CSXT 8845 heads up CSX W053 as they work their way north under the North Main Street overpass with a weed spraying train at Madisonville, Kentucky on March 26th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 160.
Union Pacific 9771 leads CSX S982 as the heads south out of Sebree, Kentucky as a set of five new passenger cars for Brightline in Florida on March 26th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, in the golden light of the setting sun.
Unfortunately, the last car in the consist has already been hit by a tagger somewhere along it’s run from California.
According to Wikipedia: Brightline is a privately run intercity rail route between Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida that runs on track owned by Florida East Coast Railway. An extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport was expected to open in 2023.
Brightline is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. Its development started in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries; a Florida real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group. Construction began in November 2014 and the route opened in January 2018.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 140.
LORAM Railgrinder 305 waits in the siding at Crofton, Kentucky as they wait on B211 to clear so they can continue to grind their way south on March 24th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion.
Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear. Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time.
Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
LORAM Railgrinder 305 heads south at Nortonville, Kentucky as they grind their way south on March 24th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
According to Wikipedia: A railgrinder (or rail grinder) is a maintenance of way vehicle or train used to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks to extend its life and to improve the ride of trains using the track. Rail grinders were developed to increase the lifespan of the tracks being serviced for rail corrugation. Rail grinding is a process that is done to stop deformation due to use and friction on railroad tracks by removing deformations and corrosion.
Railroad tracks that experience continual use are more likely to experience corrugation and overall wear. Rail grinders are used to grind the tracks when rail corrugation is present, or before corrugation begins to form on the tracks. Major freight train tracks use rail grinders for track maintenance based on the interval of tonnage, rather than time.
Transit systems and subways in major cities continue to use scheduled rail grinding processes to combat the corrugation common to heavily used tracks. Rail-grinding equipment may be mounted on a single self-propelled vehicle or on a dedicated rail-grinding train which, when used on an extensive network, may include crew quarters. The grinding wheels, of which there may be more than 100, are set at controlled angles to restore the track to its correct profile.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 120.
CSXT 5350 leads X503 as they head south through Elmwood Curve, just north of Slaughters, Kentucky, on March 17th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at sunset.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 380.
CSX E040 crosses over the Red River at Adams, TN with a combined empty coal and ethanol train (B622) and the We Are One CSX locomotive 4720 as a mid-train DPU on March 18th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This is my first time catching this locomotive out in the wild and while I wish it had been leading but I’ll take what I can get! I totally love the look of this locomotive!
According to a CSX press release, January 14, 2025 – CSX has introduced the ONE CSX locomotive, a specially designed engine to symbolize the company’s commitment to fostering collaboration, inclusion, and mutual respect across its workforce.
“This locomotive celebrates our ONE CSX team and culture,” said CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs. “I am so proud to work with 23,000 members of our ONE CSX team every day to keep America moving.”
The locomotive’s vibrant design was created by Jody Cremeans, a Carman Painter at CSX’s mechanical shop in Huntington, West Virginia. Cremeans’ design reflects the company’s cultural pillars of valuing, appreciating, including, and respecting every individual within its organization. Employees at CSX’s Waycross, Georgia, mechanical shop brought the design to life, meticulously painting and polishing the locomotive to perfection.
Prominently displayed on the locomotive are the logos of 14 labor unions that represent CSX employees, reinforcing the company’s commitment to collaboration. This special detail of the locomotive further exemplifies CSX’s focus on working together to deliver exceptional customer service while ensuring every employee feels valued and connected.
“The ONE CSX cultural initiative has been a great way for management and craft employees to come together, to work together and to value each other,” explained Jon Guest, Assistant Superintendent at the CSX Waycross Terminal.
The ONE CSX locomotive serves as a rolling tribute to the importance of teamwork and mutual respect within the organization. For CSX, its success is directly tied to creating a workplace that fosters unity and celebrates each employee’s contributions.
The new locomotive stands as a testament to the power of shared purpose within the organization and represents CSX’s aspiration to continue building an inclusive and respectful workplace.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 130.
