Aerial/Drone Photography – Page 2 – Jim Pearson Photography

Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Nebraska Zephyr “Silver Pilot” eastbound from the Illinois Railway Museum

Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad Nebraska Zephyr “Silver Pilot” makes its way east from the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM), Union, Illinois on September 16th, 2023, with its passenger trainset during the museum’s 70th Anniversary celebration. The IRM ran trains continuously from 11am on Saturday until 5pm Sunday during the event.

According to the IRM website: The Nebraska Zephyr is the most famous train at the Illinois Railway Museum. It is an articulated streamlined train built entirely of stainless steel. The train is known as the “Train of the Goddesses” because each of its five cars is named after a classical deity. It is the only complete Zephyr train from the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad in operation today.

When it was built, the Nebraska Zephyr was pulled by a two-unit set of “shovel nose” diesels. In later years it was commonly hauled by stainless steel E5 passenger diesels, and today the train is still hauled by the last surviving E5, CB&Q 9911A “Silver Pilot.”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 130

March 8th, 2025 – Episode 114 Railfanning around the Evansville, IN Area

Saturday Edited Video from Jim Pearson Photography

In this week’s video I’m taking you on a tour of some of my favorite spots to railfan between Evansville and Rahm, IN, 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! Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to Subscribe and Ring the Notification Bell so you won’t miss any of my future videos! Have a blessed day everyone!!

CSXT 1875 P&LE Heritage unit leads CSX G412 northbound at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Ky

CSXT 1875 P&LE Heritage unit leads CSX G412 northbound at Mortons Junction in Mortons Gap, Ky, on March 3rd, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

According to a CSX Press Release: June 6, 2024 – CSX has released a new heritage locomotive, the P&LE 1875, paying tribute to the storied Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE). The 15th in CSX’s heritage locomotive series, this new addition to the company’s fleet not only celebrates the rich history of P&LE but also marks a significant milestone in CSX’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacies of America’s historic railroads.

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was established in 1875 with a primary mission of transporting essential industrial materials such as coal, coke, iron ore, limestone, and steel among the bustling industrial hubs of the region.

“It’s mainline connected Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Youngstown, Ohio and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It did not actually reach Lake Erie until 1976,” explained Tim Music, a carman painter at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop where the unit was produced.

Despite its relatively modest route mileage, the P&LE Railroad earned the nickname “Little Giant” due to the enormous volume of heavy tonnage it moved. This impressive capability drew significant attention and by 1887, the P&LE became a subsidiary of the dominant New York Central Railroad. Under this new ownership, the P&LE enjoyed substantial improvements to its tracks and added capacity for passenger services, further enhancing its regional significance.

Over time, P&LE expanded by leasing branches from smaller railroads. These extensions included lines southeast along the Monongahela River through Homestead and McKeesport, and along the Youghiogheny River to Connellsville, where it connected with the Western Maryland Railway.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 110.

A CSX ballaster works on the recently repaired track from the M501 derailment site at Mortons Gap, Ky

A CSX ballaster works on the recently repaired track from the M501 derailment site on the cutoff track for the CSX Henderson Subdivision, just outside of Mortons Gap, Ky, on March 3rd, 2025. The derailment happened in the early morning hours on March 2nd, 2025, as the train was approaching Mortons Junction, after B&P Enterprises out of Mississippi worked on removing the cars and repairing the tracks.

I’m told that a broken drawbar was likely what caused the derailment, but that’s not official. No one was injured in this event. The track is currently back open with a speed restriction.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 120.

The Black Hills Central Railway locomotive 108 heads through the countryside

The Black Hills Central Railway locomotive 108 heads through the countryside as it makes its first trip of the day in stormy, wet weather of the forest to Keystone, South Dakota on my birthday, May 30th, 2022! I for one cant recall a better way to spend the day then chasing a steam locomotive and they later in the day riding it with family! Despite the wet and rainy weather, it was a great day, and I even got the drone up a few times! A big shout out to Cory Jakeway for all the help on finding my way around on the railroad and railfanning with me!

According to their website: Locomotive #108 joined its nearly identical twin, #110, at the beginning of the 2020 season following a four-year restoration. It is a 2-6-6-2T articulated tank engine that was built by the Baldwin Locomotives Works in 1926 for the Potlatch Lumber Company. It later made its way to Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and eventually to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington.

The acquisition and subsequent restoration of locomotive #108 completed a more than 20-year goal of increasing passenger capacity which began with the restoration of #110 and the restoration of multiple passenger cars. Both large Mallet locomotives (pronounced Malley) can pull a full train of seven authentically restored passenger cars, up from the four cars utilized prior to their addition to the roster.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm @ 13mm, f/3.8, 1/400, ISO 250.

CSX L385 picks up the last standing car from the M501 derailment site on the cutoff track at Mortons Gap, Ky

CSX L385 picks up the last standing car from the M501 derailment site on the cutoff track for the CSX Henderson Subdivision, just outside of Mortons Gap, Ky, on March 3rd, 2025.

