Tennessee Railroads – Page 3 – Jim Pearson Photography

Norfolk Southern 189 Autorack train heads south at past the old depot at Spring City, TN

Norfolk Southern 189 Autorack train heads south at past the NS CNO&TP Third District as they pass the old depot in downtown Spring City, Tennessee on April 28th, 2024.

According to https://theclio.com website: The restored railroad depot was built In 1900 by the Queen and Crescent Railroad Company that extended out of Cincinnati Ohio built for the purposes of extending travel and commerce to the south.

In addition to it’s function of providing access to the southern areas of the United States, the Depot eventually became a museum that chronicled the story of a group of female rebels dubbed “The Rhea County Spartans.” During the course of the Civil War these Women Served as spies for the Confederate Army. However they were eventually caught and as a result of their actions they were arrested and sent 54 miles to the Market Street in Chattanooga. It was there that they were forced to swear allegiance to the Union before being sent back home on foot.

Today it houses the Spring City History Museum.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

Southern Railway 630 departs East Chattanooga as heads to Grand Junction at West Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 departs East Chattanooga as heads to Grand Junction at West Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 27th, 2024, with a loaded passenger train.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr., along with a group of local railway preservationists. They wanted to save steam locomotives and railway equipment for future historical display and use. Today, the museum offers various tourist excursions from stations in Chattanooga and Etowah, Tennessee.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/500, ISO 360.

Norfolk Southern 4413 and 9783 lead 29F at Revelo, Sterns, TN

Norfolk Southern 4413 and 9783 lead 29F as they pass the old mine loadout at Revelo outside Sterns, Kentucky with their train, which includes 10 flats loaded with John Deere Tractors behind the power, as they head south on NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Subdivision, on April 29th, 2024. stormy skies.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 120.

Southern Railway 630 crosses over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge at West Chattanooga, TN

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 crosses over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge as it heads to Grand Junction at West Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 27th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr., along with a group of local railway preservationists. They wanted to save steam locomotives and railway equipment for future historical display and use. Today, the museum offers various tourist excursions from stations in Chattanooga and Etowah, Tennessee.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2500, ISO 330.

Union Pacific 5954 leads a southbound Norfolk Southern Intermodal across the Tennbridge at East Chattanooga, TN

Union Pacific 5954, sporting their new paint scheme, leads a southbound Norfolk Southern Intermodal across the Tennbridge, over the Tennessee River at sunset, on the CNO&TP Third District, at East Chattanooga, TN.

According to Wikipedia: Tenbridge is a vertical-lift railroad bridge over the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It has a main span of 310 feet (94 m).

The original span was a swing span with a center pivot that was originally built in ca. 1879/1880. It was replaced by a vertical lift span in 1917, but the lift towers and machinery were not installed until 1920. It remains a very busy crossing on the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway, a major subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Railway. The bridge carries two mainline tracks across the river.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 330.

Southern Railway 630 exits Missionary Ridge Tunnel at East Chattanooga, TN

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 exits Missionary Ridge Tunnel as it approaches East Chattanooga, Tennessee with a trainload of passengers, on April 28th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

According to the Tennessee River Valley Tourism site: Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s passenger trains run on an historic route which includes Missionary Ridge Tunnel, completed in 1858 and on the National Register of Historic Places. The tunnel is the primary reason TVRM runs on the three-mile section of the former Southern Railway. As railroad equipment grew too large to pass through, the single-track tunnel became a traffic jam for an other wise double-track railroad. Southern Railway abandoned the three-mile portion of the line and built a new section around the end of Missionary Ridge, avoiding the tunnel altogether. TVRM restored rails through the tunnel in 1971 and continues to use the pre-Civil War Tunnel daily.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 110.

Southern Railway 630 exits Missionary Ridge Tunnel at East Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 exits Missionary Ridge Tunnel as it approaches East Chattanooga, Tennessee with a trainload of passengers, on April 27th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

According to the Tennessee River Valley Tourism site: Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s passenger trains run on an historic route which includes Missionary Ridge Tunnel, completed in 1858 and on the National Register of Historic Places. The tunnel is the primary reason TVRM runs on the three-mile section of the former Southern Railway. As railroad equipment grew too large to pass through, the single-track tunnel became a traffic jam for an other wise double-track railroad. Southern Railway abandoned the three-mile portion of the line and built a new section around the end of Missionary Ridge, avoiding the tunnel altogether. TVRM restored rails through the tunnel in 1971 and continues to use the pre-Civil War Tunnel daily.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @ 390mm, f/6, 1/250, ISO 1000.

Southern Railway 630 crosses over the CSX W&A Subdivision at Chattanooga, TN

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 crosses over the CSX W&A Subdivision as it heads to East Chattanooga, Tennessee with a trainload of passengers, on April 27th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr., along with a group of local railway preservationists. They wanted to save steam locomotives and railway equipment for future historical display and use. Today, the museum offers various tourist excursions from stations in Chattanooga and Etowah, Tennessee.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 150.

