June 2, 2020 - A BNSF 3920 leads a intermodal train as it pulls out of the siding at River Junction on the BNSF River Subdivision at Terrell, Arkansas. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/11, 1/1250, ISO 100.

A BNSF 3920 leads a intermodal train at Terrell, Arkansas

June 2, 2020 – A BNSF 3920 leads a intermodal train as it pulls out of the siding at River Junction on the BNSF River Subdivision at Terrell, Arkansas.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/11, 1/1250, ISO 100.

May 27, 2020 - BNSF 9259 heads up loaded coal train as it comes around a curve just south of Centralia, Illinois as it heads south on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 400mm, f/6, 1/1000 at ISO 320.

BNSF 9259 heads up loaded coal train…

May 27, 2020 – BNSF 9259 heads up loaded coal train as it comes around a curve just south of Centralia, Illinois as it heads south on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 400mm, f/6, 1/1000 at ISO 320.

June 23, 2006 - Blast From The Past - It was a hot, dry day as a Piggyback with BNSF 5232 leading headed east, meeting a Mixed freight headed up by BNSF 4438 waiting to head west toward Bakersfield, in horseshoe curve in the valley at Caliente, California as they made their way through the Tehachapi Mountains on the UP Mojave Subdivision. Thinking of visiting this area? Check out this page on the web! http://www.trainweb.org/brettrw/maps/caliente.html

It was a hot, dry day as a Piggyback with BNSF 5232 leading…

June 23, 2006 – Blast From The Past – It was a hot, dry day as a Piggyback with BNSF 5232 leading headed east, meeting a Mixed freight headed up by BNSF 4438 waiting to head west toward Bakersfield, in horseshoe curve in the valley at Caliente, California as they made their way through the Tehachapi Mountains on the UP Mojave Subdivision.

October 22, 2007 - Blast From The Past - BNSF 5971 leads a loaded coal train off the Buford Subdivision at Chiles Junction in West Paducah, Kentucky as it prepares to head down the Paducah and Louisville Railway bound for the coal Terminal at Calvert City, Kentucky.

BNSF 5971 leads a loaded coal train off the Buford Subdivision…

October 22, 2007 – Blast From The Past – BNSF 5971 leads a loaded coal train off the Buford Subdivision at Chiles Junction in West Paducah, Kentucky as it prepares to head down the Paducah and Louisville Railway bound for the coal Terminal at Calvert City, Kentucky.

May 1, 2005 - Blast From The Past - BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois on BNSF's Beardstown Subdivision as it crosses over the Illinois Subdivision. From what I gather from the web, CSX closed the Illinois Subdivision through here at one point and used it for car storage, but then I find references to the line being used now by The Prairie Line, a shortline out of O'Fallon, IL (I'm now told the shortline hasn't materialized yet). BNSF still owns and uses the Bardstown Sub. I'm also told that the diamond was removed in 2019, at least temporarily. In the past this tower controlled the movements of trains on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad along with the B&O Railroad. It was closed sometime in the 1980's and from what I can find on the web it was torn down in late 2014. I've also found reports where it was bought by a collector and moved. Whichever is correct, this picture isn't to be replicated again today since the tower is now gone. If you'd like to read a great piece on the tower, check out this article on The Trackside Photographer by Tom Gatermann, who visited the tower the same year as me. http://thetracksidephotographer.com/tag/shattuc-tower/ Photograph the towers when and where you can as they continue to disappear from the railroad landscape.

BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois

May 1, 2005 – Blast From The Past – BNSF 2819 heads past the old interlocking tower at Shattuc, Illinois on BNSF’s Beardstown Subdivision as it crosses over the Illinois Subdivision.

From what I gather from the web, CSX closed the Illinois Subdivision through here at one point and used it for car storage, but then I find references to the line being used now by The Prairie Line, a shortline out of O’Fallon, IL (I’m now told the shortline hasn’t materialized yet). BNSF still owns and uses the Bardstown Sub. I’m also told that the diamond was removed in 2019, at least temporarily.

In the past this tower controlled the movements of trains on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad along with the B&O Railroad. It was closed sometime in the 1980’s and from what I can find on the web it was torn down in late 2014. I’ve also found reports where it was bought by a collector and moved. Whichever is correct, this picture isn’t to be replicated again today since the tower is now gone.

If you’d like to read a great piece on the tower, check out this article on The Trackside Photographer by Tom Gatermann, who visited the tower the same year as me.

http://thetracksidephotographer.com/tag/shattuc-tower/

Photograph the towers when and where you can as they continue to disappear from the railroad landscape.

June 23, 2006 - Blast From The Past - BNSF 4194 leads a train of reefers northbound after coming through the Tehachapi Loop as it heads north on Union Pacific's Mojave Subdivision, just north of milepost 352.

