Drone Tour of the CSX Queensgate Yard in Cincinnati, Ohio

This will be more of a tour than my typical railfan videos.
CSX's Queensgate yard is one of the largest railyards in North America.
CSX lists it as its sixth busiest yard, just behind Avon Yard in Indianapolis and ahead of its Louisville yard.
Queensgate is about five miles long and has more than 70 miles of track.
It was built in the 1970s and opened in 1980.
The yard was created to replace several Chessie System yards in the area.
When it opened the decision was made to close the former L & N Decoursey Yard in Latonia, which had two humps. We’ll come back to this later in the video.
It's one of five CSX intermodal terminals in Ohio.
The others in Cleveland, Columbus, Marion and North Baltimore.
The yard can sort as many as 3,200 cars a day but only does around 2,000.
It has eight reception tracks, six departure tracks and 50 classification tracks in the bowl.
The hump works by gravity but computers control retarders which control car speeds and the switches that sort the cars.
Before the pandemic, CSX handled more than 50 trains a day.
Inbound trains are inspected by the car department.
They will perform light repairs and ensure the cars are safe and their shipments are secure.
Trains are sorted according to their priority.
Outbound trains are assembled by moving blocks of cars from the Bowl Yard onto one of the departure tracks.
Assembled trains receive an outbound inspection by the car department and brake test prior to departure.
Other facilities at Queensgate include a locomotive shop, car shop, CSX Intermodal terminal, and CSX TransFlo terminal.
South of the yard, we find the Southern Railway Bridge as it crosses into Ohio from Ludlow, Ky.
This Norfolk Southern train is entering the Gest Street Yard.
The former Southern Yard has the distinction of being the only pre-1980s yard in Mill Creek Valley that's still around.
You can see the back of Union Terminal, as well as CSX's intermodal facility where the former terminal concourse once stood.
Norfolk Southern handles around 40 trains a day in the yard.
Now, lets head over to the former L & N Decoursey yard in Latonia.
I typically see one or two trains sitting in what’s left of the yard.
I’m told it is overflow from the Queensgate yard.
It was the biggest yard that the L&N had but most of it is gone now.
The southern portion is still around.
It is run by Progress Rail and is a car repair facility.
I hope you enjoyed it.
I’m working on new railfan video from Bellevue Ohio.
We’ll see Moorman yard from the air and also look at the NS lines in the area.
Plus, you’ll see some of what the Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum has to offer.
The information in this video was gathered from several sources including:
www.cincyrails.com/
www.nkyviews.com/kenton/kenton... (this is where I found the old picture of Decoursey Yard)
www.donwinter.com/Railroad%20I...
towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/...
As well as information directly from CSX and Norfolk Southern.

[@distantsignal]

Beautiful stuff. Very nice camera work. I always knew Cincinnati was big, but did think it was THIS big. Crazy.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much, I really do appreciate it, especially coming from my favorite KZbin railfan!

[@MisterBroadnax]

Danny, you have GOT to come out here and shoot some videos! I would LOVE to meet you in person! Love Your Videos!

[@MisterBroadnax]

@Distant Signal

[@rherman9085]

Hi Danny! This was my old neighborhood.... 40 plus years ago. Spent many a day on one of the Viaducts train watching or from one of the hilltop spots, there were several.

[@thebabbler8867]

Cincat is a true powerhouse. Punches high above its weight economically in all sectors.

[@h-bohm2249]

If you’re ever out here again after a light rain this yard is a symphony of light brake squeals you can hear through he whole valley. Excellent video!

[@nkyrailfan]

I'll see if I can make it back out after a rain. I can imagine it would carry throughout the valley.

[@barbaramollmann5990]

They've got this video speeded up. I grew up living on the east, Camp Washington, then west side, South Fairmount, of the tracks over 27 years. We watched trains all the time and we're woken up by them as we slept. It was comforting. The tracks became much busier in the early 80's versus earlier when we started seeing more of the truck trailers and pods. Loved this video.

[@terryjennings2791]

Christian, after careful consideration I think this is your best work. The drone work and editing are fantastic, even by your high standards. I have a special connection to the Queensgate yard segment. My grandfather was the yard master of the yard that preceded Queensgate for the B&O in the 30’s and 40’s. My dad and 7 of his 8 brothers were B&O, later Chessie System, employees their entire working lives. He told me they were one of the first houses in their neighborhood to have a phone, sometime in the late 20’s or early 30’s because my grandfather had such an important job that the railroad saw to it that he had a phone in his home which he apparently wasn’t too happy about.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks for sharing that family history Terry. That's pretty incredible! I've heard similar stories about railroad worker families and how they were always doing much better than most others because of the job and the importance, prestige and pay it brought with it.

