August 8, 2009 – During one of my many trips over the years to Summer Rail I caught CSXT 154 & 395 as it led a maintenance of way train, with two switches in gondolas, as it crossed over the Ohio River at Covington, Kentucky as it headed south off the C&O Railroad bridge from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tech Info: Nikon D700, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 200mm, f/8, 1/500. ISO 640.
CSX M648 with the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (CE&I) heritage unit leading heads north across the Ohio River from Henderson, Kentucky, after members of the Henderson Fire Department finished putting out an initial tie fire on the bridge that spans the river on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Henderson, Kentucky on October 26th, 2024, and fortunately except for the ties, the bridge is made out of steel.
The fire did disrupt traffic on the CSX Henderson Subdivision for a couple hours and while CSX M648 did make it across after being delayed about 30 minutes and after the ties were first put out, afterwards the ties reignited and delayed hot intermodal I025 on the Evansville, IN, side of the river for almost two hours, till the ties were completely extinguished.
According to the CSX Website: July 26, 2024 – CSX has unveiled its 17th heritage locomotive, paying tribute to the historic Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad. This locomotive is part of CSX’s ongoing series celebrating the rich legacy of America’s railroads.
The C&EI was established in 1877, initially serving as a regional line connecting Chicago with southern Illinois, St. Louis, Mo. and Evansville, Ind. Over time, it expanded its reach, becoming an important link between the Midwest and the southern United States. The C&EI played a vital role in transporting coal, agricultural products, and manufactured goods, significantly contributing to the region’s economic development.
In 1967, the C&EI was absorbed by the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. In the 1980s, as CSX expanded its network, it acquired various lines and assets from other railroads, including parts of former C&EI lines that had been integrated into the Missouri Pacific. This indirect acquisition process allowed CSX to incorporate the historic routes and legacy of the C&EI into its expansive system.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/5, 1/1250,
Members of the Henderson Fire Department work on putting out a tie fire on the bridge that spans the Ohio River on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Henderson, Kentucky as a fire boat works from below. Several ties were involved in the fire on the afternoon of October 26th, 2024, and fortunately except for the ties, the bridge is made out of steel.
The fire did disrupt traffic on the CSX Henderson Subdivision for a couple hours and while CSX M648 did make it across after being delayed about 30 minutes and after the ties were first put out, afterwards the ties reignited and delayed hot intermodal I025 on the Evansville, IN, side of the river for almost two hours, till the ties were completely extinguished. I’ll be posting shots with M648 with the CE&I heritage unit leading across the bridge this afternoon, so stay tuned!
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/5, 1/2000, ISO 110.
Paducah and Louisville Railway 2118 heads up the morning local on January 28, 2009 as it waits for a MOW crew to arrive at Richland, Kentucky to remove an ice laden tree from the tracks during the 2009 Ice Storm, as people around the state woke to over 2″ of ice covering most of Western Kentucky.
This photo was made from the bottom of my driveway the morning of the ice storm, after I slowly made my way down the driveway to get the photo. At this time, I was still working for the Messenger Newspaper, and it ran on the front page as well on the Associated Press wire services.
It was an interesting time and my home, which is on a hill to the right out of frame, was without power for about 10 days, till I was finally able to get a generator to power the house. Of course, a day later I got the power restored, but the generator has been used several times since then when we lost power!
Tech Info: Nikon D300, JPG, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 1600.
CSXT 85 leads S991 as they cross the Gum Lick Trestle on a depressed flatbed at Kelly, Kentucky with an oversized load heading south on October 16th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. The load is traveling on KRL 204041, a Schnabel car with Red and Ready KRL 073 caboose trailing.
According to Wikipedia: A Schnabel car or Schnabel wagon is a specialized type of railroad freight car. It is designed to carry heavy and oversized loads in such a way that the load makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to an assembly of span bolsters that distribute the weight of the load and the lifting arm over many wheels.
When a Schnabel car is empty, the two lifting arms are connected to one another and the car can usually operate at normal freight train speeds. Some Schnabel cars include hydraulic equipment that will either lift or horizontally shift the load while in transit (at very low speeds) to clear obstructions along the car’s route.
That is the case with this car as there was a crew on the caboose that shifted the load whenever necessary on meets or areas with close clearance. It was traveling at 25 mph on the mains and much slower through turnouts and switches.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 140.
CSXT 85 leads S991 as they wait in the siding for CSX I128 with the Seaboard System Heritage Unit trailing second to pass them at the north end of Crofton, Ky, on October 16th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. CSX S991 has a depressed flatbed with an oversized load traveling on KRL 204041, a Schnabel car with Red and Ready KRL 073 caboose trailing.
According to Wikipedia: A Schnabel car or Schnabel wagon is a specialized type of railroad freight car. It is designed to carry heavy and oversized loads in such a way that the load makes up part of the car. The load is suspended between the two ends of the cars by lifting arms; the lifting arms are connected to an assembly of span bolsters that distribute the weight of the load and the lifting arm over many wheels.
