Sunset arrival of Northbound CSX Q512-01 at Howell Yard, Evansville, IN They say what you do on the first day of the New Year you'll continue to do till the next New Year and so of course I spent the day chasing trains around the Evansville, Indiana area. Here we find the crew on CSX Q512 as they pull to a stop at the north end of CSX Howell Yard in Evansville as they prepare to conduct a crew change before heading on north, as dusk falls over the yard on New Years day, January 1st, 2021. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/120, ISO 400.

Sunset arrival of Northbound CSX Q512-01 at Howell Yard, Evansville, IN

They say what you do on the first day of the New Year you’ll continue to do till the next New Year and so of course I spent the day chasing trains around the Evansville, Indiana area.

Here we find the crew on CSX Q512 as they pull to a stop at the north end of CSX Howell Yard in Evansville as they prepare to conduct a crew change before heading on north, as dusk falls over the yard on New Years day, January 1st, 2021.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/120, ISO 400.

CN Illinois Central Heritage Unit meets KCS at Dexter, MO Canadian National (CN) Illinois Central Heritage Unit 3008 passes a crew change on a SB crew change on a KCS unit, as it leads empty oil train; ONUCS-01 north on Union Pacific's Chester Subdivision, after making its own crew change at the Union Pacific Terminal at Dexter, Missouri on December 2nd, 2020. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CN Illinois Central Heritage Unit meets KCS at Dexter, MO

CN Illinois Central Heritage Unit meets KCS at Dexter, MO

Canadian National (CN) Illinois Central Heritage Unit 3008 passes a crew change on a SB crew change on a KCS unit, as it leads empty oil train; ONUCS-01 north on Union Pacific’s Chester Subdivision, after making its own crew change at the Union Pacific Terminal at Dexter, Missouri on December 2nd, 2020.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

Eastbound NS freight at Lyles Station, Indiana A Norfolk Southern mixed freight passes the Consolidation Grain and Barge Company complex at Lyles Station, as it heads east toward Princeton, Indiana. According to Wikipedia: "Lyles Station is an unincorporated community in Patoka Township, Gibson County, Indiana. The community dates from 1849, although its early settlers first arrived in the 1830s, and it was formally named Lyles Station in 1886 to honor Joshua Lyles, a free African American who migrated with his family from Tennessee to Indiana around 1837. Lyles Station is one of Indiana's early black rural settlements and the only one remaining. The rural settlement reached its peak in the years between 1880 and 1912, when major structures in the community included the railroad depot, a post office, a lumber mill, two general stores, two churches, and a school. By the turn of the twentieth century, Lyles Station had fifty-five homes, with a population of more than 800 people. The farming community never fully recovered from the Great Flood of 1913, which destroyed much of the town. Most of its residents left for economic reasons, seeking opportunities for higher paying jobs and additional education in larger cities. By 1997 approximately fifteen families remained at Lyles Station, nearly all of them descended from the original settlers." Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Eastbound NS freight at Lyles Station, Indiana

A Norfolk Southern mixed freight passes the Consolidation Grain and Barge Company complex at Lyles Station, as it heads east toward Princeton, Indiana.

According to Wikipedia: “Lyles Station is an unincorporated community in Patoka Township, Gibson County, Indiana. The community dates from 1849, although its early settlers first arrived in the 1830s, and it was formally named Lyles Station in 1886 to honor Joshua Lyles, a free African American who migrated with his family from Tennessee to Indiana around 1837.

Lyles Station is one of Indiana’s early black rural settlements and the only one remaining. The rural settlement reached its peak in the years between 1880 and 1912, when major structures in the community included the railroad depot, a post office, a lumber mill, two general stores, two churches, and a school. By the turn of the twentieth century, Lyles Station had fifty-five homes, with a population of more than 800 people.