The derailment happened in the early morning hours on March 2nd, 2025, as the train was approaching Mortons Junction. After crews working on removing the cars and repairing the tracks, CSX was close to reopening the cutoff to traffic and I’m fairly sure by the time this picture posts it’ll be back open.

I’m told that a broken drawbar was likely what caused the derailment, but that’s not official. No one was injured in this event.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive 16 leads a passenger train at Rockhill Furnace, PA

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive 16 leads a passenger train as they wait to depart from the depot at Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania, on October 6th, 2024.

According to the East Broad Top Website: Locomotive #16 was built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Entering the age of modern steam in 1916, the EBT received its first of three large Mikados. Unlike the previous three smaller locomotives, #16 came with superheaters, piston valves, and Southern valve gear. One story mentions #16 pulled 60 empty hoppers from Mt. Union to Rockhill in one train, literally clearing out the yard. #16 underwent an overhaul in 1955 and made only a handful of trips in early 1956 before the railroad shut down an overhaul when the EBT shut down. On February 1, 2023, the locomotive returned to service.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 110.

August 30th, 2024, Steam locomotive Nickel Plate 765 pulls “The Limited”

August 30th, 2024, Steam locomotive Nickel Plate 765 pulls “The Limited” through the countryside during the golden light of sunset as they make their way to Reading, Michigan as part of Indiana Rail Experience’s Rolling Victory Weekend.

According to their website: Rolling Victory was a three-day living history event celebrating American military, railroad, and home front history featuring vintage train rides, World War II reenactors, battles, a big band orchestra, and an immersive and educational experience for all ages in Pleasant Lake, Indiana.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 800.

Video of the CSX M501 derailment site cleanup on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Mortons Gap, Ky

Video of the CSX M501 derailment site cleanup on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, just outside of Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the cutoff track. Derailment happened in the early morning hours on March 2nd, 2025, as the train was approaching Mortons Junction. Still photos will be coming soon here on my page. – Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone

CSXT 3352 and 4751 lead empty coal train E003 pulls onto the cutoff at Mortons Junction…

CSXT 3352 and 4751 lead empty coal train E003 pulls onto the cutoff at Mortons Junction as they head north on February 28th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The first string of cars on this move was CSX MOW equipment and everything was headed for CSX Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 180.

CSX M513 at Mortons Junction with BNSF 7620 and 7764 leading the way…

CSX M513 at Mortons Junction with BNSF 7620 and 7764 leading the way on February 28th, 2025, as they head south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 180.

I’d been wanting to visit the Nevada Northern Railway for several years…

I’d been wanting to visit the Nevada Northern Railway for several years now and finally was able to do so during the Winter Steam Charter over the weekend of February 11-13th, 2022. I had a great trip and although drones werent allowed during the photo runbys, we chased by car on Sunday afternoon so we could grab some aerials as the train was moving between runby locations in Robinson Canyon.

Here we see Nevada Northern Railway steam locomotive #91 pulling a work train southbound through the Canyon out of Ely, Nevada as the light begins to fall behind the mountains on February 13th, 2022.

According to Wikipedia: The Nevada Northern Railway Museum is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located in Ely, Nevada and operated by a historic foundation dedicated to the preservation of the Nevada Northern Railway.

The museum is situated at the East Ely Yards, which are part of the Nevada Northern Railway. The site is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as the Nevada Northern Railway East Ely Yards and Shops and is also known as the “Nevada Northern Railway Complex”. The rail yards were designated a National Historic Landmark District on September 27, 2006. The site was cited as one of the best-preserved early 20th-century railroad yards in the nation, and a key component in the growth of the region’s copper mining industry. Developed in the first decade of the 20th century, it served passengers and freight until 1983, when the Kennecott Copper Company, its then-owner, donated the yard to a local non-profit for preservation. The property came complete with all the company records of the Nevada Northern from its inception.

Engine #93 is a 2-8-0 that was built by the American Locomotive Company in January of 1909 at a cost of $17,610. It was the last steam locomotive to retire from original revenue service on the Nevada Northern Railway in 1961 and was restored to service in 1993.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

CSX loaded rail train W471, being led by CSXT 5403, waits in the siding at Crofton, Kentucky

CSX loaded rail train W471, being led by CSXT 5403, waits in the siding at Crofton, Kentucky as CSX hot intermodal, I128, heads north on the main, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 27th, 2025.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/4000, ISO 180.

CSXT 3122 leads M647 as it passes loaded rail train W471 at Nortonville, Kentucky

CSXT 3122 leads M647 as it passes loaded rail train W471, being led by CSXT 5403 at Romney, Nortonville, Kentucky as they both make their way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 27th, 2025. Once passed, the rail train continued their work of dropping rail between Romney and Crofton, Ky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

CSX Hot intermodal I128 heads north from Henderson, Kentucky

CSX Hot intermodal I128 heads north from Henderson, Kentucky as it crosses over the bridge over the Ohio River, which has overflowed its banks into the floodplain due to the recent rainfall and snow melt, as they head north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 24th, 2025.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

Talk about f/8 and being there!! In all my years railfanning at this spot…

Talk about f/8 and being there!! In all my years railfanning at this spot I’ve always wanted to catch a barge and train here at the Ohio River crossing at Henderson, Kentucky and yesterday, February 24th, 2025!

