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.
The sun has set, and dusk has arrived over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Crofton, Kentucky on July 19th, 2024, and a parade of track working equipment, and men have began working their way south through town during the first week of a three-week work curfew on the line. CSX has been running most of their trains during daylight hours to allow track workers to replace ties, crossings and other types of maintenance work on the subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/15, ISO 140, -2.0 exposure compensation for the highlights.
CSX G366 pulls northbound approaching Anaconda at Robards, Kentucky on July 5th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. G366 is normally just an empty grain train, here it was hauling a long string of maintenance of way equipment which will be used in an upcoming CSX work curfew that is scheduled to begin on the subdivision in the next week or so.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.
CSX I025 meets G366 at Anaconda, just north of Sebree, Kentucky as it heads south on July 5th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. G366 is normally just an empty grain train, but today it was hauling a long string of maintenance of way equipment which will be used in an upcoming CSX work curfew that is scheduled to begin on the subdivision in the next week or so.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 110.
This week we chase along the CSX Henderson Subdivision including during the total Solar Eclipse and several other interesting moves one of which is a CSX MOW Ditching Machine and some foreign power! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen, enjoy and please like, share, subscribe, and thanks for watching!
![A Loram Rail grinder makes its way through the Cajon Pass in Southern California in April of 1995.
I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It's a great place to catch trains and I've been back several times over the years since then.
In fact I'm headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I'm really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!
According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad's maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.
Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded](https://www.jimpearsonphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WEB-04.1995-LoRam-in-Cajon-Pass-1170x762.jpg)
A Loram Rail grinder makes its way through the Cajon Pass in Southern California in April of 1995.
I spent a lot of years railfanning the pass between 1981 and 1995! It’s a great place to catch trains and I’ve been back several times over the years since then.
In fact I’m headed back again this coming September for a week or so to see how much it has changed since I was last there several years ago. In fact, it was before I had a drone, so I’m really looking forward to railfanning from the air this next trip!
According to Wikipedia: Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m).[1] Located in the Mojave Desert, the pass is an important link from the Greater San Bernardino Area to the Victor Valley, and northeast to Las Vegas. The Cajon Pass area is on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Cajon Pass is at the head of Horsethief Canyon, traversed by California State Route 138 and railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Improvements in 1972 reduced the railroad’s maximum elevation from about 3,829 to 3,777 feet (1,167 to 1,151 m) while reducing curvature. Interstate 15 does not traverse Cajon Pass, but rather the nearby Cajon Summit. The entire area, Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit, is often referred to as Cajon Pass, but a distinction is made between Cajon Pass and Cajon Summit.
Nikon F3 Camera, Nikon 300mm lens, f/stop and shutter speed not recorded
A Loram Badger Ditcher Machine, DC-2, heads north out of the siding at Crofton, Kentucky as W055-13, on April 12th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
According to their website: Loram’s Badger Ditcher is a self-propelled ditch cleaner that can move 1,000 tons of material every hour, excavating at up to 22 feet from the center of the track. The Loram ditch cleaner creates a properly sloped ditch that intercepts and diverts water away from the track. The ditcher’s high-speed, high-performance ditching wheel digs in and picks up mud and water. As the wheel digs the ditch, water begins to flow.
The Badger Ditcher helps manage, remedy, and prevent the damaging effects from a host of penetrating water sources, including direct precipitation, groundwater migration, springs and trapped water, saturation, and seepage. Ditch maintenance best practices using the Badger Ditcher lets railroads improve vital drainage for the subgrade, lower the water table, control run-off, and promote free flow from the ballast section that can extend the effective duration of undercutting and ballast cleaning cycles.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 240.
A Loram Badger Ditcher Machine, DC-2, heads north past Arklow at Madisonville, Kentucky, as W055-13, on April 12th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
According to their website: Loram’s Badger Ditcher is a self-propelled ditch cleaner that can move 1,000 tons of material every hour, excavating at up to 22 feet from the center of the track. The Loram ditch cleaner creates a properly sloped ditch that intercepts and diverts water away from the track. The ditcher’s high-speed, high-performance ditching wheel digs in and picks up mud and water. As the wheel digs the ditch, water begins to flow.
The Badger Ditcher helps manage, remedy, and prevent the damaging effects from a host of penetrating water sources, including direct precipitation, groundwater migration, springs and trapped water, saturation, and seepage. Ditch maintenance best practices using the Badger Ditcher lets railroads improve vital drainage for the subgrade, lower the water table, control run-off, and promote free flow from the ballast section that can extend the effective duration of undercutting and ballast cleaning cycles.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 150.
Paducah and Louisville Railway 3812 leads a loaded ballast train as they cross over Clear Creek as they work on dropping ballast between Richland and Madisonville, Kentucky on March 12th, 2024.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
Paducah and Louisville Railway 3812 leads a loaded ballast train as they work on dropping ballast between Richland and Madisonville, Kentucky on March 12th, 2024, as spring starts to show in the surrounding area.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
During our run to Seattle, Washington my sister and I traveled along the Columbia River Gorge on our recent trip and the only Union Pacific Equipment I caught on this day was this Maintenance of Way Equipment at The Dalles in Oregon. It was busy picking up ties on the Portland Subdivision, down from The Dalles Dam, on June 20th, 2023, with UP 958200 leading.