The farming community never fully recovered from the Great Flood of 1913, which destroyed much of the town. Most of its residents left for economic reasons, seeking opportunities for higher paying jobs and additional education in larger cities. By 1997 approximately fifteen families remained at Lyles Station, nearly all of them descended from the original settlers.”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

CSX load of coal SB at Nortonville, Kentucky CSX N302 (Evansville, IN (EVWR) - Stilesboro, GA) passes under the highway 62 overpass at Nortonville, Kentucky as CSXT 3196 leads a loaded coal train along track two as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on a beautiful winter afternoon. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

CSX load of coal SB at Nortonville, Kentucky

CSX N302 (Evansville, IN (EVWR) – Stilesboro, GA) passes under the highway 62 overpass at Nortonville, Kentucky as CSXT 3196 leads a loaded coal train along track two as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on a beautiful winter afternoon.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 departs Warrior Coal, Nebo, Ky The late afternoon light plays across the marshland as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 begin to pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020 as they head south to Calvert City Terminal at Calvert City, Ky. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 departs Warrior Coal, Nebo, Ky


The late afternoon light plays across the marshland as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 begin to pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020 as they head south to Calvert City Terminal at Calvert City, Ky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CN FUPD Local working the PAL yard at Paducah, Ky. Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad 907 heads up the CN Fulton to Paducah local as it passes Canadian Pacific 7015 as it moves north through the Paducah and Louisville Railway yard at Paducah, Kentucky. It was on its way to pickup its train for the return trip to Fulton during its interchange work on the first day of winter, December 21, 2020. Not sure what the Canadian Pacific 7015 Maroon and Gray Heritage Unit was doing at Paducah, but it made for a nice shot with the CN local. According to Wikipedia: "The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (reporting mark BLE) is a class II railroad that operates in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. The railroad's main route runs from the Lake Erie port of Conneaut, Ohio to the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a distance of 139 miles (224 km). The original rail ancestor of the B&LE, the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad, began operation in October 1869. Rail operations were maintained continuously by various corporate descendants on the growing system that ultimately became the B&LE in 1900. In 2004 B&LE came under the ownership of the Canadian National Railway (CN) as part of CN's larger purchase of holding company Great Lakes Transportation. B&LE is operated by CN as their Bessemer Subdivision. As a subsidiary of CN, B&LE has been largely unchanged (though repainting of B&LE locomotives into CN paint with "BLE" sub-lettering began in April 2015) and still does business as B&LE. B&LE locomotives, especially the former Southern Pacific SD40T-3 "Tunnel Motors", have been scattered across the CN system; many are being used in the line that feeds most of B&LE's traffic, the former Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range lines in Minnesota. The iron ore that originates on these lines is transloaded to ships at Two Harbors, Minnesota, then sent by ship to Conneaut, Ohio, where it is again transloaded to B&LE trains. It is then taken down to steel mills in the Pittsburgh region, mainly to the blast furnaces at US Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, part of the Mon Valley Works." Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

CN FUPD Local working the PAL yard at Paducah, Ky.

Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad 907 heads up the CN Fulton to Paducah local as it passes Canadian Pacific 7015 as it moves north through the Paducah and Louisville Railway yard at Paducah, Kentucky. It was on its way to pickup its train for the return trip to Fulton during its interchange work on the first day of winter, December 21, 2020.

Not sure what the Canadian Pacific 7015 Maroon and Gray Heritage Unit was doing at Paducah, but it made for a nice shot with the CN local
According to Wikipedia: “The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad (reporting mark BLE) is a class II railroad that operates in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio.

The railroad’s main route runs from the Lake Erie port of Conneaut, Ohio to the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a distance of 139 miles (224 km). The original rail ancestor of the B&LE, the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad, began operation in October 1869.

Rail operations were maintained continuously by various corporate descendants on the growing system that ultimately became the B&LE in 1900. In 2004 B&LE came under the ownership of the Canadian National Railway (CN) as part of CN’s larger purchase of holding company Great Lakes Transportation. B&LE is operated by CN as their Bessemer Subdivision.

