President Keith Kittinger adds a helix to his HO scale model railroad. This route will lead to the new Morganfield Branch.
Author: Jim Pearson
An employee of the L&N Railroad in Paducah, Roy was instrumental in fighting the abandonment of the L&N trackage between Paducah and Murray. In 1981, he incorporated the Western Kentucky Railroad Company in an attempt to purchase the line. Although negotiations were unsuccessful, his efforts delayed abandonment and gave time for Jack Dunigan to create the J&J Railroad from Hardin to Murray. – Submitted by Chris Dees
Madisonville. Zach quickly re-gifted the transit to his nephew by mail. I think that made his Christmas!
Have you ever imagined “what might have been” if certain proposed railroad lines had
been built, or if routes had been slightly altered to go to City A versus City B? On-line and inperson
research at libraries can shed some very interesting stories of would-be rail barons
that failed to reach their dreams of pushing steel rails into America’s new frontier during the
1800s and 1900s. Even as late as 1965, Illinois Central’s Kentucky Division Track Profile
contained a proposed line from Providence to Dawson Springs.
An 1891 map of Kentucky’s then current and proposed rail lines available through the
Library of Congress’ website shows another railroad closer to the Pennyrile Region. This line,
the proposed Henderson & State Line Railroad, was to run from Henderson southeast toward
Bowling Green and Scottsville via Hartford. Mr. S.K. Sneed of Henderson was the H&SL’s
president and tried to obtain funding through bond issuances in Henderson in 1899 to
construct his railroad “from the foot of the L&N’s Ohio River bridge”. Unfortunately, the H&SL
had some stiff competition with the LH&StL between Henderson and Owensboro, and the
O&N between Owensboro and Russellville.
A March 28, 1899 Owensboro Messenger news article clearly stated “if the success of
the Henderson & State Line depends on aid from Henderson, it will never be built.”
Two map segments showing proposed Henderson & State Line Railroad (H&SL).
1st Place West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Photo Contest – KCS units lead an ethanol train south, at the location known as Monarch, where they duck under the P&L railway line, on the Henderson Subdivision at Madisonville, Ky on January 30th, 2021. – Photo by Ricky Bivins 
2nd Place West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Photo Contest – January 31, 2021: C841 heads south as it passes the Lothair intermediates just outside of Hazard, KY. – Photo by Cooper Smith 
3rd Place West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Photo Contest -Having dropped off his train of Autoracks at the Mixing Center in Shelbyville, KY, NS #23J rolls westbound towards the yard at Louisville on the “best” Snow Day of 2021. #23J is run as a extra Autorack Train on January 28, 2021. – Photo by Bill Grady 
Honorable Mention – West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Photo Contest – CSX locomotive 912 on the lead of a five locomotive lash up pulling a mixed freight south at Caskey Lane in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by William Farrell
CSX locomotive 6972 sitting at ideal in Caskey Yard, ready to pull a train of covered hoppers north bound. – Photo by William Farrell 
With Reitz High School looming in the background, CSX Q501-23 is winding his way south to the #1 Main in the Evansville Terminal. Due to congestion at Evansville, Q501 will tie down well south of Howell Yard and will do his work later in the evening, on January 23, 2021. – Photo by Bill Grady 
January 31, 2021: C841 departs Hazard, KY over the river and heads south towards Shelby, KY where it?ll drop off the empties. – Photo by Cooper Smith 
A North bound CSX at Mortons Gap, Ky, heads north on the Henderson subdivision against the early morning sun on January 30, 2021. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
Photo by Tom Steiner
Photo by Bill Grady 
Photo by Bill Grady 
Photo by Bill Thomas 
Photo by Cooper Smith 
Photo by Ricky Bivins 
Photo by Ricky Bivins 
Photo by Tom Stiner 
Photo by Will Kling
The engineer has just opened the throttle to get underway. When an operating steam engine sits, unmoved for any period of time condensation builds in the cylinders. Steam and air can compress, water and vapor cannot. So, when the train is to be moved the engineer must open the cylinder cocks at the bottom of the piston chamber and let the movement of the piston drive out the moisture. Obviously, it is not a safe place to observe, note the seagull scrambling to exit the scene.
In the picture, the Great Northern mallet # 2050 is exiting Interbay Yard in Seattle, with a long freight. Snow in Seattle is not rare, rather, just an annoyance to be dealt with. Having snow and cold temps does enhance the drama of steam and smoke, however.
That’s Queen Anne hill in the background, with city center beyond. Soon this freight will cross Bridge #4, over the Lake Washington Ship Canal trekking north along Puget Sound. Its destination could be Stevens Pass and points east, or continue north to Bellingham or Vancouver, B.C.
Our two oldest kids learned how to count watching slow moving boxcars from this same vantage point. We lived in nearby Ballard in ’61 & 62. All diesel by then, darn.
