Canadian National A403 passes through the diamonds on CN Centralia Subdivision at Centralia, Illinois as it pulls south into the yard on December 29th, 2021, with Illinois Central units 1005 and 1022 leading the way. The Centralia Subdivision formerly belonged to the Illinois Central Railroad and was constructed between 1854-1855. The double trackage was added between 1900-1902 and the line runs between Centralia and Cairo, Illinois. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/730, ISO 100. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography

Canadian National A408 passes through the diamonds on CN Centralia Subdivision at Centralia, Illinois

Canadian National A408 passes through the diamonds on CN Centralia Subdivision at Centralia, Illinois as it pulls south into the yard on December 29th, 2021, with Illinois Central units 1005 and 1022 leading the way.

The Centralia Subdivision formerly belonged to the Illinois Central Railroad and was constructed between 1854-1855. The double trackage was added between 1900-1902 and the line runs between Centralia and Cairo, Illinois.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/730, ISO 100.

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond as it heads south on the CN Centralia Subdivision at Ashley, Illinois on December 29th, 2021. According to Wikipedia: Ashley is a city in Washington County, Illinois, United States, and was named after Colonel L. W. Ashley, a railroad division engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 130. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond at Ashley, IL

Amtrak 391, the Saluki, passes through the Evansville Western Railway/Canadian National diamond as it heads south on the CN Centralia Subdivision at Ashley, Illinois on December 29th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: Ashley is a city in Washington County, Illinois, United States, and was named after Colonel L. W. Ashley, a railroad division engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 130.

Infrared photo of Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 as they lead local 101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through Carmargo, Illinois on July 21st, 2021. According to Wikipedia: "The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana. In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018. The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois." Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @33mm, f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 200. #jimpearsonphotography #infraredphotography #irphotography, #infraredtrains #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer

Infrared photo of Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234…

Infrared photo of Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 as they lead local 101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through Carmargo, Illinois on July 21st, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: “The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.

In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018.

The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.”

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @33mm, f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 200.

The crew of Union Pacific 7814 leads a northbound autorack as it crosses the Kaskaskia River on the UP Chester Subdivision at Brewerville, Illinois in Infrared on August 28th, 2021. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @220mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200. #jimpearsonphotography #infraredphotography #irphotography, #infraredtrains #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer

Union Pacific 7814 northbound at Brewerville, Illinois

The crew of Union Pacific 7814 leads a northbound autorack as it crosses the Kaskaskia River on the UP Chester Subdivision at Brewerville, Illinois in Infrared on August 28th, 2021.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @220mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 200.

Union Pacific 4014 Big Boy on the move!

A Selection of videos from my Union Pacific 4014, Big Boy Chase on August 27th & 28th, 2021 through Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois along the UP Hoxie and Chester Subdivisions.

Decatur & Eastern Railroad eastbound at Tuscola, Illinois Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 lead local 101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through Tuscola, Illinois. According to Wikipedia: "The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana. In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018 The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois." Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @21mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 200, July 20, 2021. #jimpearsonphotography #infraredphotography #irphotography

Decatur & Eastern Railroad eastbound at Tuscola, Illinois

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 lead local 101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through Tuscola, Illinois.

According to Wikipedia: “The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.

In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018

The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.”

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, sensor converted to 720nm B&W IR, Fuji 18-55 @21mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 200, July 20, 2021.

Lines heading east on the Decatur & Eastern Railroad at Murdock, Illinois Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 lead local Y101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through the farming countryside as it heads east at Murdock, Illinois on July 20th, 2021. According to Wikipedia: "The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana. In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018 The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois." Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Lines heading east on the Decatur & Eastern Railroad at Murdock, Illinois

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad units WAMX 4244 and 4234 lead local Y101 on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana as it passes through the farming countryside as it heads east at Murdock, Illinois on July 20th, 2021.

According to Wikipedia: “The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.

In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018

The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.”