[@edwinkeithdyke2114]

This has been great, it is like looking at someone’s bloody big train layout.😊

[@nkyrailfan]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@elizabethhamilton1166]

Wow! I never knew Queensgate was this big and important! Cincy's got some big industry and big transport. Thank you for this great camera work and coordinating it with the traffic chatter. Wow! Thanks!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks Elizabeth, I really do appreciate it. Have a great day.

[@terrencealbright4276]

I use to dispatch trains into and out of CSX queens gate yard,it was a very busy terminal

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

great train video bro

[@phuturephunk]

Watching the cars roll into the bowl sped up was golden. I could watch that all day. I also love the banter on the radio.

[@nkyrailfan]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I'll have another video with some hump action from a different yard coming soon.

[@phuturephunk]

@@nkyrailfan Right on! Woo!

[@rickmcelfresh3774]

I've seen this for years driving into Cincinnati,(I live 20 miles west), but never imagined how massive it really was. Thanks for the video!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks Rick, I appreciate it. I've got another video coming out soon that will show some of the other side. Plus, some cars being sorted over the hump.

[@biancabianca296]

Pretty cool. I grew up right across the creek from there. Right in front of the half demolished grain silo. Took me a long time to be able to sleep when I moved to the burbs. I missed the train noises.

[@barbaramollmann5990]

North Fairmount or Cumminsville? I grew up mainly in South Fairmount.

[@biancabianca296]

@@barbaramollmann5990 Cumminsville. I remember sitting on the front steps of my Granny’s house drawing those grain silos. I had plans on exploring inside! Every time I went across the street the police magically showed up to escort me back across Beekman 😂! I was going to the top! My cousin and I got close to the trains once. We were playing with (early 90’s versions of) cap guns. This police officer pulled up and snatched them from us, threw them in the creek and shook us by the shoulders saying “This could get you killed! Do you hear me?!” I was shook! My cousin was pissed. That was my last trip across the creek to see the trains!

[@giffjim55]

Really great. I live in Dayton and have passed on I-75 many times, but I am amazed at how large the yard is.

[@historymuseum2000]

Excellent over view of the major Cincy railroad operations. Thanks for producing and sharing!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you Lee. I do appreciate it. I grew up in the Cincinnati area, but didn't really think about how massive this yard is.

[@steelcityrailfan4808]

What an awesome video. I loved listening to the radio for the yard while over seeing it.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much. I do appreciate it.

[@mickeymcgaha3203]

Good job.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks Mickey, I do appreciate it.

[@nancylynch6045]

Fascinating. We don't have many of these yards in Oregon.

[@nkyrailfan]

Really glad to hear you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

[@williamschlenger1518]

This is amazing 👍

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@kylemclaughlin1009]

Thanks for the fasinating footage, great work!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks Kyle, I do appreciate it.

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

What beautiful city . Thank s for reminding me.

[@nkyrailfan]

Glad you enjoyed it Steve.

[@fredwinter7411]

Very nice video's. Thank you for putting it all together.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much Fred. I do appreciate it.

[@STEWCAT88]

I enjoyed the view from the queensgates yard. I knew it was big but not that big. They should have tours of the place. Thanks for sharing the video.👍👍👍

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It would be nice if they'd offer a tour every so often. I know plenty of people, myself included, who would love to get a closer look at the yard.

[@STEWCAT88]

NKY Railfain that would be sooo cool.

[@lnrailroad3215]

I just found your channel. It's the best railroading site I've seen! Great video work, great narration! New subscriber!!💯💯💯

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much. I really do appreciate it.

[@markhayes6407]

An awesome freight yard. Video clear picture and the chatter is nice to hear too. I like the shots of the old abandoned grain elevator...I may model that for my HO scale trains. Would love to model that yard as well. Thanks for posting such a gem of a video.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks Mark. I do appreciate it. I had a lot of fun shooting the yard. It really gave me a better picture of how big it is.

[@thomaswordeman9004]

The drone shot looking onto the Southern Bridge was a great scene. I use to over look the yard when I visited the Cincinnati Railroad Club in Tower A in the CUT.

[@timmydever]

I sure miss tower A

[@keonikaig9247]

Sure happy that I found you ! ! Awesome...thank you 🌴👍😎🌴

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much, I do appreciate it.