When a Schnabel car is empty, the two lifting arms are connected to one another and the car can usually operate at normal freight train speeds. Some Schnabel cars include hydraulic equipment that will either lift or horizontally shift the load while in transit (at very low speeds) to clear obstructions along the car’s route.
That is the case with this car as there was a crew on the caboose that shifted the load whenever necessary on meets or areas with close clearance. It was traveling at 25 mph on the mains and much slower through turnouts and switches.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 140.
June 26th, 2006 – Blast from The Past – CSXT 9993 leads the CSX Business Train northbound across the Gum Lick Trestle, between Kelly and Crofton, Kentucky, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on June 26th, 2006.
The “Gum Lick” name comes from the fact that the valley here is named Gum Lick Hollow and it sits between Crofton and Kelly Kentucky where it crosses over the West Fork of Pond River.
Tech Info: Nikon D2H, Sigma 24-70 @24mm, f/4, 1/640, ISO 500.
October 22, 2007 – Paducah and Louisville Railway 2111 leads the way as it exits the tunnel at Dawson Springs, Ky as it makes its way south.
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.
Tech Info: Nikon D200, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 48mm, f2.8, 1/500, ISO 400.
BNSF 6387 and 3947 lead CSX S577 as the crew backs a loaded military train onto the Ft. Campbell lead at from Casky yard at Hopkinsville, Ky, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on July 9th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 140.
BNSF 6387 and 3947 lead CSX S577 as the crew backs a loaded military train onto the Ft. Campbell lead at Hopkinsville, Ky, from the CSX Henderson Subdivision on July 9th, 2024, under threatening skies during a Tornado Warning spawned by the remnants of Hurricane Alberto. Fellow railfan Brian Caswell and I sat for a couple hours hoping that Ft. Campbell would show up to carry the equipment onto the base, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. Despite the warnings here very little rain fell and most of the tornados spawned in our area were more to the northeast up in Indiana.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 210.
BNSF 6387 and 3947 lead CSX S577 as the crew backs a loaded military train onto the Ft. Campbell lead at from Casky yard at Hopkinsville, Ky, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on July 9th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 110.
Atlantic Coast Line Heritage Unit CSXT 1871 runs as a mid-train DPU unit as it heads south at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on July 12th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. This was my first catch on this heritage unit and while I would prefer it to be leading, I didn’t want to pass up a chance of catching this unit for my first time!
According to a CSX Press Release: November 29, 2023 – The CSX fleet of heritage locomotives is continuing to grow with the introduction of a unit painted in a custom design honoring the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
Designated CSX 1871, the seventh locomotive in the heritage series was unveiled at the CSX Locomotive Shop in Waycross, Georgia, which has designed and applied the paint schemes for all the heritage units. The latest in the series features the modern CSX design on the head end, transitioning to historic paint scheme and logo of the Atlantic Coast Line at the rear.
The Atlantic Coast Line name first appeared in 1871, and the American Coast Line Railroad (ACL) was officially incorporated in 1900. The ACL extended from Georgia to Richmond, Virginia, and later expanded into Florida. In 1960, the company opened a new headquarters building in Jacksonville, which continues as CSX headquarters to this day. The ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967 to form the Seaboard Coast Line, which later became part of CSX.
“We do a lot of research on the colors and the schemes just to make sure that we get it right,” said Jeromy Hutchison, CSX carman painter. “We want to make sure we do our heritage justice.”
CSX 1871 will carry the ACL colors in service across the 20,000-mile CSX network, 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 110.
CSX M513 passes the Hopkinsville Elevator Co. Inc. Complex at Guthrie, Kentucky, as it heads south on September 13h, 2024, under stormy skies as with CSXT 968 leading on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
CSX I025 with CSX Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Heritage Unit (SCL), 1967 leading, heads south as it meets M500 in the siding at the north end of Trenton, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on September 13th, 2024, under stormy skies.
According to a CSX Press Release: June 6, 2024 – CSX has released a new heritage locomotive, the P&LE 1875, paying tribute to the storied Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE). The 15th in CSX’s heritage locomotive series, this new addition to the company’s fleet not only celebrates the rich history of P&LE but also marks a significant milestone in CSX’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacies of America’s historic railroads.
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was established in 1875 with a primary mission of transporting essential industrial materials such as coal, coke, iron ore, limestone, and steel among the bustling industrial hubs of the region.
“It’s mainline connected Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Youngstown, Ohio and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It did not actually reach Lake Erie until 1976,” explained Tim Music, a carman painter at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop where the unit was produced.
Despite its relatively modest route mileage, the P&LE Railroad earned the nickname “Little Giant” due to the enormous volume of heavy tonnage it moved. This impressive capability drew significant attention and by 1887, the P&LE became a subsidiary of the dominant New York Central Railroad. Under this new ownership, the P&LE enjoyed substantial improvements to its tracks and added capacity for passenger services, further enhancing its regional significance.
Over time, P&LE expanded by leasing branches from smaller railroads. These extensions included lines southeast along the Monongahela River through Homestead and McKeesport, and along the Youghiogheny River to Connellsville, where it connected with the Western Maryland Railway.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 230.