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

The Progress Rail backyard at Mount Vernon, IL On July 23, 201 we find old KORAL Switcher 2111 in the backyard of National Railway Equipment shops in Mount Vernon, Illinois along with a variety of newly rebuilt and old locomotives that are used for spare parts and the like. Switcher 2111 is used to move equipment around. Although its seen better days, it still does its job! According to Wikipedia: "The Korea Railroad Corporation, branded as KORAIL, is the national railway operator in South Korea. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, managed by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation. KORAIL operates intercity/regional, commuter/metro and freight trains throughout South Korea, and has its headquarters in Daejeon. Historically, the South Korean railway network was managed by the Railroad Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation before 1963. On 1 September 1963, the bureau became an agency that was known as Korean National Railroad (KNR) in English. In the early 2000s, split and public corporatization of KNR was decided by the South Korean government, and in 2003, KNR adopted the current KORAIL logo in blue to prepare corporatization. On 1 January 2005, KNR was split into Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), which succeeded railway operation with the KORAIL logo and name, and Korea Rail Network Authority (KR), which succeeded maintaining tracks." Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

The Progress Rail backyard at Mount Vernon, IL

On July 23, 2021 we find old KORAL Switcher 2111 in the backyard of National Railway Equipment shops in Mount Vernon, Illinois along with a variety of newly rebuilt and old locomotives that are used for spare parts and the like. Switcher 2111 is used to move equipment around. Although its seen better days, it still does its job!

According to Wikipedia: “The Korea Railroad Corporation, branded as KORAIL, is the national railway operator in South Korea. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, managed by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation.

KORAIL operates intercity/regional, commuter/metro and freight trains throughout South Korea, and has its headquarters in Daejeon.

Historically, the South Korean railway network was managed by the Railroad Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation before 1963. On 1 September 1963, the bureau became an agency that was known as Korean National Railroad (KNR) in English. In the early 2000s, split and public corporatization of KNR was decided by the South Korean government, and in 2003, KNR adopted the current KORAIL logo in blue to prepare corporatization.

On 1 January 2005, KNR was split into Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), which succeeded railway operation with the KORAIL logo and name, and Korea Rail Network Authority (KR), which succeeded maintaining tracks.”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

Northbound Union Pacific Freight at Mount Vernon, Illinois Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I spent July 23, 2021, trackside chasing trains in Western Kentucky and southern Illinois. As part of the trip we sat at Mt. Vernon, Illinois for about 4 hours waiting on trains to come over the diamonds here and finally we caught a NS over the diamond heading north and for this shot of Union Pacific MSMPB I decided to move to a crossing north of the MOW office as the sun was dropping to the horizon and I thought the light would help make the shot! Both trains showed up within 15 minutes of each other, so it was worth the wait! The main reason we waited so long was that it meant that we were able to capture 5 different railroads in operation on our trip! We caught Paducah and Louisville Railway, BNSF, CN, NS and Union Pacific, with an Eastern Main Unit dead in tow! While we had to wait a boring 4 hours for the last two roads, it still made for a great day trackside! Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300mm @ 170mm, f/5, 1/800, ISO 320.

Northbound Union Pacific Freight at Mount Vernon, Illinois

Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I spent July 23, 2021, trackside chasing trains in Western Kentucky and southern Illinois. As part of the trip we sat at Mt. Vernon, Illinois for about 4 hours waiting on trains to come over the diamonds here and finally we caught a NS over the diamond heading north and for this shot of Union Pacific MSMPB I decided to move to a crossing north of the MOW office as the sun was dropping to the horizon and I thought the light would help make the shot! Both trains showed up within 15 minutes of each other, so it was worth the wait!

The main reason we waited so long was that it meant that we were able to capture 5 different railroads in operation on our trip! We caught Paducah and Louisville Railway, BNSF, CN, NS and Union Pacific, with an Eastern Main Unit dead in tow! While we had to wait a boring 4 hours for the last two roads, it still made for a great day trackside!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300mm @ 170mm, f/5, 1/800, ISO 320.

