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
Click on images for full view of photo!
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
First Place November 2020 – A southbound mixed freight passes the grainery between Trenton and Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Cooper SmithSecond Place November 2020 – A southbound freight prepares to pass through then north end of Latham Siding as it heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Hopkinsville, Ky. – Photo by Tom Steiner3rd Place November 2020 – Workers from Track Tech in Calvert City, KY, are framed by the long reach of their track hoe as they work to replace the CSX spur at Fortner Gas’s transloading facility in Madisonville, KY, in late October 2020. The joint project by CSX and Fortner Gas upgraded the spur to 115 lb. rail, a few new ties, and switches. The track to the right on which the track hoe sits, is the lead to the Madisonville Industrial Park on the other side of Hwy 41A. – Photo by Bill Thomas
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
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!
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.
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.
1st Place, September 2020, West Ky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest – September 27, 2020 – Champaign IL BNSF6900 ES44C4 – Feast or famine on the IC. After allowing the southbound Amtrak commuter train pass by at points north, southbound oil train, led by BNSF 6900, snakes its way into the north end of Champaign yard. Thanks to the low light, a second southbound train, led by a CN SD70M-2, passes the grain elevators at Leverette and approaches north Champaign right on the heels of the oil train. – Photo by Matt Gentry2nd Place, September 2020, West Ky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest – September 26, 2020: CSX 8315 (SD40-2) leads Q501 around the curve at NE Kelly on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Cooper Smith3rd Place, September 2020, West Ky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest – PAL 4522 heads up the southbound LG train through Caneyville, KY on a nice fall afternoon. – Photo by Cooper Smith
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
August 26, 2020 – A southbound CSX J732 passes a northbound CSX Q648 at Nortonville, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. Jim Pearson, photo Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 200.
September 24, 2020 – Paducah & Louisville (PAL) 4512 and Evansville Western 4511 lead a 5,400ft loaded coal train across Barkley Dam at Grand Rivers, Kentucky on the Cumberland River, as they head for the Calvert City Coal Terminal at Calvert City, Ky. Jim Pearson, photo
Ethanol Train Meet at Mortons Junction – BNSF 6357 heads up loaded ethanol train CSX K707 as waits on the Earlington Cutoff at Mortons Junction, as empty ethanol train CSX K423 heads north on the Earlington main, on the henderson Subdivision at Mortons Gap, Ky Jim Pearson, photo
A great show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harback for their 1933 musical Roberta. The popular song has been performed by numerous performers, but the most famous version was recorded in 1958 by The Platters.
Smoke in the eyes of engine crews racing across America’s landscape, however, not so wonderful. The configuration of steam motive power dictated that the smoke stack be up front, ahead of the boiler. That fierce exhaust is what creates the draft, keeping the firebox ablaze. Also, the fireman watched the stack, as a useful gauge on his proficiency.
Most railroad management was oblivious to the problem, but the Union Pacific and a few others solved the problem, to a degree, with “elephant ears,” as they were nick-named. The ears extended in front of the smokebox, curved inward along the top, and with fast forward movement, created an updraft. At slow speeds, tough luck, you best hope for a good side wind. The Southern Pacific solved the smoke problem particularly in their many tunnels by buying Cab-forward steam locomotives.
I can remember vividly parked along the Chilkat River in Alaska back in 1958, drinking terrible home brew, watching the Northern Lights, and listening to the Platters then new hit; “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” radio static and all. (It does get better than that…)
Credits: Classic Trains – Winter 2010 – Photos top Stan Kistler collection, bottom Allen W. Madison and Wikipedia
Various HO scale freight and passenger cars. Most with Kadee or compatible couplers. Contact Bill Thomas, 270-339-9482, for a detailed list. Examples below.
September 17, 2020 – CSXT 3439 and 275 lead loaded coal train CSX N040 south on the Henderson Subdivision as it approaches the John Rivers Rd. crossing at south Casky in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/320, ISO 100.
Jim will present a program on Railfanning with a Drone at our November 16th, 2020 meeting. Be sure to attend!
CP GP20C-ECO 2204, rebuilt from GP 7/9 parts, is still laboring on during the morning of September 7, 2020 (Labor Day). Tucked in as the second unit on St. Paul, MN-Chicago Manifest 286, she awaits a clear signal across the CN diamond at Duplainville, WI. – Photo by Chris Dees