Blast From The Past – BNSF 4194 leads a train…

June 23, 2006 – Blast From The Past – BNSF 4194 leads a train of reefers northbound after coming through the Tehachapi Loop as it heads north on Union Pacific’s Mojave Subdivision, just north of milepost 352.

June 21, 2006 - A Blast from the Past - BNSF 7784 leads three other units on a west bound intermodal at Cajon Summit at Hesperia, California as they begin their descent through the Cajon Pass toward Los Angeles on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision.

BNSF 7784 leads three other units at Cajon Summit…

June 21, 2006 – A Blast from the Past – BNSF 7784 leads three other units on a west bound intermodal at Cajon Summit at Hesperia, California as they begin their descent through the Cajon Pass toward Los Angeles on the BNSF Cajon Subdivision.

March 31, 2020 - Another of several photos I found on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I'd share a few of them. This mornings image was shot on June 20, 2006 and is of two BNSF intermodals making their way east and west through the Cajon Pass in Southern California on the Cajon Subdivision.

Two BNSF intermodals making their way through the Cajon Pass, CA

March 31, 2020 – Another of several photos I found on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I’d share a few of them. This mornings image was shot on June 20, 2006 and is of two BNSF intermodals making their way east and west through the Cajon Pass in Southern California on the Cajon Subdivision.

March 30, 2020 - I stumbled across this image and several others on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I'd share a few of them. This one is from June 6, 2006 of BNSF 4419 leading a business train east bound through Sullivan's Curve just west of Cajon Junction in southern California, headed to Barstow, CA. From the Web we learn that “Sullivan's Curve is where the Union Pacific Palmdale Cutoff, and the BNSF mains 1 and 2 curve in a large horseshoe curve directly next to some large, rather impressive, rock formations. Promotional photos taken at this curve for the Santa Fe in the 1930’s through the 1950’s by photographer Herb Sullivan were fantastic, and made famous by their composition. The curve that he used so frequently was named in his honor, and rightfully so.”

BNSF 4419 leading a business train eastbound, Cajon Junction, CA

March 30, 2020 – I stumbled across this image and several others on my old Mac G4 Laptop that I shot back in 2006 with my old Nikon D200 and thought I’d share a few of them. This one is from June 6, 2006 of BNSF 4419 leading a business train east bound through Sullivan’s Curve just west of Cajon Junction in southern California, headed to Barstow, CA.

From the Web we learn that “Sullivan’s Curve is where the Union Pacific Palmdale Cutoff, and the BNSF mains 1 and 2 curve in a large horseshoe curve directly next to some large, rather impressive, rock formations. Promotional photos taken at this curve for the Santa Fe in the 1930’s through the 1950’s by photographer Herb Sullivan were fantastic, and made famous by their composition. The curve that he used so frequently was named in his honor, and rightfully so.”

March 25, 2020 - Looking like a long centipede with all its tanks, BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way along the main at the south end of Slaughters Siding, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train at Slaughters, Ky.

BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 southbound at Slaughters, Ky

March 25, 2020 – Looking like a long centipede with all its tanks, BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way along the main at the south end of Slaughters Siding, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train at Slaughters, Ky.

March 25, 2020 - BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way through the S curve Anaconda, approaching the Peddler McDonald grade crossing, south of Robards, Kentucky on track 2, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train. A big shoutout to all the fellow fans that gave me heads up on this move! It was good to be able to keep my social distance by railfanning alone and also nice to get out of the house for the first time in three days, with nice weather finally to boot! Stay safe out there everyone and wash your hands!

BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 SB at Robards, Ky

March 25, 2020 – BNSF 6855 leads CSX K423-24 as it makes its way through the S curve Anaconda, approaching the Peddler McDonald grade crossing, south of Robards, Kentucky on track 2, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision with a loaded ethanol train.

A big shoutout to all the fellow fans that gave me heads up on this move! It was good to be able to keep my social distance by railfanning alone and also nice to get out of the house for the first time in three days, with nice weather finally to boot! Stay safe out there everyone and wash your hands!

February 8, 2020 - BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it makes it's way north through the valley approaching Caneyville, Kentucky where it will meet up with a fresh crew to take the train on to Louisville.

BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal…

February 8, 2020 – BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it makes it’s way north through the valley approaching Caneyville, Kentucky where it will meet up with a fresh crew to take the train on to Louisville.

February 22, 2020 - BNSF 7098 leads an west bound autorack train through Blue Island Junction on the Indiana Harbor Belt line at Blue Island, Illinois as a CSX Intermodal heads east on the Joliet Subdivision District.

BNSF 7098 leads an west bound autorack…

February 22, 2020 – BNSF 7098 leads an west bound autorack train through Blue Island Junction on the Indiana Harbor Belt line at Blue Island, Illinois as a CSX Intermodal heads east on the Joliet Subdivision District.