[@doublediamondrailroad5949]

Awesome Aerial Tour! Love the Radio traffic and view of Hump Ops!

[@nkyrailfan]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Have a great day!

[@Wrathchildss]

I thought it was huge, until you said 6th largest! And thats just in Ohio! Holy crap!

[@nkyrailfan]

Hey John, My apologies for not being more specific. CSX says its Queensgate yard is the sixth largest in its system, not just Ohio. Below is more information from CSX about its operations: www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/company-overview/network-and-operations/ Have a great day!

[@Wrathchildss]

That’s awesome and don’t worry about it. I enjoyed it! I’ll take a look at that link!

[@stoplookinent4791]

This my old neighborhood

[@giffjim55]

This was also the first time I viewed cars going over the hump from a distance where I could see just how fast gravity pulled the cars along. Great video.

[@barbaramollmann5990]

James, they sped up the video. I watched the cars on the hump from the Western Hills viaduct. That's much faster than I ever remember

[@nkyrailfan]

Thanks James. Like Barbara pointed out, I did speed up the video to show more cars being sorted. I think it's either 8 times normal speed.

[@giffjim55]

@@nkyrailfan Sped up or not, it was a great video.

[@mikehowey4869]

Massive yard!

[@nkyrailfan]

There are several places to check it out. Plus, a spot just north of it where you can see all the NS and CSX northbound trains head out.

[@LeeDfined]

What a marvelous yard?

[@nkyrailfan]

If you're ever in the Cincinnati area, there are several great places to check it out and just north of it is a fantastic railfan spot called Winton Place, that both the NS and CSX traffic heading north passes by. It's accessible and wide open.

[@2010ditta]

Amazing. The yards we have here in the UK pale in comparison to yours Very enjoyable.

[@tommyhaynes9157]

Everything is bigger in America

[@Nethanel773]

Spectacular! This is the best rail drone video I have seen to date. Excellent work! I liked that you included the radio chatter. I even picked up some light banter at 13:07 :) Good job with the audio keeping out car traffic and keeping the engine sounds to the fore. Also liked you shot former DeCoursey.

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you so much, I really do appreciate that!!!

[@getinthevanihavecandy]

I was working the trim that day on 2nd. I remember all that conversation. The guy parking on 14 lead was holding over from 1st. This is hilarious

[@timdaugherty5921]

Your amazing

[@Belleville197]

you're*

[@christopherbrooks1020]

Cincinnati areas of St. Bernard and Elmwood you will see a dozens of trains in those areas as I nicknamed them the Railroad Village.

[@billmorris2613]

Good morning from SE Louisiana 4 May 21.

[@nkyrailfan]

Good morning from Cincinnati Bill. Have a great day.

[@jerrykinnin7941]

Queensgate has 4 railroads in it. CSX NS I&O and Cenral of Indiana The last 2 are Guyesse? and Wyoming. I haul intermodal out of both CSX and NS Gest st. That yard is around miles long from the bridge that crosses Spring Grove Ave. To the river.

[@MarkPoserina-xj5ft]

I can smell the Skyline Chili in the air

[@eottoe2001]

Hey, @NKY Railfain -- at the Newport Steel yard in Wilder, KY, Google Earth is showing three SW-1 units at this location 39°03'57.6"N 84°29'28.2"W, however, I have not been able to see it from the AA highway. Is that something you could check with your equipment? i'm very curious about them and where they came from. Thanks.

[@nkyrailfan]

Yeah, I can certainly check it out. I don't think I'll be able to do so for a week or so, but I will follow up and let you know when I am able to do so.

[@trainchaserelliot]

Nice subscribed!

[@nkyrailfan]

Thank you very much, I do appreciate it.

[@trainchaserelliot]

We are going to come up that way this summer if you have any pointers. Also if you like southeast trains check my channel out.

[@nkyrailfan]

Just subscribed. I'll check out your channel tomorrow. As for tips and spots, just give me a heads up when and how long and what you're looking for and I'll be happy to help.

[@trainchaserelliot]

Thanks we may just have to do a just for trains in Ohio. Going out to Ft. Madison and La Plata, MO and go to Chicago then head through Cincinnati on the way home.

[@trainchaserelliot]

Thank you going to practice with my new drone so that will help with my shots.

[@lukeWiz44]

Did you just have your scanner on scan all channels? Or was this all one channel.

[@nkyrailfan]

It was on scan. I assume it was mostly the CSX dispatcher because of how close I was and how busy they were at the time.