As a subsidiary of CN, B&LE has been largely unchanged (though repainting of B&LE locomotives into CN paint with “BLE” sub-lettering began in April 2015[2]) and still does business as B&LE. B&LE locomotives, especially the former Southern Pacific SD40T-3 “Tunnel Motors”, have been scattered across the CN system; many are being used in the line that feeds most of B&LE’s traffic, the former Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range lines in Minnesota. The iron ore that originates on these lines is transloaded to ships at Two Harbors, Minnesota, then sent by ship to Conneaut, Ohio, where it is again transloaded to B&LE trains.

It is then taken down to steel mills in the Pittsburgh region, mainly to the blast furnaces at US Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, part of the Mon Valley Works.”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Canadian National Support our Troops engine at Anna, IL Canadian National (CN) locomotive 3233 (Support our Troops) heads north on the CN Centralia Subdivision leading CN M396 passes through Anna, Illinois on December 15th, 2020. From a CN Press Release: "CN’s two new tribute locomotives (CN 3233 & 3015) pay homage to veterans and active military men and women across North America. Their custom design represents the proud footprint we have established across our network and our deep recognition for the veterans who live and work in the communities our trains pass through every day. Stay tuned as they make their debut on our main line in the coming days!" Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Canadian National Support our Troops engine at Anna, IL

Canadian National (CN) locomotive 3233 (Support our Troops) heads north on the CN Centralia Subdivision leading CN M396 passes through Anna, Illinois on December 15th, 2020.

From a CN Press Release: “CN’s two new tribute locomotives (CN 3233 & 3015) pay homage to veterans and active military men and women across North America. Their custom design represents the proud footprint we have established across our network and our deep recognition for the veterans who live and work in the communities our trains pass through every day. Stay tuned as they make their debut on our main line in the coming days!”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 NB through the clouds at Nebo, Ky Calm winds prevailed for me as PRX1 makes its way through the the marshlands as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020 providing wonderful reflections! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100, Exp. Comp -3 (for detail in the highlights).

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 SB through the clouds at Nebo, Ky

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 SB through the clouds at Nebo, Ky

Calm winds prevailed for me as PRX1 makes its way through the the marshlands as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop at Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020 providing wonderful reflections!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100, Exp. Comp -3 (for detail in the highlights).

Southbound shadow train at Sebree, Kentucky CSXT 3113 & 214 lead loaded coal train N040-09 as its shadow chases along on the track next to it as it passes the Planters Bank Grain silos headed south on the Henderson Subdivision at Sebree, Kentucky on December 9th, 2020. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Southbound shadow train at Sebree, Kentucky

CSXT 3113 & 214 lead loaded coal train N040-09 as its shadow chases along on the track next to it as it passes the Planters Bank Grain silos headed south on the Henderson Subdivision at Sebree, Kentucky on December 9th, 2020.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 departs Warrior Coal, Nebo, Ky The late afternoon light plays across the marshland as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020. This is my first photograph I'm sharing from my new Mavic Air 2 drone that shoots RAW! With the Mavic Mini I've not been happy with it only shooting JPG and being very hard to control highlights and the skies in my photography. This drone for me is a game changer, when it comes to being able to pull all the detail out of the image! My clouds and skies are back!! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

Paducah & Louisville PRX1 departs Warrior Coal, Nebo, Ky

The late afternoon light plays across the marshland as Paducah and Louisville 4504 and 4501 pull their freshly loaded coal train away from the Warrior Coal Mine loop from Nebo, Kentucky on December 5th, 2020.