February 22, 2020 - BNSF 6347 leads an east bound autorack train through Blue Island Junction on the Indiana Harbor Belt line at Blue Island, Illinois. From the web: One of the most fascinating rail hotspots anywhere, it's hard to know where to begin a description of it. Let's start by noting that Broadway crosses the entire maze approximately in the middle. Entering from the southeast is the double track CSX main line (owned by subsidiary Baltimore $amp; Ohio Chicago Terminal) coming from Barr Yard. Entering from the south and running alongside CSX for a short distance is the double track Indiana Harbor Belt line from Blue Island Yard. The CSX line then heads directly north into Chicago, while the IHB runs northwest for several miles before heading due north through the western suburbs of Chicago. There is an important crossover between the two lines just south of Broadway. Many CSX trains departing Barr Yard transfer to the IHB at this point, and the northwest line is best thought of as a joint IHB/CSX route (hereafter, the "joint line"). CSX's subsidiary B&OCT actually owns and maintains the track from here to a point a few miles south of LaGrange, Illinois, but IHB dispatches it and is otherwise responsible for its operation. From there north to the line's terminus at Franklin Park, Illinois, IHB owns the line outright. Entering from the south and heading in a northerly direction into Chicago is the double track Canadian National (ex-Grand Trunk Western) mainline, which crosses the joint line just north of Broadway. Entering the junction from the southwest, and about 30 yards west of CN, is a single track line used by Iowa Interstate and once in a great while by CSX and Chicago Rail Link. This line extends north from the junction and feeds into the joint line. Trains using it sometimes back down the joint line to access Barr and Blue Island Yards. Between the CN and IAIS lines is a connector track, providing access to a small yard just south of the junction. If the above were all there was, Blue Island would be a great place for trains. But there's more: at the south end of the plant, the Metra (ex-Rock Island) line crosses over the whole mess (Metra is the Chicago commuter train authority and they own the Rock Island tracks between Chicago and Joliet, Illinois). At the southwest corner of the junction, the IAIS track at the west end climbs up to connect with the Metra line. Roughly 80-90 trains plow through the junction on a typical day, not counting the commuter trains and occasional freights on the overhead line. The joint line sees the most action, but the CSX main is busy as well. A small tower on Broadway in the middle of the junction once housed the crossing gates operator but was closed in 2013. The interlocking tower is at the far north end of the junction across the Calumet Sag Channel and is clearly visible from Broadway. However, it was shut down in June, 2013, and traffic is now handled remotely by CSX dispatchers. All of the tracks at the junction cross the channel on rugged, formidable truss bridges that look like they were built a thousand years ago (and are good for another thousand as well). The bridges on the north and the overhead Rock Island tracks on the south make Blue Island unique among busy junctions here or anywhere else. More information: http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/blueisland.html

BNSF 6347 leads an east bound autorack train…

February 22, 2020 – BNSF 6347 leads an east bound autorack train through Blue Island Junction on the Indiana Harbor Belt line at Blue Island, Illinois.

From the web: One of the most fascinating rail hotspots anywhere, it’s hard to know where to begin a description of it. Let’s start by noting that Broadway crosses the entire maze approximately in the middle. Entering from the southeast is the do… See More

February 24, 2020 - Northbound BNSF 5208 pulls out onto the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) main after a three way meet between a southbound loaded coal, the afternoon local and its load of military containers at the PAL Yard in Princeton, Kentucky.

Northbound BNSF 5208 pulls…

February 24, 2020 – Northbound BNSF 5208 pulls out onto the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) main after a three way meet between a southbound loaded coal, the afternoon local and its load of military containers at the PAL Yard in Princeton, Kentucky.

February 8, 2020 - The engineer from Paducah, Ky, on BNSF 6353, steps down from a northbound empty coal train, at Caneyville, Kentucky as he and the conductor prepare to turn the train over to a Louisville Crew for the rest of the trip to Louisville on the Paducah and Louisville Railway.

Paducah & Louisville Crew Change At Caneyville, Ky

February 8, 2020 – The engineer from Paducah, Ky, on BNSF 6353, steps down from a northbound empty coal train, at Caneyville, Kentucky as he and the conductor prepare to turn the train over to a Louisville Crew for the rest of the trip to Louisville on the Paducah and Louisville Railway.

February 8, 2020 - BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it makes it's way north through the valley approaching Caneyville, Kentucky where it will meet up with a fresh crew to take the train on to Louisville.

BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal…

February 8, 2020 – BNSF 6353 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it makes it’s way north through the valley approaching Caneyville, Kentucky where it will meet up with a fresh crew to take the train on to Louisville.

February 8, 2020 - BNSF 6365 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it approaches the KY 1245 overpass at the cut just north of Rockport, Kentucky on the Paducah and Louisville Railway.

BNSF 6365 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal..

February 8, 2020 – BNSF 6365 & CN 2126 lead a northbound empty coal train, 7,400ft (135 car), with BNSF 5997 as the trailing DPU. Here it approaches the KY 1245 overpass at the cut just north of Rockport, Kentucky on the Paducah and Louisville Railway.