Amtrak 393 pulls into the old Illinois Central Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4623 leading the Wednesday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois bathed in Infrared light on the CN Champaign Subdivision. According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s. During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures. The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400

Amtrak 393 pulls into the old Illinois Central Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois

Amtrak 393 (The Illini) pulls into the old Illinois Central (IC) Depot in downtown Mattoon, Illinois with 4623 leading the Wednesday evening southbound train from Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois bathed in Infrared light on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

According to Wikipedia, The Mattoon station is housed in the former Illinois Central Railroad Depot. The depot was completed in 1918 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. At its height, the building housed a power plant, mail room, luggage room, and restaurant, in addition to the main hall where passengers waited to board trains. As many as ten trains a day departed the depot in the 1950s.

During 2010, a $3 million restoration project, paid for from a mix of private, state, and federal funding, was undertaken, replacing paint, flooring, and other interior fixtures.

The station currently serves as a stop for the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans passenger trains. The tracks themselves, formerly part of the Illinois Central Railroad, are now owned by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Freight trains run by CN pass through frequently.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Irex 11mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO 400

Illinois rail action of Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad and CN.

In this video we catch Illinois rail action of a Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad local on its way to Terre Haute, Indiana and one of their locals working the yard at Decatur, Illinois along with a CN manifest headed to Chicago from Siegal, Illinois on July 21st, 2021.

AMTRAK 390 heads north across the diamond at Tuscola, IL AMTRAK Siemens Charger SC-44, IDTX 4617, a morning commuter train, passes over the Decatur & Eastern Illinois, Union Pacific and Canadian National diamond at Tuscola, Illinois, as it leads northbound train 390, The Saluki, to Chicago on July 21st, 2021, on the CN Champaign Subdivision. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

AMTRAK 390 heads north across the diamond at Tuscola, IL

AMTRAK Siemens Charger SC-44, IDTX 4617, a morning commuter train, passes over the Decatur & Eastern Illinois, Union Pacific and Canadian National diamond at Tuscola, Illinois, as it leads northbound train 390, The Saluki, to Chicago on July 21st, 2021, on the CN Champaign Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.

NS 148 arrives at Decatur, Illinois as it passes the old Wabash Station Running elephant style, NS 9524, 3630, 1078 and 9598 lead train 148 (Avondale Yard - Kansas City, MO to East Yard - Decatur IL) as it passes the old Wabash Station on July 21st, 2021 on the NS Brooklyn District, as it arrives at Decatur, Illinois and approaches the Wabash/IC Crossover, before entering the yard, finishing its daily run. According to Wikipedia: The Decatur station, also known as the Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency, is a historic railway station located at 780 East Cerro Gordo Street in Decatur, Illinois. Built in 1901, the station served trains on the Wabash Railroad, the most economically significant railroad through Decatur. Architect Theodore Link designed the Classical Revival building. Amtrak discontinued service to the station in the 1983, and it has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Restored in 2002, it is now houses the Wabash Depot Antique Mall and sits close to the WABIC (Wabash - Illinois Central) railroad crossover. During its peak in 1907 there were 72 daily passenger trains, today, there are none that stop here. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

NS 148 arrives at Decatur, Illinois as it passes the old Wabash Station

Running elephant style, NS 9524, 3630, 1078 and 9598 lead train 148 (Avondale Yard – Kansas City, MO to East Yard – Decatur IL) as it passes the old Wabash Station on July 21st, 2021 on the NS Brooklyn District, as it arrives at Decatur, Illinois and approaches the Wabash/IC Crossover, before entering the yard, finishing its daily run.

According to Wikipedia: The Decatur station, also known as the Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency, is a historic railway station located at 780 East Cerro Gordo Street in Decatur, Illinois. Built in 1901, the station served trains on the Wabash Railroad, the most economically significant railroad through Decatur. Architect Theodore Link designed the Classical Revival building. Amtrak discontinued service to the station in the 1983, and it has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Restored in 2002, it is now houses the Wabash Depot Antique Mall and sits close to the WABIC (Wabash – Illinois Central) railroad crossover. During its peak in 1907 there were 72 daily passenger trains, today, there are none that stop here.

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

Canadian National Passing Zone! In a scene that's repeated all across the world, everyday on different railroads, two freight trains pass each other on May 10th, 2021 on the Canadian Nationals Fulton Subdivision as they meet at Reevesville, Illinois at dusk. CN 3281 brings up the DPU end of a southbound iron ore train as it holds in the siding while a very short and fast local passes, with CN 4908 leading the way as it returns to the CN yard at Fulton, Kentucky. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 185mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 1000.

