connection to the Monongahela Railway.
Conrail transferred the West Brownsville to Waynesburg trackage from the Waynesburg Southern Branch to the former main line of the PRR Monongahela Division and it became the new Mon Line.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 110.