This is my first photograph I’m sharing from my new Mavic Air 2 drone that shoots RAW! With the Mavic Mini I’ve not been happy with it only shooting JPG and being very hard to control highlights and the skies in my photography. This drone for me is a game changer, when it comes to being able to pull all the detail out of the image! My clouds and skies are back!!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

CN A408 Southbound at Edgewood, IL A pair of Illinois Central Death Stars, 1007 & 1027 lead Canadian National A408 as it pulls from the south end of the siding at Edgewood, Illinois as it continues it's move south on the Champaign Subdivision on December 5th, 2020. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CN A408 Southbound at Edgewood, IL

A pair of Illinois Central Death Stars, 1007 & 1027 lead Canadian National A408 as it pulls from the south end of the siding at Edgewood, Illinois as it continues it’s move south on the Champaign Subdivision on December 5th, 2020.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CN Illinois Central Heritage Unit at Dexter, MO Today fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I along with a lot more were blessed because as of the night before this unit was supposed to pass through our area in the darkness of night! Fortunately we got word from fellow railfan Terry Redeker down the line that the train got recrewed earlier than planned and it would be to us in daylight! Our first stop on this chase on December 2nd, 2020 we caught Canadian National (CN) Illinois Central Heritage Unit 3008 as it lead empty oil train; ONUCS-01 north on the Union Pacific's Chester Subdivision, past the Martin Grain Company grain silos at Dexter, Missouri. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

CN Illinois Central Heritage Unit at Dexter, MO

Today fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I along with a lot more were blessed because as of the night before this unit was supposed to pass through our area in the darkness of night! Fortunately we got word from fellow railfan Terry Redeker down the line that the train got recrewed earlier than planned and it would be to us in daylight!

Our first stop on this chase on December 2nd, 2020 we caught Canadian National (CN) Illinois Central Heritage Unit 3008 as it lead empty oil train; ONUCS-01 north on the Union Pacific’s Chester Subdivision, past the Martin Grain Company grain silos at Dexter, Missouri headed for Superior, WI.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.

CSX K413-29 and Q026 meet at Nortonville, Ky As the first light snow of winter 2020 steaks trough the sky the Engineer and Conductor of loaded ethanol train CSX K413-29 (Kansas City Southern 4107 & Canadian Pacific 8849) do a roll-by inspection at Romney of CSX Q026-29 on November 30th, 2020 as it makes its way north on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 200.

CSX K413-29 and Q026 meet at Nortonville, Ky

As the first light snow of winter 2020 steaks trough the sky the Engineer and Conductor of loaded ethanol train CSX K413-29 (Kansas City Southern 4107 & Canadian Pacific 8849) do a roll-by inspection at Romney of CSX Q026-29 on November 30th, 2020 as it makes its way north on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 200.

Kansas City Southern leads CSX K413-29 at Crofton, Ky A light snow streaks trough the sky as loaded ethanol train CSX K413 heads south, with Kansas City Southern 4107 & Canadian Pacific 8849 leading, as it splits the signals on November 30th, 2020 as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 400.

Kansas City Southern leads CSX K413-29 at Crofton, Ky

A light snow streaks trough the sky as loaded ethanol train CSX K413 heads south, with Kansas City Southern 4107 & Canadian Pacific 8849 leading, as it splits the signals on November 30th, 2020 as it makes its way south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 400.

CN U700 Crew Change at Fulton, Ky A a crew member steps off Canadian National (CN) 3023, the new Elgin Joliet & Eastern Heritage locomotive, (EJ&E) leading loaded Pet coke train U700, during a crew change before heading on south on CN’s Fulton subdivision at CP South Oaks, south of Fulton, Kentucky on November 21st, 2020. CN 3023 of six locomotives representing the railways that have joined Canadian National Railway since their privatization, 25 years ago. The CN engines released in heritage paint so far are 3115 BC Rail; 8952 Grand Trunk Western; 8898 CN; 3008 Illinois Central; 3069 Wisconsin Central; and 3023 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

CN U700 Crew Change at Fulton, Ky

A a crew member steps off Canadian National (CN) 3023, the new Elgin Joliet & Eastern Heritage locomotive, (EJ&E) leading loaded Pet coke train U700, during a crew change before heading on south on CN’s Fulton subdivision at CP South Oaks, south of Fulton, Kentucky on November 21st, 2020.