At the far end of the equipment, you can see where they are picking up ties along the right-of-way and I’ll be posting another shot showing that end tomorrow morning. An unusual and cool looking piece of equipment for sure!
From what I can find online Union Pacific took delivery of the RELCO built MOW work train set #958200 in July 2019. The set is made up of special flats/gons and a rebuilt SD-40-2 locomotive (former number unknown). The trailing unit was numbered UP 958201.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, ISO 180
CSXT 119 leads W016, a loaded rail train, through downtown Mortons Gap, Kentucky on August 25th, 2023, as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 120.
Digital Photo Art – Paducah and Louisville Railway 3803 and UK Wildcats 1998 lead a northbound rail train northbound at Claxton, Kentucky, on February 24th, 2015.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, Nikon 70-300 @ 125mm, f/6.3, 1/2500, ISO 250.
CSX rail train W471 rounds the curve leading to the Red River bridge at Adams, Tennessee, as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision on July 31st, 2023. The train and its crew were bound for Cedar Hill, TN where they spent the afternoon picking up used rail along the right of way there.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 100.
A clean, shinny Union Pacific 6902 in UP’s brand new paint scheme, leads a loaded rail train as it heads west on the Norfolk Southern West District at Mt. Carmel, Illinois on July 8th, 2023.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 150.
This is the reverse view during our run to Seattle, Washington of the Union Pacific MOW Equipment I caught from my recent trip and the only Union Pacific equipment I caught on this day was this Maintenance of Way equipment at The Dalles in Oregon. They were busy picking up ties on the Portland Subdivision, by The Dalles Dam, on June 20th, 2023, with UP 958200 leading the trainset and this view is from the rear of the MOW Equipment with UP 959201.
If you didn’t see yesterday’s photo you can find it on all my social media sites and website.
From what I can find online Union Pacific took delivery of the RELCO built MofW work equipment set #958200 in July 2019. The set is made up of special flats/gons and a rebuilt SD-40-2 locomotive (former number unknown). The trailing unit was numbered UP 958201.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 140.
#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #dronephotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #jimpearsonphotography #trains #mavic3classic #drones #trainsfromtheair #trainsfromadrone #UnionPacific #MOWtrainset #oregontrains
During our run to Seattle, Washington my sister and I traveled along the Columbia River Gorge on our recent trip and the only Union Pacific equipment I caught on this day was this Maintenance of Way equipment at The Dalles in Oregon. It was busy picking up ties on the Portland Subdivision, down from The Dalles Dam, on June 20th, 2023, with UP 958200 leading the trainset.
At the far end of the equipment, you can see where they are picking up ties along the right-of-way and I’ll be posting another shot showing that end tomorrow morning. An unusual and cool looking piece of equipment for sure!
From what I can find online Union Pacific took delivery of the RELCO built MofW work train set #958200 in July 2019. The set is made up of special flats/gons and a rebuilt SD-40-2 locomotive (former number unknown). The trailing unit was numbered UP 958201.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
CSX 8882 leads rail train W010 as it passes the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad Depot at Madisonville, Kentucky on April 17th, 2023, as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision.
This depot was originally dedicated in 1929 and last saw passenger service about 1968 when L&N built an office at Atkinson Yard in Madisonville and the passenger train service was moved to that location. Currently the station is owned by the city of Madisonville and houses one of the hubs of the Kentucky Innovation Stations, which helps courageous entrepreneurs, creative business founders, high-growth startups, working on their own success stories.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 sec, ISO 170.
CSXT 5398 leads Geometry Train W001 through the signals at the south end of Kelly siding at they inspect their way south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Kelly, Ky on April 5th, 2023.
A track geometry train is a track inspection train on a rail transport system used to test several parameters of the track geometry without obstructing normal railroad operations. Some of the parameters generally measured include position, curvature, alignment of the track, smoothness, and the cross level of the two rails. The cars use a variety of sensors, measuring systems, and data management systems to create a profile of the track being inspected.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 180.
LoRam shoulder ballast cleaner SBC-2401 kicks up a dust storm as it makes its way north on the CSX Henderson Cuttoff through the beautiful spring countryside of Mortons Gap, Kentucky on May 10th, 2022, as it moves slowly along cleaning the ballast on both sides of the rails.
Shoulder ballast cleaning consists of removing ballast at the end of the ties, screening the ballast, and discarding fines and fouling material and restoring the good ballast to the shoulder. Integrated scarifiers break open end of tie mud pockets, removes fines, and restores ballast voids in the shoulders and under the tie ends and release damaging trapped water.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 130.
Norfolk Southern 1053 and Grand Trunk 5860 in original paint, lead and empty rail train through the countryside between Union City, TN and Fulton, Ky as they head north on the CN Fulton Subdivision, on March 25th, 2023.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 110.