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.

Norfolk Southern meet at Winslow, Indiana Norfolk Southern 77J, a loaded Duke Energy coal train pulls west from the Charger mine at the HBD-DED Ayrshire just outside Winslow, Indiana as NS 224, a daily Louisville to St. Louis train, waits on the NS Southern East-West District main for it to clear Hatfield Junction on May 1st, 2021. The lash-up on 224 is Norfolk Southern NS 4096 GE AC44C6M DC to AC Rebuilt (C40-9), NS 1844 EMD SD70ACU DC to AC Rebuilt (SD70), and NS 1068 EMD SD70ACe Erie Heritage Unit and runs daily from Louisville to St. Louis. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern meet at Winslow, IN

A loaded Norfolk Southern Duke Energy coal train pulls west from the Charger mine at the HBD-DED Ayrshire just outside Winslow, Indiana as NS 224, a daily Louisville to St. Louis train, waits on the NS Southern East-West District main for it to clear Hatfield Junction on May 1st, 2021.

The lash-up on 224 is Norfolk Southern NS 4096 GE AC44C6M DC to AC Rebuilt (C40-9), NS 1844 EMD SD70ACU DC to AC Rebuilt (SD70), and NS 1068 EMD SD70ACe Erie Heritage Unit and runs daily from Louisville to St. Louis.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4334 and 4433 Southbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky Thanks to a heads up from good friend Bill Grady I found out this southbound NS empty coal train was coming out of Louisville, Ky and heading down the Paducah and Louisville Railway to pickup a load of coal from Warrior Coal at Madisonville, Ky. It left Louisville around midnight and I wasn't sure if I'd catch it on its way to the loadout, but I was fortunate enough to catch it passing over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Monarch in Madisonville, Ky on April 20th, 2021. I was surprised to see it arrive with a single unit leading the train and the two units on the rear acting as DPUs. They do this from time to time when the train is empty and after it loads, what was the DPUs on the Southbound run become the lead units when it heads back north. One of these days I'll catch a scene here with trains on both tracks! I'm still working on it! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4334 and 4433 Southbound at Monarch, Madisonville, Ky

Thanks to a heads up from good friend Bill Grady I found out this southbound NS empty coal train was coming out of Louisville, Ky and heading down the Paducah and Louisville Railway to pickup a load of coal from Warrior Coal at Madisonville, Ky.

It left Louisville around midnight and I wasn’t sure if I’d catch it on its way to the loadout, but I was fortunate enough to catch it passing over the CSX Henderson Subdivision at Monarch in Madisonville, Ky on April 20th, 2021.

I was surprised to see it arrive with a single unit leading the train and the two units on the rear acting as DPUs. They do this from time to time when the train is empty and after it loads, what was the DPUs on the Southbound run become the lead units when it heads back north.

One of these days I’ll catch a scene here with trains on both tracks! I’m still working on it!

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

NS 224 WB meets NS 167 WB at East Junction, Princeton, Indiana Norfolk Southern Intermodal NS 224 heads east as it passes westbound NS 167 at East Junction as the two trains meet in Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021 on the NS Southern East/West District. BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last of 7 units 167 after it worked at the Princeton Yard, dropping off and picking up. BUGX 1752 was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana and I'm told that its first revenue run on the tourist line will be on April 24th, 2021 at 1pm. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

NS 224 WB meets NS 167 EB at East Junction, Princeton, Indiana

Norfolk Southern Intermodal NS 224 heads west as it passes eastbound NS 167 at East Junction as the two trains meet in Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021 on the NS Southern East/West District.

BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last of 7 units 167 after it worked at the Princeton Yard, dropping off and picking up.

BUGX 1752 was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that run through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana and I’m told that its first revenue run on the tourist line will be on April 24th, 2021 at 1pm.