Steam Railroading Institute’s Pere Marquette 1225 passes the Carland Elevator at Carland, Michigan, as they run one of their last North Pole Express passenger train between Owosso and to the Village of Ashley, Michigan, for their Ashley Country Christmas, on December 16th, 2023.
According to their website, Pere Marquette 1225, the largest and most impressive piece in the Steam Railroading Institute’s collection, is one of the largest operating steam locomotives in Michigan. The 1225 was built in October of 1941 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio for the Pere Marquette Railway. It’s part of the National Register of Historic Structures and is renowned for its role in the 2004 Warner Brothers Christmas Classic, THE POLAR EXPRESS™. 1225’s blueprints were used as the prototype for the locomotive image as well as its sounds to bring the train in the animated film to life!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 260.
Pere Marquette 1225 heads out of Owosso, Michigan as it approaches the Robbins Furniture Company Warehouse Number 3, with the morning North Pole Express excursion train that runs between Owosso and to the Village of Ashley Country Christmas, on December 16th, 2023.
According to their website, Pere Marquette 1225, the largest and most impressive piece in the Steam Railroading Institute’s collection, is one of the largest operating steam locomotives in Michigan. The 1225 was built in October of 1941 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio for the Pere Marquette Railway. It’s part of the National Register of Historic Structures and is renowned for its role in the 2004 Warner Brothers Christmas Classic, THE POLAR EXPRESS™. 1225’s blueprints were used as the prototype for the locomotive image as well as its sounds to bring the train in the animated film to life!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 400.
CSX E040 waits at Guthrie, Ky with ethanol train (B622) and the We Are One CSX locomotive 4720 as a mid-train DPU at Guthrie, Kentucky on March 18th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This is my first time catching this locomotive out in the wild and while I wish it had been leading but I’ll take what I can get! I totally love the look of this locomotive!
According to a CSX press release, January 14, 2025 – CSX has introduced the ONE CSX locomotive, a specially designed engine to symbolize the company’s commitment to fostering collaboration, inclusion, and mutual respect across its workforce.
“This locomotive celebrates our ONE CSX team and culture,” said CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs. “I am so proud to work with 23,000 members of our ONE CSX team every day to keep America moving.”
The locomotive’s vibrant design was created by Jody Cremeans, a Carman Painter at CSX’s mechanical shop in Huntington, West Virginia. Cremeans’ design reflects the company’s cultural pillars of valuing, appreciating, including, and respecting every individual within its organization. Employees at CSX’s Waycross, Georgia, mechanical shop brought the design to life, meticulously painting and polishing the locomotive to perfection.
Prominently displayed on the locomotive are the logos of 14 labor unions that represent CSX employees, reinforcing the company’s commitment to collaboration. This special detail of the locomotive further exemplifies CSX’s focus on working together to deliver exceptional customer service while ensuring every employee feels valued and connected.
“The ONE CSX cultural initiative has been a great way for management and craft employees to come together, to work together and to value each other,” explained Jon Guest, Assistant Superintendent at the CSX Waycross Terminal.
The ONE CSX locomotive serves as a rolling tribute to the importance of teamwork and mutual respect within the organization. For CSX, its success is directly tied to creating a workplace that fosters unity and celebrates each employee’s contributions.
The new locomotive stands as a testament to the power of shared purpose within the organization and represents CSX’s aspiration to continue building an inclusive and respectful workplace.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
CSX Heritage Units, L&N 1850 and NYC 1853 lead CSX I026-22 as they head into the S curve at Nortonville, Kentucky as they make their way north at dusk, on the Henderson Subdivision on March 22nd, 2025.
According to CSXT: CSX has introduced the sixth and eighth locomotives in its heritage series, a freshly painted unit honoring the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Designated CSX 1850, the locomotive will be placed into service, carrying the L&N colors across the 20,000-mile CSX network.
Designated CSX 1853 is in recognition of the year the NYC was founded; this heritage unit was repainted in a special design combining the current CSX colors with the traditional gray and white of the NYC system.