CSXT 3305 leads a mixed freight heads north along the W&A Subdivision at Chattanooga, TN

CSXT 3305 leads a mixed freight heads north along the W&A Subdivision, as it passes under the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum line at East Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 28th, 2024. The W&A Sub is named for the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran between Chattanooga and Terminus. Today, CSX operates this line as the W&A Sub and the mileposts carry the prefix of OWA.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 270.

The Iconic Thomas the Tank Engine leads a passenger train over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge at Chattanooga, TN

The Iconic Thomas the Tank Engine leads a passenger train over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge as it heads to Grand Junction at West Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 27th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Thomas the Tank Engine is an anthropomorphised fictional tank locomotive in the British Railway Series books by Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher, published from 1945. He became the most popular and famous character in the series, and is the titular protagonist in the accompanying television adaptation series Thomas & Friends and its reboot Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.

All of the vehicles in The Railway Series were based on prototypical engines; Thomas’s basis is the LB&SCR E2 class. Thomas first appeared in 1946 in the second book in the series, Thomas the Tank Engine, and was the focus of the four short stories contained within. In The Railway Series and early episodes of Thomas & Friends, Thomas’s best friends are Percy and Toby, though he is also close friends with Edward. Later episodes of Thomas & Friends have Thomas in a trio with James and Percy, and Percy is known as his best friend.

In 1979, British writer and producer Britt Allcroft came across the books, and arranged a deal to bring the stories to life as the TV series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (later simplified to Thomas & Friends). The programme became an award-winning hit around the world, with a vast range of spin-off commercial products.

Thomas now travels the world to delight children of all ages!

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Nikon 10-24 @ 19mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 100.

Southern Railway 630 crosses over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge at East Chattanooga, Tennessee

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s steam locomotive Southern Railway 630 crosses over the Chickamauga Creek Bridge as it heads to Grand Junction at West Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 27th, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway as a member of the Ks-1 class. It is currently owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it resides today for use on excursion trains.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr., along with a group of local railway preservationists. They wanted to save steam locomotives and railway equipment for future historical display and use. Today, the museum offers various tourist excursions from stations in Chattanooga and Etowah, Tennessee.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Nikon 10-24 @ 19mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO 100.

NS 168 makes their way across the New River Bridge at New River, Tennessee

A trio of Norfolk Southern engines lead NS 168 as they make their way across the New River Bridge northbound on the NS CNO&TP (Rathole) Subdivision at New River, Tennessee. On April 29th, 2024.

According to the Historic Bridges website: This bridge is a very large high level deck cantilever truss bridge. It was constructed in 1963 and as such is a late example of its type, but still noteworthy as an uncommon structure type and for its size. Typical of 1960s truss bridges, the bridge still has riveted built-up beams, but v-lacing and lattice are absent in the built-up beams, and truss connections are bolted instead of riveted. It is 1,622.0 Feet (494.4 Meters) long, with 3 Main Span(s) and 6 Approach Span(s) is over 300 feet above the river.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 120.

CSX 904 passes depot and museum at Cowan, Tennessee

Loaded Coal train CSX 904 passes depot and museum at Cowan, Tennessee, as it heads south on the CSX Chattanooga Subdivision, on April26th, 2024..

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

CSX B647 with Kansas City Southern Gray Ghost 4567, KCS 4162 southbound at Springfield, Tennessee

A loaded southbound ethanol train, CSX B647 with Kansas City Southern Gray Ghost 4567, KCS 4162 and Norfolk Southern 9649 leading, heads south across the Sulfur Fork Creek Trestle at Springfield, Tennessee, on April 15th, 2024, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.

The Henderson Subdivision sees foreign power quite often and this train is one example of it. This train runs from Bensenville, IL (CPKC) to Lawrenceville, GA, as needed.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 100.

CSXT 1973, Chessie System Heritage Unit, leads CSX M647 SB at Red River Trestle, Adams, TN

CSXT 1973, Chessie System Heritage Unit, leads CSX M647 as it passes over the Red River Trestle just north of Adams, TN as it continues south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision, on March 30th, 2024. The Henderson Subdivision has seen a lot of CSX Heritage units the last week or so and hopefully there’ll be more in the future so I can capture and share them with you! I’ll be posting some videos of these moves in future Saturday Edited Videos so keep an eye out for them!

According to Wikipedia: The three railroads that would make up the Chessie System had been closely related since the 1960s. C&O had acquired controlling interest in B&O in 1962, and the two had jointly controlled WM since 1967.

Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Western Maryland Railway (WM), and Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT). Trains operated under the Chessie name from 1973 to 1987.