[@chessiekid4018]

I was a young dispatcher going over the road and our chief dispatcher wanted us to go to Queensgate. I was in the hump tower talking to the clerk there, Frank Hiltibrand. That was in 1981

[@JA17SBLVIIIMVP]

Is this bigger than Inman Yard?

[@nkyrailfan]

I've searched and searched and cannot find an answer for you. My guess is it's probably comparable, but I can't say whether it is larger or not. Sorry, I couldn't get an answer for you.

[@JA17SBLVIIIMVP]

@@nkyrailfan Thanks for the effort. I'm leaning toward Queensgate. If I remember correctly, I think Inman decreased in size over the past decade or so. Either way, both are impressive in size and volume!

[@thomashook8500]

Nice view of the Mill Creek. One of America's most polluted streams.

[@nkyrailfan]

They are "working" to improve the quality of it :-)

[@andrewknowles9783]

This is not true any longer. It's not 1997 when it earned that title from Rivers Unlimited . Work over the last 25 years up and down the creek had wildly improved water quality and habitat. Beaver, fish, muskrat, herons, and insect species have returned. It is safe for recreational contact and is quite a nice creek to paddle.

[@barbaramollmann5990]

Used to be when I was a kid in the 60's. P & G and other industries dumped all their pollutants into the Mill Creek. Since then they've really cleaned it up and you see all kinds of wildlife. Reference Andrew Knowles. I'd love to put a canoe or kayak in it and travel from St. Bernard to South Fairmount.

[@thomashook8500]

@@barbaramollmann5990 Glad to hear that. I know what was in it after working in the area for years.

[@loulehnhoff2637]

Did you say 50 trains a day Before the pandemic? Hunter Harrison reduced the capacity of queensgate when he took over.

[@nkyrailfan]

Yep, 50 a day before the pandemic. I'd be interested if anyone has an updated count now that things are returning to normal.

[@loulehnhoff2637]

@@nkyrailfan haven't seen 50 trains a day since 2007 on a good day just guessing I'd have to check they have about 10 out and 10 in not counting locals.

[@nkyrailfan]

@@loulehnhoff2637 you look to be pretty close. I just did a quick check and it looks like about a dozen trains originate at Queensgate.

[@loulehnhoff2637]

@@nkyrailfan just remember some of those are locals. Now the NS moves a rediculess amount of trains through Cincinnati. But they aren't run by a hedge fund.

[@jaredklock8754]

I thought you weren't supposed to fly over rail yards with a drone?

[@nkyrailfan]

Correct. Rail yards and some trackage is deemed critical infrastructure and you are not allowed to fly over it. However, I stay above Mill Creek or to the west of it throughout the flight at Queensgate. I do some digital zooms which may look like I'm over the property but I am not. The app I fly with shows me a the GPS location of the drone overlaid on a map of the area I'm flying to make sure I don't go anywhere I shouldn't. Also, DJI (the company which makes the drone) constantly updates it's geofencing to keep drones out of places they're not allowed.

[@jaredklock8754]

@@nkyrailfan Ah ok.

[@nkyrailfan]

​@@jaredklock8754 For a little more info, there is a section (2209) of the 2016 act that deals with the regulation and restrictions on drones that still needs to be "clarified" by the FAA and Congress. Essentially, it would give states and local governments the power to determine what is critical infrastructure and determine how close a drone could fly to it. That has a lot of drone advocates worried it gives too much power to those non-federal entities. Here's a pretty good article explaining it more in depth: dronelife.com/2020/10/23/section-2209-isnt-familiar-to-most-drone-operators-but-advocates-urge-the-faa-to-comply-with-it/

[@geodeuce]

Queensgate is not as busy as Avon? I though queensgate was much busier

[@nkyrailfan]

CSX says Avon is its fifth busiest yard, while Queensgate is listed as sixth. I'm sure they're very close though.

[@geodeuce]

@@nkyrailfan do You have a current or semi current list of the top 10-20 busiest yards. I think that would be interesting to know

[@geodeuce]

@@nkyrailfan btw love the video.

[@nkyrailfan]

Here is a link to the CSX page talking about its busiest yards. I have not been able to find any other articles detailing the largest yards. Union Pacific's Bailey Yard in North Platte, NE is the largest. Followed by NS Moorman Yard (at least in size) in Bellevue, OH. www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/company-overview/network-and-operations/

[@brokenwing2384]

Cincinnati is lame

[@barbaramollmann5990]

Really, bet you've never been there.