Canadian National Passing Zone!

In a scene that’s repeated all across the world, everyday on different railroads, two freight trains pass each other on May 10th, 2021 on the Canadian Nationals Fulton Subdivision as they meet at Rives, TN at dusk.

CN 3281 brings up the DPU end of a southbound iron ore train as it holds in the siding while a very short and fast local passes, with CN 4908 leading the way as it returns to the CN yard at Fulton, Kentucky.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 185mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 1000.

Monticello Railway Museum's Southern 401 I’ve missed photographing steam last year and today I thought I’d share this shot from May 18, 2018 of Monticello Railway Museum's Southern 401 pulling into the depot at Monticello, Illinois, during Southern Rail Production's Photo Charter event. The engine is a 2-8-0 Consolidation class locomotive built for Southern Railway by Baldwin locomotive works in 1907. With the two shots under my belt, (not booze LOL) I’ve finally made plans for a 4-day trip to Strasburg, PA for a steam photo charter event there in November and planning for a trip to Chattanooga to chase steam there before that. Looking forward to both trips!! Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70mm @ 65mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 280.

Monticello Railway Museum’s Southern 401

I’ve missed photographing steam last year and today I thought I’d share this shot from May 18, 2018 of Monticello Railway Museum’s Southern 401 pulling into the depot at Monticello, Illinois, during Southern Rail Production’s Photo Charter event. The engine is a 2-8-0 Consolidation class locomotive built for Southern Railway by Baldwin locomotive works in 1907.

With the two shots under my belt, (not booze LOL) I’ve finally made plans for a 4-day trip to Strasburg, PA for a steam photo charter event there in November and planning for a trip to Chattanooga to chase steam there before that. Looking forward to both trips!!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70mm @ 65mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 280.

NS 8173 leads loaded coal train across the Wabash River I was about 14 degrees, with an even colder wind chill, as Norfolk Southern 8173 crossed over the Wabash River coming into Mt. Carmel, Illinois with load of coal for the Gibson Generating Station (Duke Energy) on February 13th, 2021 on the NS Southern West District. Today was probably the coldest day I've flown my DJI Air 2 since I bought it last year and it handled the weather just fine. I did seem to notice that the flight time on the battery was less, but I expected that to be the case. Also, the gray color of the drone against the gray snowy skies is a little harder to keep track of in the air, but not flying it too far from my position helped! Any of my drone friends ever use any of the orange props? If so does it help with visibility? What other things do you do to help with visibility? Strobe lights? If so, what do you recommend? Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 100.

NS 8173 leads loaded coal train across the Wabash River

I was about 14 degrees, with an even colder wind chill, as Norfolk Southern 8173 crossed over the Wabash River coming into Mt. Carmel, Illinois with load of coal for the Gibson Generating Station (Duke Energy) on February 13th, 2021 on the NS Southern West District.

Today was probably the coldest day I’ve flown my DJI Air 2 since I bought it last year and it handled the weather just fine. I did seem to notice that the flight time on the battery was less, but I expected that to be the case. Also, the gray color of the drone against the gray snowy skies is a little harder to keep track of in the air, but not flying it too far from my position helped!

Any of my drone friends ever use any of the orange props? If so does it help with visibility? What other things do you do to help with visibility? Strobe lights? If so, what do you recommend?

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

Night work at Metropolis, Illinois HLCX lease unit 1058 heads up a BNSF local as it sits on the main in front of the Honeywell plant at Metropolis, Illinois waiting for a new crew to take over their train before continuing its night move north on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, 1/15, ISO 2000.

BNSF Night work at Metropolis, Illinois

HLCX lease unit 1058 heads up a BNSF local as it sits on the main in front of the Honeywell plant at Metropolis, Illinois waiting for a new crew to take over their train before continuing its night move north on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, 1/15, ISO 2000.