On November 1, 1980, Chessie System merged with Seaboard Coastline Industries to form CSX Corporation. Initially, the three Chessie System railroads continued to operate separately, even after Seaboard’s six Family Lines System railroads were merged into the Seaboard System Railroad on December 29, 1982. That began to change in 1983, when the WM was merged into the B&O. The Chessie image continued to be applied to new and re-painted equipment until July 1, 1986, when CSXT introduced its own paint scheme. In April 1987, the B&O was merged into the C&O. In August 1987, C&O merged into CSX Transportation, a 1986 renaming of the Seaboard System Railroad, and the Chessie System name was retired.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

CSX Heritage series locomotive 1982, the Seaboard System unit at Red River, Adams, TN

CSX Heritage series locomotive 1982, the Seaboard System unit, heads north across the Red River Bridge at Adams, Tennessee, as it leads CSX I026 northbound on the Henderson Subdivision on March 2nd, 2024.

According to Wikipedia: The Seaboard System Railroad, Inc. (reporting mark SBD) was a US Class I railroad that operated from 1982 to 1986.

Since the late 1960s, Seaboard Coast Line Industries had operated the Seaboard Coast Line and its sister railroads notably the Louisville & Nashville and Clinchfield as the “Family Lines System”. In 1980, SCLI merged with the Chessie System to create the holding company CSX Corporation; two years later, CSX merged with the Family Lines railroads to create the Seaboard System Railroad.

In 1986, Seaboard renamed itself CSX Transportation, which absorbed the Chessie System’s two major railroads the following year.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/1250, ISO 180.

CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 as it leads hot intermodal, CSX I026, across the Red River Bridge at Adam, Tennessee northbound on the Henderson Subdivision on February 27th, 2024.

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 CSXs locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, the C&O unit will join four other commemorative units in revenue service on CSXs 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 170.

#trainphotography #railroadphotography #trains #railways #jimpearsonphotography #trainphotographer #railroadphotographer #csxt #dronephoto #trainsfromadrone #trending

CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 as it leads hot intermodal CSX I026 north at Adams, Tennessee

CSX Chesapeake & Ohio Heritage unit 1869 as it leads hot intermodal, CSX I026, across the Red River Bridge at Adams, Tennessee northbound on the Henderson Subdivision on February 27th, 2024.

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 CSXs locomotive shop in Waycross, Georgia, the C&O unit will join four other commemorative units in revenue service on CSXs 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: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/240, ISO 170.

CSXT 763 leads intermodal I128 as it emerges from the Red River Cut at Adams, Tennessee

CSXT 763 leads intermodal I128 as it emerges from the Red River Cut at Adams, Tennessee as it heads north on the CSX Henderson Subdivision on February 27th, 2024. The overpass in the distance is hwy 41, a great spot to photograph trains from. Yesterday’s photo was shot from the bridge with my drone.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 170.

CSX I128 approaches middle Courtland in a light, foggy rain at Courtland, TN

CSX I128 approaches middle Courtland in a light, foggy rain, as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision, on February 22nd, 2024. The long 600mm lens makes the tracks look worse than they are.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Sigma 150-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1250, ISO 1250.

CSX rail train W471 southbound at Adams, Tennessee

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.

CSX Heritage series locomotive, 1976, Conrail Quality unit southbound at Adams, Tennessee

The newly released CSX Heritage series locomotive, 1976, Conrail Quality unit, pokes its nose above the train as it runs south as the DPU on CSX M513, at Adams, Tennessee on the Henderson Subdivision, on July 31st, 2023.

DPU – Stands for Distributed Power Unit, which is a locomotive set capable of remote-control operation in conjunction with locomotive units at the train’s head end. DPUs are placed in the middle or at the rear of heavy trains (such as coal, grain, soda ash and even manifest) to help climb steep grades.

According to Wikipedia: Conrail (reporting mark CR), formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company’s legal name. It continues to do business as an asset management and network services provider in three Shared Assets Areas that were excluded from the division of its operations during its acquisition by CSX Corporation and the Norfolk Southern Railway.

The federal government created Conrail to take over the potentially profitable lines of multiple bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and Erie Lackawanna Railway. After railroad regulations were lifted by the 4R Act and the Staggers Act, Conrail began to turn a profit in the 1980s and was privatized in 1987. The two remaining Class I railroads in the East, CSX Transportation, and the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), agreed in 1997 to acquire the system and split it into two roughly equal parts (alongside three residual shared-assets areas), returning rail freight competition to the Northeast by essentially undoing the 1968 merger of the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad that created Penn Central. Following approval by the Surface Transportation Board, CSX and NS took control in August 1998, and on June 1, 1999, began operating their respective portions of Conrail.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, Sigma 150-600 @390mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 220.