This week we catch action between Crofton and Guthrie, Kentucky on the CSX Henderson Subdivision and RJ Corman Memphis Line. Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
Saturday Infrared photo, we catch the power (3801 & 3805) from the daily RJ Corman local…
In this week’s Saturday Infrared photo, we catch the power (3801 & 3805) from the daily RJ Corman local as they pull from the CSX yard at Guthrie, Kentucky, after dropping off their exchange work for the day on July 18th, 2024.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24mm @ 20mm, f/6.3, 1/400, ISO 200.
July 27th, 2024 – Episode 82 – Saturday Edited Video from Jim Pearson Photography
This week we catch action between Mortons Gap and Guthrie, Kentucky from the air and ground, with CSX Conrail, Pere Marquette and Atlantic Coast Line Heritage units leading on several trains, along the CSX Henderson Subdivision, plus a little RJ Corman Action as well! Sit back, turn up the sound, expand to full screen and enjoy the trains!! Please like, share, subscribe and thanks for watching!
CSX Conrail Heritage Locomotive leads CSX I026 northbound past the RJ Corman engine house at Guthrie, Ky
The CSX Conrail Heritage Locomotive leads CSX I026 northbound past the RJ Corman engine house on July 18th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as they make their daily run to Chicago, Illinois. Next to the engine house is RJC Genset 2698.
According to a CSX Press Release: July 22, 2023 – CSX has unveiled the fourth locomotive in its series of custom paint designs that honor its heritage railroads. The latest in the series commemorates the Consolidated Rail Corporation, or Conrail, and bears the number 1976, the year the railroad was founded.
CSX and Norfolk Southern acquired and divided most of the Conrail network in 1997. Today, the company continues to exist as a terminal and switching railroad for CSX and NS customers in North Jersey-New York City metro area.
The Conrail paint scheme of a double-lined C inside a large, bold Q was a fixture for many years across the Northeast where the majority of the railroad’s operations were centered. The heritage locomotive design conceived and executed at CSX’s locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, recreates the iconic “Conrail Quality” logo and features Conrail blue on the rear two-thirds of the engine, then transitions to the current CSX colors and design on the cab portion of the unit.
CSX 1976 and other locomotives in the heritage series will be placed into revenue service and travel CSX’s 20,000 rail 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, 1/3200, ISO 100.
RJ Corman engines set outside the engine house at Guthrie, Ky
RJ Corman engines set outside the engine house at Guthrie, Ky as their crew prepares to head out for their daily local run to the Clarksville, TN area on February 22nd, 2024, on the RJC Memphis Line.
This train is referred to as the Cumberland City turn and departs from Guthrie, Ky weekdays, usually in the morning, runs the Memphis Line to Cumberland City, TN and then returns after working industries like this one along the way.
The Memphis Line currently covers just over 113 track miles between Bowling Green, Ky and Cumberland City, TN, servicing 47 customers along the line. It interchanges with CSX on average six days a week at Bowling Green and Guthrie, Ky. The yard office for this line is located at Guthrie.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 110.
RJ Corman 5361 leads Z545, a train loaded with aluminum ingots north at Shelbyville, Ky
RJ Corman 5361 leads Z545, a train loaded with aluminum ingots towards Louisville, Ky on the CSX LCL Subdivision on May 18th, 2023, as it passes through the countryside at Shelbyville, Ky. This train is also referred to as the ALCAN train and it runs daily between Louisville and Berea, Ky, to and from the Novelis Recycling center at Berea. Alcan used to own the Company and the name most folks use for this train is still “Alcan” even though Novelis bought them out.
The Berea plant is one of the worlds largest plants dedicated to aluminum can recycling, and they process approximately 20 percent of the United States used aluminum cans, by melting them down and producing sheet ingots, according to the Novelis website.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100.
RJ Corman 5361 leads a train loaded with aluminum ingots north at Frankfort, Ky
RJ Corman 5361 leads a train loaded with aluminum ingots as they pull onto the bridge over the Kentucky River at Frankfort, Ky on the CSX LCL Subdivision on May 17th, 2023. This train is also referred to as the ALCAN train and it runs daily between Louisville and Berea, Ky, to and from the Novelis Recycling center at Berea. Alcan used to own the Company and the name most folks use for this train is still Alcan even though Novelis bought them out.
The Berea plant is one of the worlds largest plants dedicated to aluminum can recycling, and they process approximately 20 percent of the United States used aluminum cans, by melting them down and producing sheet ingots, according to the Novelis website.
RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648 at Nugent Sand Company, Louisville, Ky
Newly painted and refurbished RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648, along with GMTX 9059, sit at Nugent Sand Yard in Louisville, Ky on Saturday afternoon, April 15th, 2023. These first two units were recently acquired by the company from Norfolk Southern and are SD70M locomotives, which are beginning to see road service after coming out of the shops.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100.
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RJ Corman 2649 and 2645 pull Z543 out of Nugent Sand Company in Louisville, Ky
The late evening light rakes across the landscape as RJ Corman 2649 and 2645 pull Z543 out of Nugent Sand Company in Louisville, Ky, as they head toward downtown with a load of sand bound for Nugent Sand at RJ Corman’s Rupp Yard in Lexington, Ky, for a variety of central Kentucky customers.
The Nugent Sand Co. at Louisville takes a million tons of sand out of the Ohio River each year. Some 400,000 to 600,000 tons of that has been moved by R.J. Corman into the Lexington and surrounding markets each year since the two companies partnered in 2005.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 100.
Infrared photo of newly painted and refurbished RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648 at Louisville, Ky
This week’s Saturday Infrared photo is of newly painted and refurbished RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648, along with GMTX 9059, as they sit at Nugent Sand Yard in Louisville, Ky on Saturday afternoon, April 15th, 2023. These first two units were recently acquired by the company from Norfolk Southern and are SD70M locomotives, which are beginning to see road service after coming out of the shops.
Tech Info: Fuji XT-1, RAW, Converted to 720nm B&W IR, Nikon 10-24 @10mm, f/9, 1/250, ISO 400.
d RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648, along with GMTX 9059, sit at Nugent Sand Yard in Louisville, Ky
Newly painted and refurbished RJ Corman units 2645 and 2648, along with GMTX 9059, sit at Nugent Sand Yard in Louisville, Ky on Saturday afternoon, April 15th, 2023. These first two units were recently acquired by the company from Norfolk Southern and are SD70M locomotives, which are beginning to see road service after coming out of the shops.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec, ISO 100.
RJ Corman Crew cleans up after minor derailment on the Warrior Lead at Madisonville, KY
There was a minor derailment on the Warrior Lead here in Madisonville in the last week. I’ve noticed that PAL traffic has been taking the CSX Morganfield branch out of the Warrior Coal Mine Loop and when I went by West Yards yesterday here in Madisonville, Ky, RJC was there getting ready to leave with some of their heavy equipment on flatbeds on February 2nd, 2022.
When I drove back to the overpass over the lead and these crews were working on the tracks and a section where coal cars have spilled. No cars or trains, however, are there now.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300mm @ 140mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 3200.
R.J. Corman Railroad works the Toyota Plant in Princeton, Indiana
The second railroad I caught while spending 5 hours railfanning in southern Indiana on October 9th, 2021, was RJ Corman 3478 as it backed a string of autoracks back to the Toyota Plant just before sunrise at Princeton, Indiana.
According to Wikipedia: R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a privately owned railroad services and short line operating company headquartered in Nicholasville, KY, with field locations in 23 states. It was owned by Richard J. Corman, who established the company in 1973, and ran it until his death on August 23, 2013. The company owns eleven short-line railroads spanning Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
The company serves all seven Class I railroads, many regional and short line railroads as well as various rail-served industries. These operations encompass an array of services, including railroad construction, short line railroad operations, dispatch, industrial switching services, emergency response, track material logistics, distribution centers, signal design and construction, building eco-friendly locomotives, railroad worker training and an excursion dinner train.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 550mm, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO 1000.
RJ Corman Wye Work at Woodburn, Ky
Fellow railfan Cooper Smith and I really lucked out when we railfanned the RJ Corman Memphis line on April 14th, 2021. We caught the northbound RJC MR25 at South Union, Kentucky and chased it up to the RJ Corman Distribution Center at Woodburn, Ky.
After dropping their power on the wye and pulling one unit off they moved it on north and I got this shot of it just passing the switch before it was put in the track on the right! The train on the left then came out on the main and backed down on the main to pickup the cars and it continued north to Bowling Green, Ky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.
The waiting game and a very long lens!
On April 14th, 2021 RJ Corman 3801 sits on top of the rise coming north out of their Russellville, Kentucky Distribution Center as they work on connecting to the rest of their train, MR25, in preparation to head north toward Louisville, Kentucky.
This shot illustrates just why I really enjoy my long telephoto lens!! This was shot from a public crossing probably ½ mile away from the train sitting here on top of the rise in a small cut and a tunnel of trees! Theres no way I could get this shot and this look without a long lens! It was shot with my Sigma 150-600mm lens with a Sigma 1.4 teleconverter at 850mm!! Having a long lens as part of your camera kit is a must!
