January 28, 2016 – CSX empty tank train K442-27 sits in the siding at the north end of Cedar Hill, Tennessee with Norfolk Southern’s Interstate Heritage Unit 8105 in the lead as they wait for a southbound before heading on north on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: 1/250 | f/6.3 | ISO 1100 | Lens: Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm with a Nikon D800 shot and processed in RAW.
Norfolk Southern Nickel Plate Road Heritage Unit 8100 leads Triple Crown RoadRailer train NS 256 eastbound as it passes the over the WABIC Diamond at Decatur, Illinois on August 24th, 2024, as they head east on the NS Lafayette District.
The NS RoadRailer trains are now a thing of the past as the last one ran on the 25th of August 2024, and the service has now been discontinued and the will transition fully to standard double-stack trains.
According to Wikipedia: A RoadRailer is a trailer or semi-trailer that can be hauled on roads by a tractor unit and then by way of a fifth wheel coupling, operate in a unit train on railway lines. The RoadRailer system allows trailers to be pulled by locomotives without the use of flatcars, instead attaching trailers directly to bogies.
Triple Crown, a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railway, remains a user of RoadRailer transportation as of 2022. However, on August 12th, 2024, they announced the last RoadRailer Trains would be running the weekend of August 24 and 25, 2024. The RoadRailer trains will be replaced temporarily with Trailer on Flat Car (TOFC) service before transitioning fully to a standard double-stack container trains.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern 9839 leads Triple Crown RoadRailer train NS 255 westbound as it passes over the WABAC Diamond as they depart from Decatur, Illinois after a crew change on August 24th, 2024, as they head west on the NS Springfield/Hannibal District.
The NS RoadRailer trains are now a thing of the past as the last one ran yesterday, 25th of August 2024, and the service has now been discontinued and they will transition fully to standard double-stack trains.
According to Wikipedia: A RoadRailer is a trailer or semi-trailer that can be hauled on roads by a tractor unit and then by way of a fifth wheel coupling, operate in a unit train on railway lines. The RoadRailer system allows trailers to be pulled by locomotives without the use of flatcars, instead attaching trailers directly to bogies.
Triple Crown, a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railway, remains a user of RoadRailer transportation as of 2022. However, on August 12th, 2024, they announced the last RoadRailer Trains would be running the weekend of August 24 and 25, 2024. The RoadRailer trains will be replaced temporarily with Trailer on Flat Car (TOFC) service before transitioning fully to a standard double-stack container trains.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern Nickel Plate Road Heritage Unit 8100 leads Triple Crown RoadRailer train NS 256 eastbound as it passes the United Prairie and Premier Cooperative grain complexes at Tolono, Illinois on August 24th, 2024, as they head east on the NS Lafayette District.
The NS RoadRailer trains are now a thing of the past as the last one ran yesterday, 25th of August 2024, and the service has now been discontinued and the will transition fully to standard double-stack trains.
According to Wikipedia: A RoadRailer is a trailer or semi-trailer that can be hauled on roads by a tractor unit and then by way of a fifth wheel coupling, operate in a unit train on railway lines. The RoadRailer system allows trailers to be pulled by locomotives without the use of flatcars, instead attaching trailers directly to bogies.
Triple Crown, a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railway, remains a user of RoadRailer transportation as of 2022. However, on August 12th, 2024, they announced the last RoadRailer Trains would be running the weekend of August 24 and 25, 2024. The RoadRailer trains will be replaced temporarily with Trailer on Flat Car (TOFC) service before transitioning fully to a standard double-stack container trains.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.
Norfolk Southern New York Central Heritage Unit, 1066, with BNSF 3809 and 7174 lead NS 167 past the old Southfork Coal Company mine loadout at Revelo outside Sterns, Kentucky as they head southbound with a mixed freight on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Subdivision, on June 7th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 150.
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. It’s 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 Southern’s 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, 1/400, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern Heritage 1072 “Illinois Terminal” locomotive and Paducah and Louisville Railway University of Kentucky locomotive 4522, brings up the rear of a loaded coal train as they head north at Central City, Kentucky on June 24th, 2022, with a load for the Louisville Gas and Electric power plant, outside Louisville, KY.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 110.
Several firsts for me in this drone image from June 24th, 2022, showing the whole loop at Warrior Coal outside Nebo, Kentucky! On this Norfolk Southern coal train, we find NS Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit 1072 leading with Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotive, 4522 trailing, as they prepare to load an empty coal drag, with NS Southern Heritage Unit 8114 bringing up the rear.