Credits: Hall Will Collection, Museum of History & Science, Seattle
Submitted by Gary Ostlund
Shooting trains at night can be troublesome so I here’s a few tips on shooting at night using manual settings. You can also shoot on auto, but you’ll get better results if you use manual as the headlights from a train can “fool” your camera on auto. Also, many folks photograph trains at night using flash, but that’s another ball of wax and involves a lot more work and I won’t be covering that in this article.
First and foremost are two things. Use a tripod and turn off your VR on your camera or lens, otherwise when shooting it can cause blurry images when shooting on a tripod. If your gear doesn’t have it then you don’t need to worry. This applies if you’re using a tripod.
For best results use the fastest lens you have with the fastest shutter speed. if you are hand holding also use the highest ISO you can, but no higher than you must, and when hand holding use the VR if you have it. It’s also a good idea to brace yourself against something to help hold the camera steady when hand holding at night.
Shoot a test exposure based on what the camera tells you. If it’s too dark, increase the exposure, too light, decrease it.
Join other night photography groups on Facebook so you can see what other people are doing and how.
Use the self-timer when possible when shooting at tight. It helps eliminate camera shake from when you press the shutter. Better still, get an electronic cable release.
Learn to manually focus your camera. Auto focus at night can be troublesome.
If your camera has a setting for Locking the mirror up before taking your picture, then use it. When shooting at night, sometimes the slap of the mirror can cause camera shake.
Pop over to YouTube and watch videos on shooting at night. There’s a wealth of them available and free!
Here’s a few good ones.
Here’s some articles on the subject as well:
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/railways-at-night-pictures/index.html
https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/when-steam-locomotion-ground-to-a-halt/
Night photography of trains and railroads can be very dramatic and enjoyable, but it can take time along with some trial and error till you get used to it, but very rewarding. When trackside at night or anytime always remember to be safe!!
I lucked out with a friend at Fortner Gas here in Madisonville. He let me know about the spur upgrade so I could get some shots. Just a few days after it was completed, I caught the local headed that way with some loaded tankers and got the switching action on camera. The cab shot in the trackmobile was a surprise bonus for me! Fortner has become a regional supplier of propane with this new transloading facility across from the Madisonville Industrial Park off Hwy 41A in Madisonville, Ky.
Notice the little touch of re-engineering on 4302’s panel door above! Yes, I got to couple up to the tank car and blow the horn! – Photos by Bill Thomas
Our 2021 Chapter Calendar is now available for purchase! Click on the link below to purchase a copy directly via online. The front features the third place winners from our yearly chapter contest winners and the interior features the 1st and 2nd place winners for the year. Since we didn’t have a November meeting and won’t have another till hopefully January 2021 it’s best that you order your calendar via online. If you prefer not to order online you may email the chapter at info@westkentuckynrhs.org and request one via our treasurer, Bill Farrell. With COVID, online ordering is the safest and quickest way to get your copy of the calendar.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR CALENDAR TODAY!
Below are images that show what the calendar pictures looks like.
Front 
Back
Greetings West Kentucky NRHS members!
Due to the governors mandate which is due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and Hopkins County being a “red” county, The City of Madisonville has banned pubic meetings. Therefore Innovation Station is closed. As a result the chapter meeting scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2020 is canceled and our next scheduled meeting will be in January 2021. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we must follow the mandate set by our leaders.
Locomotive 5446 north bound on the lead of a mixed freight just south of the Christian county line on the CSX Henderson Subdivision.- Photo by William Farrell 
Norfolk Southern’s Conrail Heritage Unit is leading the Daily Autorack train #124. But, is in the siding at West Crandall, Indiana holding for 2 eastbounds on a wonderful fall afternoon. September 21, 2020 – Photo by Bill Grady 
It?s a beautiful mid morning, September 22, in Madisonville, Kentucky, as CSX crews do preliminary work on the Arch Street bridge adjacent to the former L&N depot. The bridge will later receive a new piece of ?snap track? and modified walkways. Photo by Bill Thomas with Canon EOS Digital at 1/1000, f 4.3. 
September 20, 2020 – A southbound freight train is framed by trees at Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins 
CSX locomotive 3006 south bound pulling a mixed freight in Crofton, KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by William Farrell 
The Daily Norfolk Southern Train #172 is westbound chasing the last rays of sun on another beautiful fall afternoon. #172 is near Fisherville, KY on NS’s Louisville District. September 30, 2020. Photo by Bill Grady 
Septtmber 26, 2020 – Ormonde IL AMTK131 P42DC – Seen here at Ormonde, IL, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train #3 hustles west on an early fall afternoon. Strange consist to note; 3 locomotives and no baggage car. Covid traffic sure has changed the landscape of present day passenger rail as noted by the consist and the fact that this is one of the last daily Southwest Chief’s to run before schedule change go into effect in October. – Photo by Matt Gentry 
September 24, 2020 CSXT 3182 leads a southbound intermodal through downtown Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