I tried to get to Rahm, IN which is across the river, but as you can see the Ohio River has overflowed its banks into the floodplain, so it was not possible to drive back there. Instead, I went to the Henderson side as I knew that M647 was going to be heading south from Evansville, Indiana.

I knew I could fly from the boat ramp at Henderson, Ky, when it crossed the river and capture this shot showing all the flooding as it headed south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSXT 1973, Chessie System Heritage Unit, leads CSX I025 at Red River, Adams, TN

CSXT 1973, Chessie System Heritage Unit, leads CSX I025 as it passes over the Red River Trestle just north of Adams, TN as it heads south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on February 14th, 2025.

According to Wikipedia: The three railroads that would make up the Chessie System had been closely related since the 1960s. C&O had acquired controlling interest in B&O in 1962, and the two had jointly controlled WM since 1967.

Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Western Maryland Railway (WM), and Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT). Trains operated under the Chessie name from 1973 to 1987.

On November 1, 1980, Chessie System merged with Seaboard Coastline Industries to form CSX Corporation. Initially, the three Chessie System railroads continued to operate separately, even after Seaboard’s six Family Lines System railroads were merged into the Seaboard System Railroad on December 29, 1982. That began to change in 1983, when the WM was merged into the B&O. The Chessie image continued to be applied to new and re-painted equipment until July 1, 1986, when CSXT introduced its own paint scheme. In April 1987, the B&O was merged into the C&O. In August 1987, C&O merged into CSX Transportation, a 1986 renaming of the Seaboard System Railroad, and the Chessie System name was retired.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 140.

CSXT 1981 PanAm Railway Heritage Unit leads G342 at Rankin, Ky

CSXT 1981 PanAm Railway Heritage Unit leads G342, under stormy skies, as it waits in the siding at the north end of Rankin, Kentucky for CSX I025 to pass, on February 15th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

According to a CSXT Press Release: November 25, 2024 – CSX has unveiled locomotive No. 1981, the final installment in its series of heritage locomotives, honoring Pan Am Railways. The unit is the 21st and final creation by the Waycross Paint Shop to celebrate the predecessor railroads that form today’s CSX network.

Pan Am Railways, formerly known as Guilford Transportation, was established in 1981 and operated across northern New England, spanning from Maine to New York. It joined the CSX family in 2022 following a purchase agreement.

The heritage series required extra care and precision, according to CSX carman painter Albert Bussey. “It’s always special working on the heritage units,” Bussey said. “Like always, we try to take a little bit of extra care and time in order to do these perfectly.”

All 21 heritage units are not just displays of craftsmanship but active locomotives performing daily duties throughout CSX’s 26-state rail network. The dedication behind their creation reflects the artistry of the team at the Waycross Paint Shop.

“I’ve been involved in all of the 21 units,” said CSX carman painter Clyde Marshall. “The work itself has really been enjoyable. The transformation of the units, from when they first arrive in the shop to the finished product, is very rewarding.

Marshall also noted the significance of connecting with railroad history through these projects. “It is an honor to learn about the history of these units, and the importance the railroad played in American history,” he added.

The completion of locomotive No. 1981 stands as a tribute to the history of Pan Am Railways and the pride shared by CSX employees. As CSX approaches its 200th anniversary in 2027, these heritage locomotives symbolize the company’s enduring legacy and its dedication to innovation and service.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 140

Rerouted Canadian National 2256 and 2225 lead southbound CSX X770-20 south at Kelly, Ky

Rerouted Canadian National 2256 and 2225 lead southbound CSX X770-20 as it passes the south end of the siding at Kelly, Kentucky, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on February 20th, 2025.

I’m told this is the first of many CN Reroutes off the CN due to flood damage around Cairo Sub at Bardwell, Ky. These are running from CN to Paducah, where they get on the Paducah and Louisville Railway to the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky. From there they run to Nashville and then over to Memphis, TN

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 120.

Rerouted Canadian National 2256 and 2225 lead southbound CSX X770-20 as it crosses over Gum Lick Trestle

Rerouted Canadian National 2256 and 2225 lead southbound CSX X770-20 as it crosses over Gum Lick Trestle, between Crofton and Kelly, Kentucky, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on February 20th, 2025.

I’m told this is the first of many CN Reroutes off the CN due to flood damage around Cairo Sub at Bardwell, Ky. These are running from CN to Paducah, where they get on the Paducah and Louisville Railway to the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky. From there they run to Nashville and then over to Memphis, TN

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 120.

CSXT 1981 PanAm Railway Heritage Unit leads G342 northbound at Henderson, Kentucky

CSXT 1981 PanAm Railway Heritage Unit leads G342 northbound, under stormy skies, as it passes the old Louisville and Nashville Railway Depot at Henderson, on February 15th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.