CN 3023 of six locomotives representing the railways that have joined Canadian National Railway since their privatization, 25 years ago. The CN engines released in heritage paint so far are 3115 BC Rail; 8952 Grand Trunk Western; 8898 CN; 3008 Illinois Central; 3069 Wisconsin Central; and 3023 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

Paducah and Louisville Railway Shops A mixture of power sits around the shop area at the Paducah and Louisville Railway shop in Paducah, Kentucky. According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky. The line is located entirely within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The 270-mile (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August, 1986. The 223-mile (359 km) main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with branch lines from Paducah to Kevil and Mayfield, Kentucky and another from Cecilia to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The PAL interchanges with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad, in Paducah. In Madisonville, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation (CSXT). In Louisville, the line interchanges with the Indiana Rail Road (INRD), CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern (NS). Class III line connections are at Princeton with the Fredonia Valley Railroad (FVRR) and at Louisville with the Louisville and Indiana Railroad (LIRC). The line today carries over 200,000 carloads of traffic on a CTC-controlled mainline with welded rail and even a section of double track nearly 20 miles (32 km) long between Paducah and just east of Calvert City. This is a huge improvement from the little amount of traffic and poor condition the line was in by the time the ICG had sold it. Today it is a big regional class II railroad connecting with four class I railroads (listed above), as well as the three shortline connections it makes which are also listed above. It has 270 route-miles of track, of which 233 miles (375 km) are its mainline running between its namesake towns of Paducah and Louisville, as well as branch lines to Mayfield, Kevil, and Elizabethtown. The railroad serves "many chemical plants and other manufacturing companies, several coal mines, numerous clay and stone quarries, lumber and propane distributors, farm [including a few large grain elevators] and mine equipment suppliers, warehouses, transloads, bulk terminals, riverports, and one military base." The parent company of the PAL, P&L Transportation, also operates the Evansville Western Railway and the Appalachian and Ohio Railroad. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

Paducah and Louisville Railway Shops

A mixture of power sits around the shop area at the Paducah and Louisville Railway shop in Paducah, Kentucky.

According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway (reporting mark PAL) is a Class II railroad that operates freight service between Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky. The line is located entirely within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The 270-mile (430 km) line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August, 1986. The 223-mile (359 km) main route runs between Paducah and Louisville with branch lines from Paducah to Kevil and Mayfield, Kentucky and another from Cecilia to Elizabethtown, Kentucky. The PAL interchanges with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN), formerly Illinois Central Railroad, in Paducah. In Madisonville, the line interchanges with CSX Transportation (CSXT).

In Louisville, the line interchanges with the Indiana Rail Road (INRD), CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern (NS). Class III line connections are at Princeton with the Fredonia Valley Railroad (FVRR) and at Louisville with the Louisville and Indiana Railroad (LIRC). The line today carries over 200,000 carloads of traffic on a CTC-controlled mainline with welded rail and even a section of double track nearly 20 miles (32 km) long between Paducah and just east of Calvert City. This is a huge improvement from the little amount of traffic and poor condition the line was in by the time the ICG had sold it.

Today it is a big regional class II railroad connecting with four class I railroads (listed above), as well as the three shortline connections it makes which are also listed above. It has 270 route-miles of track, of which 233 miles (375 km) are its mainline running between its namesake towns of Paducah and Louisville, as well as branch lines to Mayfield, Kevil, and Elizabethtown. The railroad serves “many chemical plants and other manufacturing companies, several coal mines, numerous clay and stone quarries, lumber and propane distributors, farm [including a few large grain elevators] and mine equipment suppliers, warehouses, transloads, bulk terminals, riverports, and one military base.”

