In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we find Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad steam locomotive 463 as it conducts a boiler blowdown as it leads a freight over the Cascade Trestle as it heads west, out of Antonito, Colorado, during a photo charter by Dak Dillon Photography on October 19th, 2023. A blowdown is a way to get minerals and other contaminants out of the locomotive system. Engines want to be on a bridge or trestle because the blow down itself can reach 30+ feet at an angle away from the firebox with live steam. According to their website: the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a National Historic Landmark. At 64-miles in length, it is the longest, the highest and most authentic steam railroad in North America, traveling through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rocky Mountain West. Owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, the train crosses state borders 11 times, zigzagging along canyon walls, burrowing through two tunnels, and steaming over 137-foot Cascade Trestle. All trains steam along through deep forests of aspens and evergreens, across high plains filled with wildflowers, and through a rocky gorge of remarkable geologic formations. Deer, antelope, elk, fox, eagles and even bear are frequently spotted on this family friendly, off-the grid adventure. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/5.6, 1/350, ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CumbresandToltecScenicRailroad #steamtrain

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad steam locomotive 463 as it conducts a boiler blowdown

In this week’’’s Saturday Infrared photo, we find Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad steam locomotive 463 as it conducts a boiler blowdown as it leads a freight over the Cascade Trestle as it heads west, out of Antonito, Colorado, during a photo charter by Dak Dillon Photography on October 19th, 2023.

A blowdown is a way to get minerals and other contaminants out of the locomotive system. Engines want to be on a bridge or trestle because the blow down itself can reach 30+ feet at an angle away from the firebox with live steam.

According to their website: the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a National Historic Landmark. At 64-miles in length, it is the longest, the highest and most authentic steam railroad in North America, traveling through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rocky Mountain West.

Owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, the train crosses state borders 11 times, zigzagging along canyon walls, burrowing through two tunnels, and steaming over 137-foot Cascade Trestle. All trains steam along through deep forests of aspens and evergreens, across high plains filled with wildflowers, and through a rocky gorge of remarkable geologic formations. Deer, antelope, elk, fox, eagles and even bear are frequently spotted on this family friendly, off-the grid adventure.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/5.6, 1/350, ISO 400.

In this week’s Saturday Infrared view, we catch CSX I025 as it heads south into downtown Crofton, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, on September 30th, 2023, with CSXT 5252 leading the way. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 270mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 1100. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #CSXrailway #infrared #infraredtrainphotography

In this weeks Saturday Infrared view, we catch CSX I025 at Crofton, Ky

In this weeks Saturday Infrared view, we catch CSX I025 as it heads south into downtown Crofton, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision, on September 30th, 2023, with CSXT 5252 leading the way.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 270mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 1100.

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 as it led CSX M500 at Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana on September 28th, 2023, as it headed north on the Evansville Terminal Subdivision. This was the fifth CSX Heritage Unit I’ve caught of the six they’ve released. Now I’m waiting for the L&N unit to get close to me! I really didn’t expect to catch this unit as it was supposed to pass through yesterday during the late afternoon, but they ran into problems with their DPU at Guthrie, Ky and had to leave their train there and run to Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Ky for a replacement. All said and done the train passed through my area in the dead of night. I got a heads up from a friend the next morning that it was still at Howell and a new crew was starting to do their drop off and pickup there. I figured that one of the hot intermodals coming south would keep it in the yard awhile and so I decided to make the one-hour drive north to see if I could catch them and I got there just when he was finishing up his work! I chased him all the way to Princeton, Indiana on the CE&D Subdivision and got several nice shots which I’ll be posting in the weeks ahead! According to the CSX Website: A locomotive commemorating the proud history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway has entered service as the fifth in the CSX heritage series celebrating the lines that came together to form the modern railroad. Numbered CSX 1869 in honor of the year the C&O was formed in Virginia from several smaller railroads, the newest heritage locomotive sports a custom paint design that includes today’s CSX colors on the front of the engine and transitions to a paint scheme inspired by 1960s era C&O locomotives on the rear two-thirds. The C&O Railway was a major line among North American freight and passenger railroads for nearly a century before becoming part of the Chessie System in 1972 and eventually merging into the modern CSX. In 1970, the C&O included more than 5,000 route miles of track stretching from Newport News, Virginia, to Chicago and the Great Lakes. Designed and painted at CSX’s locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, the C&O unit will join four other commemorative units in revenue service on CSX’s 20,000-mile rail network. The heritage series is reinforcing employee pride in the history of the railroad that continues to move the nation’s economy with safe, reliable and sustainable rail-based transportation services. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24 @ 12mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSXHeritageUnit #EvansvilleIN #C&OCommemorativeLocomotive

Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 at Evansville, IN

In this weeks Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 as it led CSX M500 at Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana on September 28th, 2023, as it headed north on the Evansville Terminal Subdivision. This was the fifth CSX Heritage Unit I’ve caught of the six they’ve released. Now I am waiting for the L&N unit to get close to me!

I really didn’t expect to catch this unit as it was supposed to pass through yesterday during the late afternoon, but they ran into problems with their DPU at Guthrie, Ky and had to leave their train there and run to Casky Yard in Hopkinsville, Ky for a replacement. All said and done the train passed through my area in the dead of night.

I got a heads up from a friend the next morning that it was still at Howell and a new crew was starting to do their drop off and pickup there. I figured that one of the hot intermodals coming south would keep it in the yard awhile and so I decided to make the one-hour drive north to see if I could catch them and I got there just when he was finishing up his work! I chased him all the way to Princeton, Indiana on the CE&D Subdivision and got several nice shots which I will be posting in the weeks ahead!

According to the CSX Website: A locomotive commemorating the proud history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway has entered service as the fifth in the CSX heritage series celebrating the lines that came together to form the modern railroad.

Numbered CSX 1869 in honor of the year the C&O was formed in Virginia from several smaller railroads, the newest heritage locomotive sports a custom paint design that includes todays CSX colors on the front of the engine and transitions to a paint scheme inspired by 1960s era C&O locomotives on the rear two-thirds.

The C&O Railway was a major line among North American freight and passenger railroads for nearly a century before becoming part of the Chessie System in 1972 and eventually merging into the modern CSX. In 1970, the C&O included more than 5,000 route miles of track stretching from Newport News, Virginia, to Chicago and the Great Lakes.

Designed and painted at CSX’s locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, the C&O unit will join four other commemorative units in revenue service on CSX’s 20,000-mile rail network.

The heritage series is reinforcing employee pride in the history of the railroad that continues to move the nation’s economy with safe, reliable and sustainable rail-based transportation services.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24 @ 12mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 400.

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 921 leading M512 as it splits the signals at the south end of the Latham siding at Hopkinsville, Ky on August 19th, 2023, as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 280mm, f/10, 1/400, ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSXRailorad #HopkinsvilleKy

Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 921 leading M512 at Hopkinsville, Ky

In this weeks Saturday Infrared photo, we catch CSXT 921 leading M512 as it splits the signals at the south end of the Latham siding at Hopkinsville, Ky on August 19th, 2023, as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 280mm, f/10, 1/400, ISO 400.

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, CSX Chessie System Heritage unit, 1973, heads down the Pee Vee Spur at Madisonville, Ky, to connect to the Warrior lead, as it heads up CSX R592 on their way to the Warrior Coal mine load out, outside Nebo, Ky on August 19th, 2023. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24 @ 11mm, f/5.6, 1/300, ISO 400. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSXRailorad #MadisonvilleKy #CSXChessieSystem #CSXHeritageUnit #coaltrain

Saturday Infrared photo, CSX Chessie System Heritage unit, 1973 at Madisonville, Ky

