Well, just like with most folks during this year of COVID-19 for the most part we haven’t made much in the way of trips and none that required spending the night anywhere. It has been a strange and different time for us, as with many other folks that like to travel and see this great country of ours.
Chrystal and April in Chicago waiting for the YoYo Ma concert to begin. (Photo by Chrystal Brantley)
We did individually get in trips, me in February to visit my niece and Aprils daughter Chrystal who lives in Chicago and my sister April went up to attend a YoYo Ma concert at with her, both events were before the COVID hit the states and disrupted mostly everyone’s lives.
Also, since it’s pretty much a socially distant endeavor I have continued to make day trips around the tri-state area chasing and photographing trains, so at least that part of my photographic life has continued to some degree.
I have kept all my trips to where I get home every night as I’m still not ready to stay overnight anywhere where I can’t control my environment. Most of the trips are solitary for the most part, although a few times good friends and fellow railfans Ryan Scott and Cooper Smith have joined me individually on occasion. I have been limiting folks joining me on my railfan outings to one at a time as with COVID it’s much safer.
Departing Carbondale, IL on Amtrak to Chicago.
One of my favorite photos from my trip in February to visit Chrystal in Chicago.
I meet up with fellow railfan Robert Jitter while I was on this Chicago trip and he showed me some new spots!
Sis and I made a day trip to the Cheekwood Estate in Nashville, Tennessee to see and photograph the stunning glass works of Dale Chihuly that were and still are on display there. It was a beautiful day and we both enjoyed getting out and shooting pictures together!
Cheekwood visit… Click on photos for larger view!
Sis and I were planning to attend my Combat Camera Reunion at Ogden, Utah and it’s still on the books, although the dates have been pushed back twice already because of COVID. Right now we’re set for May 13th – 15th, but that will all depend on where things are at with COVID of course. I know several people, myself included are already discussing the possibility of moving it to October time frame which is when we normally have the reunions. Time will tell.
Well below is a sampling our lives this year along with a description of the locations and memories from the year! I hope you enjoy and here’s to more travel in 2021! (Click on photos for a large view.
I and six of the kids had a showing of our work at the Anne P. Baker gallery here in Madisonville, Ky before COVID hit. It shut down the exhibit about 2 weeks early, but it was a great event for the kids!
I and six of the kids had a showing of our work at the Anne P. Baker gallery here in Madisonville, Ky before COVID hit. It shut down the exhibit about 2 weeks early, but it was a great event for the kids!
I and six of the kids had a showing of our work at the Anne P. Baker gallery here in Madisonville, Ky before COVID hit. It shut down the exhibit about 2 weeks early, but it was a great event for the kids!
Damion gets fitted for his first Mask made by Sis.
A socially distant church moment.
The West Tennessee railroad, a trip with my friend Ryan Scott on New Years Day 2020.
Pastor Kara hams it up as she photo bombs Damion and Elaina at church.
A spring family dinner on the deck.
A stop in for a photoshoot and visit with my niece and nephews Journey, Jeremiah, Jordan and Jayden after a few months of lockdown. I was wearing my mask!
My nieces Adrianna and Emily stopped by for a visit.
My niece Journey and nephews Jayden watch at their brother Jordan gives his youngest brother a sympathy cry as they all gather for a MASK photo! Not sure why he was so upset.
Clowning around with Damion and Elaina. They have been at our house a lot so their mom could work from their home without distractions.
My niece Tracy works on Home Schooling the kids. It’s been a different year for them all for sure!
Damion and Elaina have a Zoom moment with their Aunt Chrystal who lives in Chicago.
A COVID Thanksgiving photo with sis, Ashley, Eliana, Damion and I.
My great-great nephew Xavier captured this family photo as we gathered around the table for one of three of our Christmas dinners! We did individual groups and kept the small.
Since exercise outdoors in a socially distant COVID event I was still able to get my walking in and of course a few photos along the way!
I got started in the world of Drones this year which gives me a whole new view of the world!
A collection of some of my favorite train photos from 2020! Click on photo for a larger view!
February 7, 2020 – CSXT 754 pulls CSX Q503-06 up over the rise at the north end of Crofton, Ky as it works its way south through the early morning blowing snow on the Henderson Subdivision.
March 14, 2020 – CSXT 5205 leads empty ethanol train K442 through Earlington, Kentucky in the pouring rain as it heads north on the Henderson Subdivision at milepost 271.
June 2, 2020 – This is one of my favorite shots from a 5 state, 22hr railfan trip, with fellow railfan Ryan Scott! This is a Canadian Nation local running long hood forward as it passed the iconic Memphis Pyramid with Grand Trunk 4917 at the North Parkway crossing in downtown Memphis, Tennessee.
September 10, 2020 – Paducah and Louisville 4518 & 4522 lead PRX1, a loaded coal train, as they depart Warrior Coal at Nebo, Kentucky, headed southbound for the barge loading and blending facility at Calvert City, Ky.
September 15, 2020 – CSX Q513-15 sits at the south end of Howell Yard after making a pickup as it waits for CSX Q028, 648 and 512 to clear his location so it can continue its move south on the Henderson Subdivision, with United States Army 4607 and 1869 running dead in tow as its last two units.
Both Army units have been refurbished and I found out that 4607 is heading to Hopkinsville, KY (Ft. Campbell) and 1869 is heading to Leland, NC.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Mini Drone, JPG, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 100.
Port Harbor RR at the A&K Railroad Materials Yard
Port Harbor (PHRR) switcher 8166, PHRR America’s Central Port 2758, “Illini Terminal” No. 2301 and 2064 sit tied down on Saturday, November 7th, 2020 at the A&K Rail Yard in Granite City, Illinois, waiting for their next assignment.
The conductor on BNSF 7447 throws one of several switches as it prepares to take its power out of the yard track to work on building his train at the Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) of St. Louis Madison yard at Venice, Illinois, with a rainbow of power sitting in the yard.
CSXT 5412 leads hot intermodal north Q028-10 across the Gum Lick Trestle between Kelly and Crofton, Kentucky as the last rays of the fall sunset rakes through the valley on the Henderson Subdivision.
Canadian National (CN) locomotive 3233 (Support our Troops) heads north on the CN Centralia Subdivision leading CN M396 as it spits the old Illinois Central Coaling towers at Carbondale, Illinois on December 15th, 2020.
Norfolk Southern 4004, a AC/DC Conversion also called the “Blue Swoosh” makes its way across the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel, Illinois as it leads NS 224 westbound on the NS West District on December 12th, 2020 with a string of truck frames and load of intermodals.