The paint schemes were designed and applied at the CSX Locomotive Shop in Waycross, Georgia, which has produced all units in the heritage series celebrating the lines that came together to form the modern CSX. Like the other heritage locomotives, these units combine the heritage railroads iconic logo and colors on the rear two-thirds of the engine with today’s CSX colors and markings on the cab end.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 800.
CSX M647 heads southbound as it passes combined coal (E040) and ethanol train (B622) with the We Are One CSX locomotive 4720 as a mid-train DPU at Guthrie, Kentucky on March 18th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This is my first time catching this locomotive out in the wild and while I wish it had been leading but I’ll take what I can get! I totally love the look of this locomotive!
According to a CSX press release, January 14, 2025 – CSX has introduced the ONE CSX locomotive, a specially designed engine to symbolize the company’s commitment to fostering collaboration, inclusion, and mutual respect across its workforce.
“This locomotive celebrates our ONE CSX team and culture,” said CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs. “I am so proud to work with 23,000 members of our ONE CSX team every day to keep America moving.”
The locomotive’s vibrant design was created by Jody Cremeans, a Carman Painter at CSX’s mechanical shop in Huntington, West Virginia. Cremeans’ design reflects the company’s cultural pillars of valuing, appreciating, including, and respecting every individual within its organization. Employees at CSX’s Waycross, Georgia, mechanical shop brought the design to life, meticulously painting and polishing the locomotive to perfection.
Prominently displayed on the locomotive are the logos of 14 labor unions that represent CSX employees, reinforcing the company’s commitment to collaboration. This special detail of the locomotive further exemplifies CSX’s focus on working together to deliver exceptional customer service while ensuring every employee feels valued and connected.
“The ONE CSX cultural initiative has been a great way for management and craft employees to come together, to work together and to value each other,” explained Jon Guest, Assistant Superintendent at the CSX Waycross Terminal.
The ONE CSX locomotive serves as a rolling tribute to the importance of teamwork and mutual respect within the organization. For CSX, its success is directly tied to creating a workplace that fosters unity and celebrates each employee’s contributions.
The new locomotive stands as a testament to the power of shared purpose within the organization and represents CSX’s aspiration to continue building an inclusive and respectful workplace.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 150.
March 22nd, 2025 – Episode 116 Railfanning the Paducah, Kentucky 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 around the Paducah, Kentucky area. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
CSX M813 heads south through the S Curve at Nortonville, Kentucky, with engines FXE4937, 4936, 4934, 4939, 4938 in tow on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on March 16th, 2025. The locomotives in tow are bound for the Ferromex Railroad.
Ferromex (reporting mark FXE) (syllabic abbreviation of Ferrocarril Mexicano, ‘Mexican Railway’) is a private rail consortium that operates the largest (by mileage) railway in Mexico with combined mileage (Ferromex + Ferrosur) of 12,100 kilometres (7,500 mi) and is often classed with North American Class I railroads.
Ferromex began operating on February 19, 1998, following the privatization of most of the government-owned railways by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. Ferromex operates more than 9,610 kilometers (5,970 mi) of track and interconnects five major inland Mexican cities, five cities along the border with the United States, four seaports on the Pacific Ocean, and one more on the Gulf of Mexico. Grupo México owns 74% and Union Pacific Corporation owns 26% of the company. The Ferromex system operates 9,610 km of Ferromex tracks plus 2,654 kilometers (1,649 mi) of Ferrosur tracks.
Tech Info: Nikon Z6ii Mirrorless Camera, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @170mm, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 400.
CSX M813 heads south at Nortonville, Kentucky, with engines FXE4937, 4936, 4934, 4939, 4938 in tow on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on March 16th, 2025. The locomotives in tow are bound for the Ferromex Railroad.
Ferromex (reporting mark FXE) (syllabic abbreviation of Ferrocarril Mexicano, ‘Mexican Railway’) is a private rail consortium that operates the largest (by mileage) railway in Mexico with combined mileage (Ferromex + Ferrosur) of 12,100 kilometres (7,500 mi) and is often classed with North American Class I railroads.
