Congratulations to Cooper Smith our first place and Bill Grady second place winners of our May 2022 chapter photo contest ! A reminder also that our July 2022 contest is currently underway and it runs for the whole month. All the entries may be viewed on the chapter’s website or our Facebook Group.

Each dues paying member is allowed to submit two photographs taken anywhere during the month. Entries with captions should be sent to jim@jimpearsonphotography.com by midnight on August 7th, 2022.

Get out trackside and shoot some pictures!!!

1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS May 2022 Photo Contest by Cooper Smith – An Amtrak Heritage Unit leads a westbound train through the semaphore signals at Bernal, NM on May 27th, 2022.
2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS May 2022 Photo by Bill Grady – Thursday, May 9, 2022 finds the President of CSX on a Inspection Trip across the LH&StL Subdivision “Texas”. Seen here on the East end of Owensboro at “Steelton”, the P001-09 originated at Indianapolis, ran to Louisville, across the Texas into Evansville, then south to Atlanta, Georgia.
Locomotive CSX 1 pulling a “Presidential Train” south at the North end of Casey Yard, Pembroke, Kentucky. – Photo by Bill Farrell
In a surprise of sorts, the CSX 911 “Spirit of Our First Responders” is the leader on CSX B419-14(Coke Loads) and is in a holding pattern at North King Siding just South of Princeton, Indiana. Seen here about to depart with a fresh crew, the B419 will head to Madisonville, KY and tie down at Atkinson Yard then wait for a P&L Crew to take it on to Calvert City for unloading. May 15, 2022. Photo by Bill Grady – Photo by Bill Grady
A southbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train glides along the coast at Ventura, CA. – Photo by Cooper Smith
A CSX Mixed freight heads southbound on the Henderson Subdivision at Mortons Gap, KY with CSXT 8181 leading. – Photo by Ricky Bivins.
CSX 4535 leads a mixed freight northbound on the Henderson Subdivision at Mortons Gap, KY. – Photo by Ricky Bivins

Below are the winners of our March 2022 photography contest and entries! Thanks for everyone who participated and we are currently in the middle of our month-long May contest! Get out and shoot something for the contest!!

1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS March 2022 Photo Contest – A BNSF Manifest is running westbound on BNSF’s Fallbridge Subdivision which follows the Columbia River on the Washington State side. The Columbia River is unusually calm in this stretch. This location is Lyle, Washington. March 18, 2022. Photo by Bill Grady
2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS March 2022 Photo Contest – Montana Rail Link’s Day Gas Local is headed railroad east out of Thompson Falls, Montana loaded towards Missoula, Montana on March 16, 2022. This location is called Eddy, MT. Photo by Bill Grady
3rd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS March 2022 Photo Contest – March 19, 2022: Raging through a field north of Adams, TN, I026 catches the final few minutes of sunlight as it runs north. Photo by Cooper Smith
March 14, 2022: USAX 6520 slowly pulls from the CSX Interchange Point at Hopkinsville, KY with a load of
military equipment bound for Fort Campbell. Photo by Cooper Smith.
2022-03-19 Savoy IL BNSF7355 ES44DC; Sometimes railfanning with a friend who is not a real train nerd can pay off. When we found this train, all I heard was ‘I drive, you shoot!’ After one of many attempts at different camera settings, here we are. Seen here in Savoy, IL., BNSF ES44DC #7355 heads north up the CN Champaign Sub where it will take a brief pause in Champaign yard to do some switching before making its way north to Chicago. Photo by Matt Gentry
Canadian Pacific 7047 leads a northbound through downtown Mortons Gap, Kentucky on March 16th, 2022
along the Henderson Subdivision. Photo by Rick Bivins
2022-03-19 Paxton IL CN3263 ET44AC; As a railfan, I think the majority of us tend to only shoot on nice, sunny days. I admit that I am usually one of those people. But when the day was planned a couple weeks earlier, you go out in spite of the weather. And sometimes a cloudy, moody day can work in your favor! Like this train here that is headed south down the CN Chicago Sub in Paxton, IL. with CN ET44AC #3263 in charge of a loaded ballast train. This train will change crews up ahead in Champaign and continue its journey south. Photo by Matt Gentry
A NB empty coal train with Canadian National 3131 as the South facing DPU heads through CN’s Edgewood Cutoff at Maxon Junction on March 19th, 2022 as it heads north at Paducah KY. Photo by Rick Bivins
1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest by Bill Farrell. CSX locomotive 87 on the head of a north bound mixed freight at Pembroke Yard as it heads through the blowing snow at Hopkinsville, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision.

