ACH Photos

ACH Photos Photos from somewhere out there on the high iron

"The Magic of Steam Railroading." I joined thousands of others in Nicholson, Pennsylvania to watch Union Pacific Railroa...
06/16/2026

"The Magic of Steam Railroading." I joined thousands of others in Nicholson, Pennsylvania to watch Union Pacific Railroad's 4014 "Big Boy" cross the bridge. As they made their way across, a girl and her dad took in the scene, marveling at the surreal scene in front of them. Scenes like this playing out across the route show why the hard work of Ed Dickens and his team are so worth it.

“It was all a dream.” I’m back after chasing the Big Boy through Pennsylvania. After a wildly improbable day of chasing ...
06/15/2026

“It was all a dream.” I’m back after chasing the Big Boy through Pennsylvania. After a wildly improbable day of chasing 4014 on the R&N, we went for dinner and of course had to swing by Nesquehoning. Simmering under the starry eastern skies was Big Boy, far from Cheyenne, and certainly a wild sight in the Pocono mountains. It was so crazy walking beside the UP OCS on a beautiful mountain evening, chatting with friends, telling stories, laughing, and in awe of the moment. Maybe one day this fever pitch will break, we will all wake up and realize it was a dream. But that’s why we endeavor to capture these images, right? To show that indeed: the 4014 ran next to the 2102. It happened. It was real. We lived it. While it was a dream; dreams CAN come true. And it was magnificent.

Last nights picture got me thinking I should probably share more of my iron range photos. This unique operation run by t...
06/07/2026

Last nights picture got me thinking I should probably share more of my iron range photos. This unique operation run by the Canadian National takes taconite and ore from mines on the range and brings it to the docks in Duluth to be loaded to ships. For a long time, this was vintage EMD country. For those of us who are power buffs, this was the place. But like everything, progress eventually comes, and with it change. Before CN transitioned over to modern GE locomotives, I spent time chasing taconite trains with vintage leaders through the woods of Minnesota. Here, BLE 909 leads a southbound train in phenomenal afternoon lighting. We chased them the whole way from the processing facility to Duluth.

All this talk of the Aurora Borealis lately has me thinking back to my trip to Minnesota's Iron Range. The lights were v...
06/06/2026

All this talk of the Aurora Borealis lately has me thinking back to my trip to Minnesota's Iron Range. The lights were visible in Duluth where we were staying, but we knew going way out in the country would be the ticket. So we saddled up and headed away from light pollution, and watched a SPECTACULAR show of the Aurora Borealis over the railroad. I framed up these cross bucks on a dirt road while a powerful substorm danced overhead, and the vibrant greens and purples were visible to the naked eye. It's something I'll certainly never forget, and I am so glad we went out to take advantage of it.

Sometime last night this page hit 1.2K followers!! Simply amazing!! Thank you all for the support and coming along my ph...
06/03/2026

Sometime last night this page hit 1.2K followers!! Simply amazing!! Thank you all for the support and coming along my photography journey with me, I am so appreciative. To celebrate, enjoy this photo of CSX P001 crossing Powell's creek on a beautiful morning. Thank you, everyone!!

In May of 1950, the Norfolk and Western released the Class-J 611 from its east end shops in Roanoke, VA. The 611 would g...
05/30/2026

In May of 1950, the Norfolk and Western released the Class-J 611 from its east end shops in Roanoke, VA. The 611 would go on to a storied career pulling N&W’s hotshot passenger trains before the railroad transitioned to diesel. Saved through the efforts of many, it’s now an iconic piece of American railroading. Seen here passing the big spring mill in Ellison, VA back during the 21st century steam trips.

25A hotshots through Boyce on a beautiful spring morning. Since 1881 the community and the railroad have coexisted, crea...
05/29/2026

25A hotshots through Boyce on a beautiful spring morning. Since 1881 the community and the railroad have coexisted, creating scenes like this one.

Boyce, Virginia is emblematic of so many small towns across Virginia. The community in fact owes its existence to the Sh...
05/29/2026

Boyce, Virginia is emblematic of so many small towns across Virginia. The community in fact owes its existence to the Shenandoah Valley railroad, which later became the Norfolk and Western, now today's Norfolk Southern railroad. As it was in the 1800s, it is today, with trains thundering through the center of town, hauling goods to far away places. On a gorgeous spring morning, southbound hotshot 25A begins the parade of trains as it passes by Charles Snead woodworking. The quiet of a mountain town is temporarily disrupted by far off horns, crossing gate bells, and the whoosh of JB Hunt intermodal, only to be replaced once the flashing rear end device of the train passes by.

C227 winds through the Alleghenies with a load of West Virginia black diamonds in tow. The cloudy morning was perfection...
05/26/2026

C227 winds through the Alleghenies with a load of West Virginia black diamonds in tow. The cloudy morning was perfection for sand patch, and the sound of the dynamics, smell of the brakes hanging heavy in the mountain air, made for a hell of a show.

There are some places on the railroad where a cloudy day is what you need, and sand patch can certainly be one of them, ...
05/26/2026

There are some places on the railroad where a cloudy day is what you need, and sand patch can certainly be one of them, which is how I found myself there on a recent Saturday. While the day may have been damp and dreary, the greens of the Alleghenies were electric as the scanner crackled to life. The wait was not long as we soon heard the far off sounds of horns and dynamics as a loaded coal train descended the mountain. Not long after hearing them, C227 was snaking their way down the mountain through Fairhope with a heavy coal drag in tow. The smell, the sounds, the whole experience really makes you appreciate why those of us devotees of the Iron Horses love this stuff so much. Sand Patch is one of those places that never gets the credit it truly deserves for how good the show is.

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