Ferromex began operating on February 19, 1998, following the privatization of most of the government-owned railways by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. Ferromex operates more than 9,610 kilometers (5,970 mi) of track and interconnects five major inland Mexican cities, five cities along the border with the United States, four seaports on the Pacific Ocean, and one more on the Gulf of Mexico. Grupo México owns 74% and Union Pacific Corporation owns 26% of the company. The Ferromex system operates 9,610 km of Ferromex tracks plus 2,654 kilometers (1,649 mi) of Ferrosur tracks.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 130.
CSX M813 heads across the Gum Lick trestle just north of Kelly, Kentucky, with engines FXE 4937, 4936, 4934, 4939, 4938 in tow as they head south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on March 16th, 2025. The locomotives in tow were bound for the Ferromex Railroad.
Ferromex (reporting mark FXE) (syllabic abbreviation of Ferrocarril Mexicano, ‘Mexican Railway’) is a private rail consortium that operates the largest (by mileage) railway in Mexico with combined mileage (Ferromex + Ferrosur) of 12,100 kilometres (7,500 mi) and is often classed with North American Class I railroads.
Ferromex began operating on February 19, 1998, following the privatization of most of the government-owned railways by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. Ferromex operates more than 9,610 kilometers (5,970 mi) of track and interconnects five major inland Mexican cities, five cities along the border with the United States, four seaports on the Pacific Ocean, and one more on the Gulf of Mexico. Grupo México owns 74% and Union Pacific Corporation owns 26% of the company. The Ferromex system operates 9,610 km of Ferromex tracks plus 2,654 kilometers (1,649 mi) of Ferrosur tracks.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 160.
East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the countryside as they head to Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024, during the museum’s Friends of the East Broad top event.
This is from a week-long trip I took with Bryan Burton (Photography) where we traveled 2,800 miles and covered steam operations at Reading and Blue Northern Railway (2102), East Broad Top Railroad, Strasburg Railroad and then a two-day photo charter by Dak Dillion Photography at the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. It was a long, but fun and exciting trip for sure! You’ll see a lot of steam action over the coming weeks!
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, 1/2000, ISO 100.
CSX loaded rail train W471 pulls slowly while dropping rail as they pass the site where the last wooden bridge was located on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on Davis Road, north of Crofton, Kentucky on February 27th, 2025. CSX built a new road for residents to access their homes on the right side of this shot and have since torn down the old wooden bridge that used to cross over the tracks at this location.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
Canadian National 2257 leads CSX X217 empty autorack train southbound across the Red River at Adams, Tennessee on March 11th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The train is running as an extra M217 as it makes its way from Philadelphia, PA to Louisville, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Canadian National 2257 leads CSX X217 empty autorack train southbound at Kelly, Kentucky on March 11th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The train is running as an extra M217 as it makes its way from Philadelphia, PA to Louisville, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
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 around southern Indiana on the Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! 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!!
Southbound CSX M513 waits at Romney, south of Nortonville, Kentucky as CSX northbound Intermodal I128 passes them on track 2, on January 17th, 2025, on the Henderson Subdivision.
M513 has PCS Group Switcher 1144 as the third unit and an ex-Union Pacific 4669 with reporting marks of SPTX stenciled on the side of the cab, with both units dead in tow.
According to their website, “PSC Group provides turnkey solutions for safe and efficient rail switching in some of the most challenging and complex sites throughout North America. We manage more than 75 rail switching sites using our own fleet of advanced locomotives and mobile railcar movers, proven safety methods, and highly skilled personnel. By working closely with our customers, we tailor our services to their unique needs, utilizing over 80 locomotives, 30 mobile railcar movers (Trackmobiles and Shuttle Wagons), and more than 1,000 skilled employees to enhance safety, decrease cycle time, prevent derailments, and optimize railcar utilization.
Over the years, we have found that performing railcar switching alongside loading/unloading, railcar repair, and inspections, creates a safer and more efficient operating environment while simultaneously delivering considerable savings. By bundling these synergistic services together, we can provide the most value to our customers’ operations.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 320.