Congratulations to the winners in our January 2022 Chapter Photo Contest!

1st Place – Bill Farrell, 2nd Place – Cooper Smith and 3rd Place was also Bill Farrell.

Also, at the last chapter meeting it was decided to change the bi-monthly chapter contest to the whole month instead of the last two weeks. This will not affect the October Contest however which will remain October 1-11th, This is to allow judging and printing of the Calendar in time for the November meeting.

Therefore, we are currently in the beginning of the March Photo Contest which runs the whole month. So get out trackside and shoot something! Each dues paying member is allowed to submit up to two JPGs for each contest. Deadline for submissions  remain the same, the 7th of the following month.

Here’s the schedule for the current and upcoming contests!

March 1-31, 2022
Submission Deadline: April 7, 2022

May 1-31, 2022
Submission Deadline: June 7, 2022

July 1-31, 2022
Submission Deadline: August 7, 2022

September 1-30, 2022
Submission Deadline: October 7, 2022

October 1-11, 2022
Submission Deadline: October 14, 2022 to allow time for the chapter calendars to be printed in time for the holidays.

January 1-31, 2023
Submission Deadline: February 7, 2022

Winners of the January 2022 Photo Contest and other entries are:

2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest by Cooper Smith. A Norfolk Southern manifest kicks up snow as it heads westbound through St. Louis, MO.
3rd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest by Bill Farrell. Looking North from Pembroke Yard as the snow falls at Pembroke, KY.
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest Entry: CSX 6914 heads south at Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. Photo by Cooper Smith.
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest Entry: CSX 4547 leads a mixed freight south through Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS January 2022 Photo Contest Entry: CSX 3184, Honoring Law Enforcement unit, leads one of the intermodals north on my birthday at Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision.  – Photo by Ricky Bivins
1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS October 2021 Photo Contest by Bill Grady. As the early Fall air has cooled down during the late afternoon, sunset begins to shine down on Norfolk Sothern’s Louisville District at Buechel, Kentucky.
2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS October 2021 Photo Contest by Ricky Bivins. The tail end of a Florida Brightline Trainset makes its way south at Mortons Gap, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision on CSX W989.
Norfolk Southern #60P led by CP #8138 (AC4400CWM) is a loaded Potash Train from Canada and is headed to the Clark Maritime Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
CSX J732 heads south through Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Ricky Bivins
1st Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS September 2021 Photo Contest by Chris Dees. Milwaukee Road 261 arrives back in Chanhassen, Minnesota on the evening of October 2, 2021, with The Gourmet Express, a wonderful fall colors excursion and culinary delight on the Twin Cities & Western Railroad.
2nd Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS September 2021 Photo Contest by Bill Grady. What looks like a Company Train, CSX U738-11 sports fresh GE CM44AH rebuilds 7253 and 7249 as they cross the Etowah River Northbound at Emerson, Georgia on September 17, 2021. This is on CSX’s historic W&A Subdivision.
On a perfect early fall morning, Norfolk Southern eastbound #223 is notching it out at Fisherville, Kentucky as he makes his way toward Danville, Kentucky. September 29, 2021. – Photo by Bill Grady
1776 Southbound at Cartersville, GA. 2021 during the L&NHS Convention. – Photo by Keith Kittinger
A CSX mixed freight southbound on the Henderson Subdivision at Mannington, KY. – Photo by Keith Kittinger
A loaded CSX coal train passes through the Hwy 1337 crossing at Richland, KY as it heads to Calvert City on the Paducah and Louisville Railway.
A CSX Mixed freight heads south on the Henderson Subdivision at Mortons Gap KY. – Photo by Ricky Bivins

1st Place West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2021 Photo Contest by Cooper Smith. CSX 3194, Honoring Our Law Enforcement Unit, leads Q025 south at Pembroke, KY on the Henderson Subdivision.