This was my first time catching a coal train with a heritage unit leading and as a DPU on the rear, plus doing so on the Paducah and Louisville Railway with one of the University of Kentucky units in the consist was pretty cool!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1500, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern Heritage 1072 “Illinois Terminal” locomotive and Paducah and Louisville Railway University of Kentucky locomotive 4522, leads an empty coal train as they cross the marshland on the way to Warrior Coal Loop, just outside Nebo, Kentucky on June 24th, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 110.
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.
Several firsts for me in this latest drone image from June 24th, 2022, at Warrior Coal Loop outside Nebo, Kentucky! On this Norfolk Southern coal train, we find NS Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit 1072 leading with Paducah and Louisville University of Kentucky locomotive, 4522 trailing, as they prepare to load an empty coal drag, with NS Southern Heritage Unit 8114 bringing up the rear as the DPU.
This was my first time catching a coal train with a heritage unit leading and as a DPU on the rear, plus doing so on the Paducah and Louisville Railway with one of the University of Kentucky units in the consist! Pretty cool!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
Going Away shot – Looks can be deceiving as in this going away shot that looks like it is coming at us, as I caught Norfolk Southern Heritage Unit 1072, Illinois Terminal, and NS 8090 bringing up the rear of a loaded coal train on April 7th, 2022, as it headed north on the Paducah and Louisville Railway at Central City, Kentucky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1500, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit, 1072, brings up the rear of Paducah and Louisville Railway WYX4, a loaded coal train, as it crosses over the 148 high and 891 ft. long, Big Clifty bridge, at Big Clifty, Kentucky on its way north on April 7th, 2022.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 120
Norfolk Southern Heritage unit 8100, Nickel Plate Road, and Canadian National 5702 lead CSX Q512-24 (Radnor Yard – Nashville, TN – Avon, IN Daily) as it pulls out of the yard at Casky after picking up 10 loads of truck frames at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 24th, 2022.
One of the things I like about railfanning the Henderson Subdivision is because we get all kinds of interesting and different foreign power that runs up and down the line! While most of it is CSX, we do get a mix of just about every major railroad on this line at some point in time during each week. You never know when its coming, but when it does as with this unit, railfans gather along the tracks for their own crack at capturing their own images of the move and Im no exception!
While you cant control the weather for these shots, railroads operate in all kinds of weather and so Im trackside when the train is! Hardest thing about shooting in bad weather is getting out the door in my opinion! A large golf umbrella helps a lot!!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 210mm, f/4.5, 1/125, ISO 280.
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.
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Norfolk Southern Heritage Unit 1072, Illinois Terminal, and NS 8090 bring up the rear of 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, 1/1000, ISO 150.
Norfolk Southern Heritage unit 8100, Nickel Plate Road, and Canadian National 5702 lead CSX Q512-24 (Radnor Yard – Nashville, TN – Avon, IN Daily) pulls up the Casky lead as it heads north into the yard at Casky to pick up 10 loads of truck frames at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 24th, 2022.
One of the things I like about railfanning the Henderson Subdivision is because we get all kinds of interesting and different foreign power that runs up and down the line! While most of it is CSX, we do get a mix of just about every major railroad on this line at some point in time during each week. You never know when its coming, but when it does as with this unit, railfans gather along the tracks for their own crack at capturing their own images of the move and Im no exception!
While you cant control the weather for these shots, railroads operate in all kinds of weather and so Im trackside when the train is! Hardest thing about shooting in bad weather is getting out the door in my opinion! A large golf umbrella helps a lot!!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm @ 16mm, f/4.5, 1/800, ISO 720.
Norfolk Southern Heritage unit 8100, Nickel Plate Road, and Canadian National 5702 lead CSX Q512-24 (Radnor Yard – Nashville, TN – Avon, IN Daily) pulls through Trenton, Kentucky on a cold, wet, foggy and rainy late afternoon as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 24th, 2022.
One of the things I like about railfanning the Henderson Subdivision is because we get all kinds of interesting and different foreign power that runs up and down the line! While most of it is CSX, we do get a mix of just about every major railroad on this line at some point in time during each week. You never know when its coming, but when it does as with this unit, railfans gather along the tracks for their crack at their own capture of the move and Im no exception!
While you cant control the weather for these shots, railroads operate in all kinds of weather and so Im trackside when the train is! Hardest thing about shooting in bad weather is getting out the door in my opinion! A large golf umbrella helps a lot!!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 230mm, f/5.3, 1/800, ISO 900.