BNSF and CN meet at Reevesville, Illinois On January 2nd, 2020 a empty BNSF grain train sits in the siding at Reevesville, Illinois as a empty CN coal train heads north, on CN’s Bluford Subdivision, under the old Illinois Central Steam Train coaling tower. According to Wikipedia: A coaling tower, coal stage or coaling station was a facility used to load coal as fuel into railway steam locomotives. Coaling towers were often sited at motive power depots or locomotive maintenance shops. Coaling towers were constructed of wood, steel-reinforced concrete, or steel. In almost all cases coaling stations used a gravity fed method, with one or more large storage bunkers for the coal elevated on columns above the railway tracks, from which the coal could be released to slide down a chute into the waiting locomotive’s coal storage area. The method of lifting the bulk coal into the storage bin varied. The coal usually was dropped from a hopper car into a pit below tracks adjacent to the tower. From the pit a conveyor-type system used a chain of motor-driven buckets to raise the coal to the top of the tower where it would be dumped into the storage bin; a skip-hoist system lifted a single large bin for the same purpose. Some facilities lifted entire railway coal trucks or wagons. Sanding pipes were often mounted on coaling towers to allow simultaneous replenishment of a locomotive’s sand box. As railroads transitioned from the use of steam locomotives to the use of diesel locomotives in the 1950s the need for coaling towers ended. Many reinforced concrete towers remain in place if they do not interfere with operations due to the high cost of demolition incurred with these massive structures. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/120, ISO 400.

BNSF and CN meet at Reevesville, Illinois

On January 2nd, 2020 a empty BNSF grain train sits in the siding at Reevesville, Illinois as a empty CN coal train heads north, on CN’s Bluford Subdivision, under the old Illinois Central Steam Train coaling tower.

According to Wikipedia: A coaling tower, coal stage or coaling station was a facility used to load coal as fuel into railway steam locomotives. Coaling towers were often sited at motive power depots or locomotive maintenance shops.

Coaling towers were constructed of wood, steel-reinforced concrete, or steel. In almost all cases coaling stations used a gravity fed method, with one or more large storage bunkers for the coal elevated on columns above the railway tracks, from which the coal could be released to slide down a chute into the waiting locomotive’s coal storage area. The method of lifting the bulk coal into the storage bin varied. The coal usually was dropped from a hopper car into a pit below tracks adjacent to the tower. From the pit a conveyor-type system used a chain of motor-driven buckets to raise the coal to the top of the tower where it would be dumped into the storage bin; a skip-hoist system lifted a single large bin for the same purpose. Some facilities lifted entire railway coal trucks or wagons. Sanding pipes were often mounted on coaling towers to allow simultaneous replenishment of a locomotive’s sand box.

As railroads transitioned from the use of steam locomotives to the use of diesel locomotives in the 1950s the need for coaling towers ended. Many reinforced concrete towers remain in place if they do not interfere with operations due to the high cost of demolition incurred with these massive structures.

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

Mystery switcher #2111 at NRE Shops, Mount Vernon, IL Ok, I've searched the web and haven't been able to pull up any information on this old switcher that is used at the National Railway Equipment shops in Mount Vernon, Illinois. It is numbered 2111 and has what appears to be Korean or Chinese writing on the side of the engine. Can anyone provide me with any information on this interesting unit? Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/60, ISO 100.

KORAIL switcher #2111 at NRE Shops, Mount Vernon, IL

A old KORAL Switcher 2111 sits at the back gate to the National Railway Equipment shops in Mount Vernon, Illinois and is used to move equipment around. Although it’s seen better days, it still does it’s job!

According to Wikipedia: “The Korea Railroad Corporation, branded as KORAIL, is the national railway operator in South Korea. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, managed by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation.

KORAIL operates intercity/regional, commuter/metro and freight trains throughout South Korea, and has its headquarters in Daejeon.
Historically, the South Korean railway network was managed by the Railroad Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation before 1963. On 1 September 1963, the bureau became an agency that was known as Korean National Railroad (KNR) in English. In the early 2000s, split and public corporatization of KNR was decided by the South Korean government, and in 2003, KNR adopted the current KORAIL logo in blue to prepare corporatization.

On 1 January 2005, KNR was split into Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), which succeeded railway operation with the KORAIL logo and name, and Korea Rail Network Authority (KR), which succeeded maintaining tracks.”

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