Also, what you cant see from this show was just behind me at the crossing, which was a loaded ALCAN train with RJC 3837 leading, that was waiting on the main to head on south after MR25 cleared the tracks. That shot and a video will be coming in the next week, so stay tuned!
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm with a 1.4 teleconverter @ 850mm, f/9, 1/1000, ISO 1400.
RJ Corman northbound at South Union, Kentucky on the Memphis Line
With the exhaust flowing behind the train, RJ Cormans 3803, 3863 and 3837 lead MR22 northbound on April 14th, 2021 as they pass the 1869 Shaker Tavern at South Union, Kentucky on an overcast spring day. Their next stop is the RJ Corman Railroad Distribution Center outside Russellville, Ky where they cut off this power and another train set combined its train with it and took the train on north on the Memphis Line.
According to Roadtrippers.com: The Shaker Tavern, built in 1869 as a business venture for the South Union Shakers, housed a hotel for the “people of the world.” The Shakers leased the building to an outside interest for one hundred dollars a month, leaving its management to the “world.” The Shaker Tavern maintained a thriving business for more than forty years, catering to the Victorian railroad travelers who stopped at South Union. The building’s architectural features were clearly incorporated to attract the world’s people, whose tastes differed dramatically from that of the Shakers. The stark simplicity of the buildings used by the Shakers contrasts greatly with the grand columned facade, intricate brickwork, and the ornate staircase of the Shaker Tavern.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.
RJ Corman at CSX Crossover, Guthrie, Ky
The conductor maintains a 3-point contact as he rides the end ballast car as the engineer on RJ Corman 3802 pushes three loaded ballast cars through the CSX Crossover at the north end of the yard at Guthrie, Kentucky on March 20th, 2021 on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.
There used to be a diamond at this location for the RJ Memphis line, but it was changed to a crossover at some point in the past. Now, RJ Corman uses the crossover to access either side of their rail operations at Guthrie. Mostly they run a local on weekdays, which they call the Cumberland City Turn, departing early morning normally and returning late afternoon. They head toward the Bowling Green end of the Memphis Line from here when they have grain cars to pick up or drop off.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 420mm, f/6, 1/640, ISO 160.
Music City Star train 156 westbound to downtown Nashville, TN
On March 19th, 2021 Nashville’s Music City Star train #156 makes its reverse move, as it passes under the Shelby Bottoms bridge and rolls through a shaft of sunlight as it also passes the George Reyer Pumping Station on the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Music City Star uses the Nashville and Eastern Railroad trackage that runs between Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville and Eastern is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee and is currently owned and operated by R.J. Corman.
Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 150-600mm @ 500mm, f/6, 1/1250, ISO 220.
Music City Star westbound to downtown Nashville, TN
Nashville’s Music City Star train #158 makes its reverse move, with engine 122 trailing, as it passes RJ Cormans Nashville & Eastern Railroad on its way to the riverfront station in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
The Nashville and Eastern Railroad (reporting mark NERR) is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Nashville and Eastern was formed in the 1980s to reestablish freight service from Nashville to Lebanon and points east. The railroad currently extends to Monterey where it serves a large sand mining operation. The railroad provides freight shipping services to more than 30 companies. It also runs occasional passenger excursion trains from Nashville to Cookeville or Watertown in cooperation with the Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville. The tracks that it operates were originally operated by the Tennessee Central Railway, which went out of business in 1968.
The railroad is the home of the Music City Star commuter rail service between Nashville and Lebanon. Service began on September 18, 2006. The service is operated by the Regional Transportation Authority, Nashville’s public transportation agency.
NERR has a subsidiary, the Nashville & Western Railroad Corp. (reporting mark NWR), that operates between Nashville and Ashland City on the former western end of the Tennessee Central.
On November 5th, 2018, R.J. Corman Railroad Group announced that it had finalized an agreement to acquire both NERR and NWR as well as Transit Solution Group, operator of the Music City Star commuter trains. R. J. Corman took over operations in January 2019.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.
RJ Corman local arrives back at Guthrie, Ky
Workday end is near!
The RJ Corman local arrives back at Guthrie, Ky to drop off its interchange work from a long day of picking up and dropping off freight along RJC’s Memphis Line, to CSX on the Henderson Subdivision on October 16, 2020.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100.
The RJ Corman local arrives back at Guthrie, Ky
RJC Interchange work
The RJ Corman local arrives back at Guthrie, Ky from the Memphis Line to drop off its interchange work from the day, as long shadows from the setting sun rake across the scene on the Henderson Subdivision on October 16, 2020.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.