The parent company of the PAL, P&L Transportation, also operates the Evansville Western Railway and the Appalachian and Ohio Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

CN SB Mixed freight crossing the Ohio River Canadian National locomotives 5768 and 2864 head south across the Ohio River from Metropolis, Illinois with a mixed freight as they head south on the CN Bluford Subdivision, on November 21st, 2020. According to the web: The Metropolis Bridge is a railroad bridge which spans the Ohio River at Metropolis, Illinois. Originally built for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, construction began in 1914 under the direction of engineer Ralph Modjeski. It has a single track jointly owned by Canadian National Railway, BNSF Railway and Paducah & Louisville Railway. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 200.

CN SB Mixed freight crossing the Ohio River at Metropolis, Illinois

Canadian National locomotives 5768 and 2864 head south across the Ohio River from Metropolis, Illinois with a mixed freight as they head south on the CN Bluford Subdivision, on November 21st, 2020.

According to the web: The Metropolis Bridge is a railroad bridge which spans the Ohio River at Metropolis, Illinois. Originally built for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, construction began in 1914 under the direction of engineer Ralph Modjeski. It has a single track jointly owned by Canadian National Railway, BNSF Railway and Paducah & Louisville Railway.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 200.

BNSF SPC1 Northbound at Chiles Junction BNSF 9196 leads SPC1 as it comes off the P&I Railroad Branch onto Chiles Junction with a empty coal drag in West Paducah, Kentucky as it heads north onto the Bluford Subdivision as the setting sun bathes the train in its warm glow. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.

BNSF SPC1 Northbound at Chiles Junction, West Paducah, Ky

BNSF 9196 leads SPC1 as it comes off the P&I Railroad Branch onto Chiles Junction with a empty coal drag in West Paducah, Kentucky as it heads north onto the Bluford Subdivision as the setting sun bathes the train in its warm glow.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0751.JPG

Southbound CN at Chiles Junction CN 2977 leads a mixed freight as it passes through Chiles Junction as it heads south on the CN Bluford Subdivision at West Paducah, Kentucky. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Southbound CN at Chiles Junction, West Paducah, Ky

CN 2977 leads a mixed freight as it passes through Chiles Junction as it heads south on the CN Bluford Subdivision at West Paducah, Kentucky.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Port Harbor RR at the A&K Railroad Materials Yard Port Harbor (PHRR) switcher 8166, PHRR America's Central Port 2758, "Illini Terminal" No. 2301 and 2064 sit tied down on Saturday, November 7th, 2020 at the A&K Rail Yard in Granite City, Illinois, waiting for their next assignment. According to Wikipedia: The Port Harbor Railroad (reporting mark PHRR) is a short-line railroad in Granite City, Illinois, serving an industrial port district known as America's Central Port. PHRR began operations in 2004 as a subsidiary of the Respondek Railroad and connects with the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis at "WR Tower," a major railroad junction in Granite City. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

Port Harbor RR at the A&K Railroad Materials Yard…

Port Harbor RR at the A&K Railroad Materials Yard

Port Harbor (PHRR) switcher 8166, PHRR America’s Central Port 2758, “Illini Terminal” No. 2301 and 2064 sit tied down on Saturday, November 7th, 2020 at the A&K Rail Yard in Granite City, Illinois, waiting for their next assignment.

According to Wikipedia: The Port Harbor Railroad (reporting mark PHRR) is a short-line railroad in Granite City, Illinois, serving an industrial port district known as America’s Central Port. PHRR began operations in 2004 as a subsidiary of the Respondek Railroad and connects with the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis at “WR Tower,” a major railroad junction in Granite City.

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

Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville, FL CSX hot intermodal Q025-28 passes under the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Arklow on October 28th, 2020 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 100.

CSX hot intermodal Q025-28 at Arklow, Madisonville, Ky

Bedford Park, IL – Jacksonville, FL

CSX hot intermodal Q025-28 passes under the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Arklow on October 28th, 2020 as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 100.