Jacob Kempf Photography

06/03/2026

It's not too often you get a pair of special locomotives on the same train. This was the case over Memorial Day weekend when CPKC train 230 was reported with one of their military tribute units ahead of one of the retro-painted units. While the cloudy weather was less than ideal, it was neat to see this pair of locomotives on the same train.

CPKC 230
Adrian, MI (Norfolk Southern Detroit District)
May 24, 2026

04/18/2026

I've been digging through my archives over the last few weeks and reimagining some older photos from my college years. Here we have the eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian in Summerhill, along the Pittsburgh Line, shot on a day trip with some friends from Virginia. The signal bridge was removed when NS upgraded the line with PTC, and the B32s no longer run on this train, though 514 is still in active service, most recently seen running on the Borealis between Chicago and St. Paul.

Amtrak 42 (NS 04T)
Summerhill, PA
July 24, 2013

04/10/2026

As the sun rises on a beautiful Spring day, NS 4297 motors westbound along the NS Fostoria District with a train of autoracks in tow.

NS 11E
Leipsic Junction, OH
April 12, 2025

04/07/2026

Haven't been posting here for a while as my wife and I adjust to being new parents! (Our daughter was born at the beginning of March! 👶🏼) Got a chance today to look at some shots from my last trip up to the Iron Range, right before the rebuilt GEs took over the ore and limestone trains. Here we have a northbound limestone load passing MP 26 on the Missabe Sub amidst a heavy thunderstorm. These EMDs made some good sounds as they headed north in the rain!

CN U71981-04
Burnett, MN
June 4, 2024

03/04/2026

Railroad Photography Friends, I have a request!

If you are out trackside tomorrow, March 5, between the hours of 10AM and 5PM Eastern Time (adjust for your time zone), I would appreciate you sharing your favorite image(s) with me from that time frame. Feel free to post them in the comments here, or send them to me in a message!

Thank you!

02/14/2026

Ten years ago, I found myself along the CSX Garrett Sub outside Defiance waiting for the westbound 'Salad Shooter' with UP 1996 on the point. Prior to that train's arrival, I lensed this eastbound stack train from the Route 18 overpass outside town. Despite a decade of time passing, this scene remains relatively unchanged now, aside from the expected vegetation growth.

CSX Q010-14
East Defiance, OH
February 14, 2016

02/14/2026

Norfolk Southern action in Wauseon, OH along the former New York Central Chicago Line!

Located at MP 320 on the Norfolk Southern Chicago Line, Wauseon, OH sees upwards of 50 trains a day, including Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited and Floridian. For...

01/28/2026

With all the cold recently, here's a throwback to an evening in late May of last year.

With wildfire haze hugging the horizon, KCS and CP GEs lead loaded sand hoppers eastbound at dusk along the Norfolk Southern Chicago Line. The train is destined for unloading at Avonmore, PA along the Conemaugh Line.

NS 60N
Wauseon, OH
May 31, 2025

01/23/2026

Continuing the '2016 Throwback' trend, I visited Bellevue, OH in late February of that year. If memory serves me correctly, the day I visited was extremely windy, so I opted to shoot stills only and no video. This manifest departed the yard, heading toward Columbus, ten minutes before an eastbound Wheeling & Lake Erie train, which I ended up chasing for a few miles outside of town.

NS 375
Bellevue, OH; Southwest Street Interlocking
February 28, 2016

01/20/2026

The latest social media trend has us throwing it back to 2016! In searching my archives from that year, I stumbled on this photo from an extemporaneous trip to the western end of the Pittsburgh Line right as signal modernizations were beginning to happen. This westbound tank train is passing under the MP 318 bridge east of Greensburg, PA. Further inspection will reveal NS 1080 as the lead unit. This unit would become the D&H heritage unit in the Summer of 2025.

NS 65T
MP 318; George's Station, PA
February 7, 2016