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

BUGX on the move! BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last unit on Norfolk Southern Railways train 167 as it sits at "Smoot" just west of Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021, waiting to meet two eastbound trains on the NS Southern East/West District. The unit was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that runs through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana. This was without a doubt the longest and shortest chase I've done in a long time! I started from my home in Richland, KY to travel to Princeton, IN to meet up with fellow railfan Ryan Scott to catch this train. Well, after the 1.5hr drive and hoping I hadn't missed it, I finally linked up with Ryan, who had been sitting a couple hours west of Princeton, waiting to catch it also! Well, needless to say, we were worried that we'd missed it somehow as it was last reported around Centralia, IL at 8am and the trip to Princeton normally takes a couple hours and by the time I linked up with Ryan it had been close to 4! Ryan jumped in with me (I like to drive) and we decided to head west looking for the train and low and behold, we found it in the siding at Smoot, just west of town! Well, it sat there for two west bounds before it headed into the yard for a crew change at Ohio Street. After the crew change, they had to do their work, where they dropped off one engine, picked up three more and then two exceptionally long stings of cars! Needless to say, it was 6pm before they finished their work, moved to East Junction where they where they had to wait for two more west bounds!! A total of 6 hours to move about 6 miles, but finally they made their way out of town to Huntingburg where they dropped of the FP9A unit for a local to take it to Tell City. Some days railfanning is like this! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

BUGX on the move!

BUGX 1752, a former Canadian National FP9A unit, which was recently sold by Pioneer RailCorp affiliate Keokuk Junction Railway, trails as the last unit on Norfolk Southern Railways train 167 as it sits at “Smoot” just west of Princeton, Indiana on April 21st, 2021, waiting to meet two eastbound trains on the NS Southern East/West District.

The unit was on the final leg of its journey to a new home at the Ohio River Scenic Railway in Tell City, Indiana, where it will power their tourist line trains that runs through Perry and Spencer Counties in southern Indiana.

This was without a doubt the longest and shortest chase I’ve done in a long time!

I started from my home in Richland, KY to travel to Princeton, IN to meet up with fellow railfan Ryan Scott to catch this train. Well, after the 1.5hr drive and hoping I hadn’t missed it, I finally linked up with Ryan, who had been sitting a couple hours west of Princeton, waiting to catch it also!

Well, needless to say, we were worried that we’d missed it somehow as it was last reported around Centralia, IL at 8am and the trip to Princeton normally takes a couple hours and by the time I linked up with Ryan it had been close to 4!

Ryan jumped in with me (I like to drive) and we decided to head west looking for the train and low and behold, we found it in the siding at Smoot, just west of town!

Well, it sat there for two west bounds before it headed into the yard for a crew change at Ohio Street. After the crew change, they had to do their work, where they dropped off one engine, picked up three more and then two exceptionally long stings of cars! Needless to say, it was 6pm before they finished their work, moved to East Junction where they where they had to wait for two more west bounds!! A total of 6 hours to move about 6 miles, but finally they made their way out of town to Huntingburg where they dropped of the FP9A unit for a local to take it to Tell City. Some days railfanning is like this!

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, 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.

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 7586 takes a Roller Coaster ride at Hatfield Junction One of my favorite things to photograph on the railroad with my long lens is places where the lay of and comes into full view with the long end of my zoom and Hatfield Junction is one such place! Here we see NS 167, led by NS 7586, on January 28th, 2021 as it starts it's climb back up hill as it takes a roller coaster ride coming east out of Hatfield Junction, just east of Oakland City, Indiana on the Southern East District. Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @460mm f/6, 1/1600, ISO 800.

NS 7586 takes a Roller Coaster ride at Hatfield Junction

One of my favorite things to photograph on the railroad with my long lens is places where the lay of and comes into full view with the long end of my zoom and Hatfield Junction is one such place!