2nd Place West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2021 Photo Contest by Cooper Smith. Paducah and Louisville Railway 2129 leads LML1 south through Do-Stop, KY with loaded Scotty’s Rock Cars, headed for Madisonville, KY.

3rd Place West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2021 Photo Contest by Bill Grady. Waiting for its 1600 Call Time, INRD 9025 sits patiently for its crew member to arrive. A decent summer day allows you to see some of the buildings in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana on July 22, 2021.

Entry: Getting into the “sucker hole” of sunshine, Norfolk Southern westbound #77J rolls downhill on the roller coaster profile of the Louisville East District. – Photo by Bill Grady

West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2021 Photo Contest Entry: Canadian National 3141 and 2823 lead a southbound K train through downtown Mortons Gap, KY on the Henderson Subdivision on July 15, 2021. – Photo by Rick Bivins

West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS July 2021 Photo Contest Entry: CSX Honoring Our Law Enforcement unit 3194 leads CSX Q025 as it passes through downtown Mortons Gap, KY on the Henderson Subdivision on July 18, 2021. – Photo by Rick Bivins
First Place – West Ky NRHS March 2021 Photo Contest by Matt Gentry – Having heard of a southbound with UP power on the point on this bright and sunny spring day I wanted to get a unique shot. Remembering that almost all UP power has the American flag on the long hood and realizing that I was close to Crofton, I remembered an idea I had back in January. But this time there is a theme – Flags! Not long after setting up the shot, the train became audible and, to my surprise, traffic on US41 cooperated and left a huge window for this unobstructed shot.
Second Place – West Ky NRHS March 2021 Photo Contest by Cooper Smith – A Dash 8 rebuild CSX 7779 leads a K train north from Nashville, TN after meeting a southbound autorack train.
CSX rail train preparing to drop new continuous rail north of Crofton, KY. – Photo by William Farrell, 3/30/2021.
Rolling along at track speed, the always reliable CSX Q025 and his 12,700 foot train are about to cross Peddler McDonald Road just North of Sebree, KY on a wonderful spring Saturday on March 27, 2021. Photo by Bill Grady
March 28, 10:35 AM a South bound CSX Q-029 passes through Mortons Gap KY on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Rick Bivins
On March 30th, 2021 CSXT 434 pulls CSX W029 pulls a military train as it passes over the grade crossing at the north end of Kelly, KY as it heads south on the CSX Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by William Farrell
Having finished getting his train out of the Ohio River Valley, Norfolk Southern #224 is westbound and about to go under the new overpass for Lanesville Road just west of Georgetown, Indiana on March 24, 2021. – Photo by Bill Grady
On March 28th, 2021, Some foreign visitors head up a northbound covered hopper train headed out of Evansville, IN. Seen here going under the bridge that is Baseline Rd. on Evansville’s north side, the train has taken the siding to hold for a southbound manifest that will pass by shortly. – Photo by Matt Gentry
The rising sun peeks through a loaded CSX coal train as it heads south bound on the Henderson Subdivision on March 30, 2021 at Mortons Gap, Kentucky. – Photo by Rick Bivins
PAL 4516 heads up the northbound LG train as it passes Rob Roy Rd near Beaver Dam, KY. – Photo by Cooper Smith
First Place November 2020 – A southbound mixed freight passes the grainery between Trenton and Guthrie, Kentucky on the Henderson Subdivision. – Photo by Cooper Smith
Second 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 Steiner
3rd 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
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 Gentry
2nd 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 Smith
3rd 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
1st Place West KY NRHS July 2020 Chapter Photo Contest by Bill Thomas – CP No. 7021 (Canadian National) has a Desert Sand color with black markings used on military vehicles used in modern conflicts such as Afghanistan and Iraq. This locomotive dons the modernized ?Army? stencil font for the road numbers. The unit is a rebuilt SD70ACU, one of five locomotives honoring Canadian and U.S. armed forces. The train is southbound on CSX?s Henderson Subdivision just south of the Badgett Loop overpass off of Stagecoach Road, Madisonville, KY. – Photo by Bill Thomas
2nd Place West KY NRHS July 2020 Chapter Photo Contest by Blair Terry – South bound CSX locomotive # 3020 pulling a train of mixed freight. The locomotive has just cleared the lift bridge that crosses the Tennessee River at Decatur, Alabama. Photo by Blair Terry
3rd Place West KY NRHS July 2020 Chapter Photo Contest by Cooper Smith – CSX 5331 leads Q688 northbound on the Louisville and Indiana Railroad in Seymour, IN.