CSX I025 with CSX Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Heritage Unit (SCL), 1967 leading heads south as it passes through the Sand cut, north of Crofton, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on September 13th, 2024.
According to a CSX Press Release: June 6, 2024 – CSX has released a new heritage locomotive, the P&LE 1875, paying tribute to the storied Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE). The 15th in CSX’s heritage locomotive series, this new addition to the company’s fleet not only celebrates the rich history of P&LE but also marks a significant milestone in CSX’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacies of America’s historic railroads.
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was established in 1875 with a primary mission of transporting essential industrial materials such as coal, coke, iron ore, limestone, and steel among the bustling industrial hubs of the region.
“It’s mainline connected Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Youngstown, Ohio and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It did not actually reach Lake Erie until 1976,” explained Tim Music, a carman painter at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop where the unit was produced.
Despite its relatively modest route mileage, the P&LE Railroad earned the nickname “Little Giant” due to the enormous volume of heavy tonnage it moved. This impressive capability drew significant attention and by 1887, the P&LE became a subsidiary of the dominant New York Central Railroad. Under this new ownership, the P&LE enjoyed substantial improvements to its tracks and added capacity for passenger services, further enhancing its regional significance.
Over time, P&LE expanded by leasing branches from smaller railroads. These extensions included lines southeast along the Monongahela River through Homestead and McKeesport, and along the Youghiogheny River to Connellsville, where it connected with the Western Maryland Railway.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.
CSX I025 with CSX Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Heritage Unit (SCL), 1967 leading heads south at Nortonville, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on September 13th, 2024.
According to a CSX Press Release: June 6, 2024 – According to a CSX Press Release: May 23, 2024 – CSX Transportation has launched its newest heritage locomotive, paying tribute to the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). This latest addition is part of CSX’s ongoing initiative to honor its historical roots while paving the way for the future of railroading in America.
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) was a prominent rail line that operated in the southeastern United States from 1967 until 1983. SCL emerged from the merger of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. In 1986, SCL became part of CSX through a series of mergers and acquisitions that formed one of the largest Class I railroads in North America.
“When SCL was an active railroad, it was the eighth largest railroad with almost 10,000 miles across the southern United States,” explained CSX Carman Painter Jason Merritt, one of the team members who worked on the project. “In fact, the ‘S’ in CSX actually stands for Seaboard.”
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 230.
CSX I025 with CSX Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Heritage Unit (SCL), 1967 leading heads south as it passes through the north end of Kelly, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on September 13th, 2024.
According to a CSX Press Release: June 6, 2024 – CSX has released a new heritage locomotive, the P&LE 1875, paying tribute to the storied Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE). The 15th in CSX’s heritage locomotive series, this new addition to the company’s fleet not only celebrates the rich history of P&LE but also marks a significant milestone in CSX’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacies of America’s historic railroads.
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was established in 1875 with a primary mission of transporting essential industrial materials such as coal, coke, iron ore, limestone, and steel among the bustling industrial hubs of the region.
“It’s mainline connected Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Youngstown, Ohio and Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It did not actually reach Lake Erie until 1976,” explained Tim Music, a carman painter at the CSX Waycross Locomotive Shop where the unit was produced.
Despite its relatively modest route mileage, the P&LE Railroad earned the nickname “Little Giant” due to the enormous volume of heavy tonnage it moved. This impressive capability drew significant attention and by 1887, the P&LE became a subsidiary of the dominant New York Central Railroad. Under this new ownership, the P&LE enjoyed substantial improvements to its tracks and added capacity for passenger services, further enhancing its regional significance.
Over time, P&LE expanded by leasing branches from smaller railroads. These extensions included lines southeast along the Monongahela River through Homestead and McKeesport, and along the Youghiogheny River to Connellsville, where it connected with the Western Maryland Railway.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 100.
CSXT 5313 leads hot intermodal I026 as it passes over the diamond at trident in Madisonville, Ky as they make their way north on September 11th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision in the warm glow of the evening light.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @600mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 1250.
Blast from The Past – Over 10 years ago on August 19th, 2013, CSXT 9998 and 9993 led the CSX Business Train south along the Henderson Subdivision, a long time before it sported its current B&O paint scheme. Even then it was a beautiful train to photograph, and I caught it here passing the Latham Siding at Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 18mm, f/18, 1/640, ISO 500.
This week we catch action between Slaughters and Hopkinsville, Ky from the air and ground, with CSX RF&P Heritage unit and CSXT 911 leading M513 on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
CSX M513 heads south out of Casky Yard as it continues it’s run south from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with CSX Heritage Unit L&N 1972 Family Lines System Leading, on August 16th, 2024, on the Henderson Subdivision.
According to CSXT: Our fleet of heritage locomotives is growing again as we unveil CSX Locomotive 1972, a tribute to the Family Lines System! The #ONECSX team in Waycross, GA recreated this unit to celebrate the special time from 1972-1982 when the Seaboard Coast Line, Clinchfield and L&N railroads were marketed as one. Eventually merging to become the Seaboard System Railroad, and ultimately the CSX we know today, the Family Lines System represents an integral part of our railroad’s rich history.
The CSX 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 130.