Here we see NS 167, led by NS 7586, on January 28th, 2021 as it starts it’s climb back up hill as it takes a roller coaster ride coming east out of Hatfield Junction, just east of Oakland City, Indiana on the Southern East District.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @460mm f/6, 1/1600, ISO 800.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Ramsey, Indiana With a winter wonderland scene and warm evening light we find Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow "Sonic Bonnets" leading empty autorack train 124 as they make their way west at Ramsey, Indiana on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021. I passed this spot when I was on my way to setup for this same train as it passed through the cut at Tunnel Hill Road, about 4 miles to the east of this crossing. I loved the look of the snow on the trees and was hoping I'd be able to make it the four miles back to this spot before the train got there, after catching it at the cut. Well, needless to say I made it, but probably not more than 10 seconds to spare. Enough time to grab the D800 with my 10-20mm lens, step into position and fire off a burst of about 5 shots before the lead unit was through the crossing. This is my favorite! Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-20mm DX lens @15mm f/4, 1/640, ISO 320.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Ramsey, Indiana

With a winter wonderland scene and warm evening light we find Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow “Sonic Bonnets” leading empty autorack train 124 as they make their way west at Ramsey, Indiana on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021.

I passed this spot when I was on my way to setup for this same train as it passed through the cut at Tunnel Hill Road, about 4 miles to the east of this crossing. I loved the look of the snow on the trees and was hoping I’d be able to make it the four miles back to this spot before the train got there, after catching it at the cut.

Well, needless to say I made it, but probably not more than 10 seconds to spare. Enough time to grab the D800 with my 10-20mm lens, step into position and fire off a burst of about 5 shots before the lead unit was through the crossing. This is my favorite!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-20mm DX lens @15mm f/4, 1/640, ISO 320.

Click Here to Buy A Print Today!

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Taswell, Indiana Norfolk Southern 1800 the Yellow Sonic Bonnets trails behind the black 4004 version, as they lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they slowly pull into the siding at Taswell, Indiana to meet eastbound NS 168, on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021 at dusk. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 200.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Taswell, Indiana

Norfolk Southern 1800 the Yellow Sonic Bonnets trails behind the black 4004 version, as they lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they slowly pull into the siding at Taswell, Indiana to meet eastbound NS 168, on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021 at dusk.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 200.

Click Here to Buy A Print Today!

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Taswell, Indiana Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow "Sonic Bonnets" lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they slowly pull through the siding at Taswell, Indiana to meet eastbound NS 168, on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 200.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets at Taswell, Indiana

Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow “Sonic Bonnets” lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they slowly pull through the siding at Taswell, Indiana to meet eastbound NS 168, on the NS Southern-East District on January 28th, 2021.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/160, ISO 200.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets on the move Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow "Sonic Bonnets" lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they chase the setting sun through the cut at Tunnel Hill Road, just west of Ramsey, Indiana as the light snowfall from the day before provides a nice dusting for this peaceful winter scene on the NS Southern-East District. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern Sonic Bonnets on the move

Norfolk Southern 4004 and 1800, the Black and Yellow “Sonic Bonnets” lead NS empty autorack train 124 west as they chase the setting sun through the cut at Tunnel Hill Road, just west of Ramsey, Indiana as the light snowfall from the day before provides a nice dusting for this peaceful winter scene on the NS Southern-East District on January 28, 2021.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 100.

Eastbound NS freight at Lyles Station, Indiana A Norfolk Southern mixed freight passes the Consolidation Grain and Barge Company complex at Lyles Station, as it heads east toward Princeton, Indiana. According to Wikipedia: "Lyles Station is an unincorporated community in Patoka Township, Gibson County, Indiana. The community dates from 1849, although its early settlers first arrived in the 1830s, and it was formally named Lyles Station in 1886 to honor Joshua Lyles, a free African American who migrated with his family from Tennessee to Indiana around 1837. Lyles Station is one of Indiana's early black rural settlements and the only one remaining. The rural settlement reached its peak in the years between 1880 and 1912, when major structures in the community included the railroad depot, a post office, a lumber mill, two general stores, two churches, and a school. By the turn of the twentieth century, Lyles Station had fifty-five homes, with a population of more than 800 people. The farming community never fully recovered from the Great Flood of 1913, which destroyed much of the town. Most of its residents left for economic reasons, seeking opportunities for higher paying jobs and additional education in larger cities. By 1997 approximately fifteen families remained at Lyles Station, nearly all of them descended from the original settlers." Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Eastbound NS freight at Lyles Station, Indiana

A Norfolk Southern mixed freight passes the Consolidation Grain and Barge Company complex at Lyles Station, as it heads east toward Princeton, Indiana.