Other entries – Click picture for full view

We had a total of nine entries for the January 2020 chapter photo contest and the chapter members selected the winners during our February meeting.

First Place, West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society’s January Photo Contest Winner – A northbound CSXT 5291 pulls a mixed freight north on the Henderson Subdivision as it passes a south bound CSXT 763, leading a mixed freight in the siding at Kelly, Ky. – Photo by William Farrell
2nd Place by Jonathan Young, January 2020 Second Place winner of the West Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society’s January Photo Contest – My content 2-year-old, Hayden does some railfanning from the backseat as he watches a northbound mixed freight pass through Mortons Gap, Ky on the Henderson Subdivision. A young railfan in the making for sure!! – Photo by Jonathan Young
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest Winner – 1st Place November – 2019 – CSX coal train (N015) heads south on a snowy night in Guthrie, KY. – Photo by Cooper Smith
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest Winner – 2nd Place – The daily Chattanooga-Louisville manifest #172 is taking the siding at “Bryan” in Louisville, KY on 11-9-2019. The #172 almost always has a nice set of power leading. – Photo by Bill Grady
West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS Photo Contest Winner – 3rd Place – November 5, 2019 – F7P in push-pull configuration pictured at Branson Station, Branson, Missouri. – Photo by Jim Kemp

September 2019 Photo Contest Results

We had a total of nine entries for the July 2019 chapter photo contest and the chapter members selected the winners during our October 2019 meeting.

Our last contest of 2019 will run from November 1-15th and the deadline for entries will be November 17th, 2019. Send your entries to me (no more than 2 per paid chapter member) at webmaster@westkentuckynrhs.org or jim@jimpearsonphotography.com by midnight on November 17th!

We had a total of ten entries for the May 2019 chapter photo contest and all of them were really tough to judge, but I finally narrowed it down to 4 winners.

Blair Terry took first place with a nice pan shot of UP 4014 and 844! Our second place winner was his grandpa, Bill Farrell with Big Boy 4014 underway at Medicine Bow, Wy.

First Place, May 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – The “Big Boy” and UP’s 844 double headed, eastbound between Laramie and Cheyenne, WY. – Photo by Blair Terry
Second Place, May 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – The Big Boy 4014 on the fly at Medicine Bow, WY. on May 19, 2019. – Photo by Bill Farrell

Third place winner was Bill Grady with a overhead view of CSX Q532 at Johnsonville, TN and Honorable mention went to Cooper Smith for his dramatic photograph of a Paducah and Louisville Coal train pulling hard as it passes through Princeton, Ky.

Third Place, May 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – After a crew change at Bruceton, Tennessee, CSX Q532 is rolling onto the west approach of the bridge over Kentucky Lake at New Johnsonville, Tennessee on May 29, 2018. – Photo by Bill Grady
Honorable Mention, May 2019, West Kentucky NRHS Photo Contest – A Paducah and Louisville railway coal train heads north through Princeton, KY on it’s way to Warrior Coal in Madisonville. – Photo by Cooper Smith

Our next contest will run from July 15-31st and the deadline for entries will be August 7th, 2019. Send your entries to me (no more than 2 per paid chapter member) at webmaster@westkentuckynrhs.org or jim@jimpearsonphotography.com by midnight on August 7th!