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, CSX Chessie System Heritage unit, 1973, heads down the Pee Vee Spur at Madisonville, Ky, to connect to the Warrior lead, as it heads up CSX R592 on their way to the Warrior Coal mine load out, outside Nebo, Ky on August 19th, 2023.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24 @ 11mm, f/5.6, 1/300, ISO 400.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSXRailorad #MadisonvilleKy #CSXChessieSystem #CSXHeritageUnit #coaltrain

In this weeks Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the daily local, CSX L391, as it headed south between Mannington and Crofton, Ky, on the Henderson Subdivision on August 3rd, 2023. This train runs daily between Casky Yard in Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/180, ISO 200. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer7228 and 5341

Saturday Infrared photo, CSX L391 southbound towards Crofton, KY

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the daily local, CSX L391, as it headed south between Mannington and Crofton, Ky, on the Henderson Subdivision on August 3rd, 2023. This train runs daily between Casky Yard in Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/180, ISO 200.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer

In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the daily local, CSX L391, as it headed south between Mannington and Crofton, Ky, on the Henderson Subdivision on August 3rd, 2023. This train runs daily between Casky Yard in Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/180, ISO 200. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer

Saturday Infrared photo, CSX L391 heads south, between Mannington and Crofton, Ky

In this weeks Saturday Infrared photo, I caught the daily local, CSX L391, as it headed south between Mannington and Crofton, Ky, on the Henderson Subdivision on August 3rd, 2023. This train runs daily between Casky Yard in Hopkinsville and Atkinson Yard in Madisonville, Ky

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 70-300 @ 70mm, f/4.5, 1/180, ISO 200.

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of CSXT 811, leading M647 as it takes the siding at the north end of Hanson, Kentucky on July 12th, 2023, where it met a northbound train on the Henderson Subdivision! Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 195mm, f/6.3, 1/1250, ISO 200. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSX #csxhendersonsubdivison

Saturday Infrared photo is of CSXT 811, leading M647 at Hanson, Ky

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of CSXT 811, leading M647 as it takes the siding at the north end of Hanson, Kentucky on July 12th, 2023, where it met a northbound train on the Henderson Subdivision!

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Sigma 150-600 @ 195mm, f/6.3, 1/1250, ISO 200.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CSX #csxhendersonsubdivison

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of Consolidated Grain and Barge 9202, as they load grain cars at Enfield, Illinois on May 22nd, 2023. From what I can find online this is probably a GP8 locomotive, ex-CMGN, RCO, but don’t quote me on that. I’m not really a power guy, but more of a visual one. I’m always hesitant to say what the power in my photos because there’s so many variations of locomotives. If you have any inputs or thoughts, please feel free to add them to the comments! Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @14mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 200. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #CGB9012 #enfieldillinois

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of Consolidated Grain and Barge 9202 at Enfield, IL

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of Consolidated Grain and Barge 9202, as they load grain cars at Enfield, Illinois on May 22nd, 2023. From what I can find online this is probably a GP8 locomotive, ex-CMGN, RCO, but don’t quote me on that. I’m not really a power guy, but more of a visual one. I’m always hesitant to say what the power in my photos because there’s so many variations of locomotives. If you have any inputs or thoughts, please feel free to add them to the comments!

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @14mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 200.

This week's Saturday Infrared photo is of Paducah and Louisville 3812 leading a lash-up of power as they head out of the coal loop at Calvert City Terminal, after dropping off a load of coal on May 8th, 2023. According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway 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 line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986. Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @10mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200. #trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #infraredtrainphotography #infraredphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #paducahandlouisvillerailway #pal #shortlinerailroads #regionalrailroads

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of Paducah and Louisville 3812 at Calvert City, Ky

This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of Paducah and Louisville 3812 leading a lash-up of power as they head out of the coal loop at Calvert City Terminal, after dropping off a load of coal on May 8th, 2023.

According to Wikipedia: The Paducah & Louisville Railway 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 line was purchased from Illinois Central Gulf Railroad in August 1986.

Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @10mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 200.