According to Wikipedia: “Lyles Station is an unincorporated community in Patoka Township, Gibson County, Indiana. The community dates from 1849, although its early settlers first arrived in the 1830s, and it was formally named Lyles Station in 1886 to honor Joshua Lyles, a free African American who migrated with his family from Tennessee to Indiana around 1837.

Lyles Station is one of Indiana’s early black rural settlements and the only one remaining. The rural settlement reached its peak in the years between 1880 and 1912, when major structures in the community included the railroad depot, a post office, a lumber mill, two general stores, two churches, and a school. By the turn of the twentieth century, Lyles Station had fifty-five homes, with a population of more than 800 people.

The farming community never fully recovered from the Great Flood of 1913, which destroyed much of the town. Most of its residents left for economic reasons, seeking opportunities for higher paying jobs and additional education in larger cities. By 1997 approximately fifteen families remained at Lyles Station, nearly all of them descended from the original settlers.”

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4004, Blue Swoosh, WB at Mt. Carmel, IL Norfolk Southern 4004, a AC/DC Conversion also called the "Blue Swoosh" makes its way across the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel, Illinois as it leads NS 224 westbound on the NS West District on December 12th, 2020 with a string of truck frames and load of intermodals. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

Norfolk Southern 4004, Sonic Bonnet with the Blue Swoosh, WB at Mt. Carmel, IL

Norfolk Southern 4004, a AC/DC Conversion also called the Sonic Bonnet wit the Blue Swoosh makes its way across the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel, Illinois as it leads NS 224 westbound on the NS Southern West District on December 12th, 2020 with a string of truck frames and load of intermodals.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 200.

October 3, 2020 - Norfolk Southern Conrail Heritage Unit (8098) sits idling on the Francisco Mine lead at Francisco, Indiana, as it waits for a new crew to take the loaded coal train from the mine westbound on the NS Southern East/West District to Duke Energy's Gibson Plant near Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern Conrail Heritage Unit at Francisco, IN

October 3, 2020 – Norfolk Southern Conrail Heritage Unit (8098) sits idling on the Francisco Mine lead at Francisco, Indiana, as it waits for a new crew to take the loaded coal train from the mine westbound on the NS Southern East/West District to Duke Energy’s Gibson Plant near Mt. Carmel, Illinois.

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

October 3, 2020 - Seems like myself and several other railfans waited forever for NS 167 to finish its work at Princeton, Indiana and finally begin to move east and to our delight its counterpart 168 westbound showed up just in time for me to capture this meet with my drones camera. It wasn't planned, as we weren't sure how long before 168 would arrive, but I'll take it! In the past I could never get this shot as it's way too far from either crossing that's close to this point. I am totally loving the new look the camera on the drone gives me these days and the spots it allows me to shoot from! As I tell my fellow railfans, we can railfan anywhere as everywhere is new for me! Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100.

NS 167 and 168 meet at Princeton, IN

October 3, 2020 – Seems like myself and several other railfans waited forever for NS 167 to finish its work at Princeton, Indiana and finally begin to move east and to our delight its counterpart 168 westbound showed up just in time for me to capture this meet with my drones camera. It wasn’t planned, as we weren’t sure how long before 168 would arrive, but I’ll take it!

In the past I could never get this shot as it’s way too far from either crossing that’s close to this point. I am totally loving the new look the camera on the drone gives me these days and the spots it allows me to shoot from! As I tell my fellow railfans, we can railfan anywhere as everywhere is new for me!

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

September 13, 2020 - Norfolk Southern 168, with NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 leading on the NS Southern East District, departs the west end of the siding at Ayrshire Township, Indiana as it heads west toward St. Louis, MO. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 360.

Norfolk Southern 168, with NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 at Ayrshire…

September 13, 2020 – Norfolk Southern 168, with NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 leading on the NS Southern East District, departs the west end of the siding at Ayrshire Township, Indiana as it heads west toward St. Louis, MO.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 150mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO 360.

September 13, 2020 - I got word from a fellow railfan out of Louisville, Austin Bell, that Norfolk Southern 168 was headed west from Louisville, Kentucky with NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 leading on the NS Southern East District. He knew it was one of three that I still needed to fill my collection of the 20 Heritage Paint Units that NS has put out. (Now I need NS 1065 and NS 1700) I typically don't railfan Sundays as I do church and edit the videos from the live stream in the afternoon and update our web locations with the same. However, I answered the call this afternoon and made the 1.5 hour drive to Princeton, Indiana to capture this shot of the train as it heads west through the yard at Princeton with my drone! I actually caught it starting at west end of Ashire, Indiana and chased it to Princeton and was able to catch it at several spots along the route with my D800 and the drone, but in this case the drone won out because of the new angle it gives me! I also met up with a lot of railfan friends that were trackside for the same train and got to finally meet Railfan Julian (6 year old railfan that loves trains) and his mom! If you want to encourage young railfans I invite you to give his page a like here on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/railfan.julian.5 Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 at Princeton, IN

September 13, 2020 – I got word from a fellow railfan out of Louisville, Austin Bell, that Norfolk Southern 168 was headed west from Louisville, Kentucky with NS Pennsylvania Heritage unit 8102 leading on the NS Southern East District. He knew it was one of three that I still needed to fill my collection of the 20 Heritage Paint Units that NS has put out. (Now I need NS 1065 and NS 1700)

I typically don’t railfan Sundays as I do church and edit the videos from the live stream in the afternoon and update our web locations with the same. However, I answered the call this afternoon and made the 1.5 hour drive to Princeton, Indiana to capture this shot of the train as it heads west through the yard at Princeton with my drone!

I actually caught it starting at west end of Ashire, Indiana and chased it to Princeton and was able to catch it at several spots along the route with my D800 and the drone, but in this case the drone won out because of the new angle it gives me!

I also met up with a lot of railfan friends that were trackside for the same train and got to finally meet Railfan Julian (6 year old railfan that loves trains) and his mom!

If you want to encourage young railfans I invite you to give his page a like here on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/railfan.julian.5

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/100, ISO 100.

August 29, 2020 - Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) heads up Canadian National R940-92 in the early morning light as it works the CN Grand Avenue yard in Decatur, Illinois. The yard supports the CN Mattoon Sub and Peoria district along with the Decatur and Eastern Illinois Railroad. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500.

Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) at Effingham, IL

August 29, 2020 – Illinois Central 1005 (Deathstar) heads up Canadian National R940-92 in the early morning light as it works the yard at Effingham, Illinois.
 
Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500.
August 29, 2020 - Norfolk Southern 9385 leads a loaded grain train past the Premier Cooperative Inc grain elevators at Tolono, Illinois as it heads east on the NS Lafayette District. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/11, 1/800, 1/800, underexposed 1.3 stops (exposed more for the highlights), ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 9385 leads a loaded grain train…

August 29, 2020 – Norfolk Southern 9385 leads a loaded grain train past the Premier Cooperative Inc grain elevators at Tolono, Illinois as it heads east on the NS Lafayette District.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Irex 11mm, f/11, 1/800, 1/800, underexposed 1.3 stops (exposed more for the highlights), ISO 100.

Norfolk Southern 4194 glides downhill as it leads NS 124-31 westbound, with an all Autorack train, as it meets NS 376-01 led by NS 9626, a eastbound mix freight train, across the street from the Taswell Community Church at Taswell, Indiana on the NS Southern-West District. Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 195mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 1400.

NS 124-31 meets NS 376-01 at Taswell, Indiana

Norfolk Southern 4194 glides downhill as it leads NS 124-31 westbound, with an all Autorack train, as it meets NS 376-01 led by NS 9626, a eastbound mix freight train, across the street from the Taswell Community Church at Taswell, Indiana on the NS Southern-East District.

Tech Info: Full Frame Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 195mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 1400.