Northeast Corridor Newport News, VA to Boston-South Station, MA (1024x 768 pixels)

[strench707]

Metro Shots contiued...

Also, if nobody minds Im gonna pick my string of WMATA shots back up to share with you guys from he afermentioned trip.

Also on Sunday Im going back down on Amtrak so expect those to come.

Alright first off we have a shot from Fort Totten's lower level which is Green Line and an occasional terminus for Yellow Line trains continuing from McPhereson Square.

Here is a shot from Fort Totten's upper level which is Red Line Trains only. The two metro tracks are actually straddled by CSXT's Chicago Line and MARC operates on them which is their "Brunswick Line".

Here is an example the two outer tracks are the freight tracks:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

And the shot below is depicted from an aerial view here:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

Shot itself:

From the same platforms you can see the Green/Yellow platforms that are half inside and half tunnel station. Its the only one of its kind. Also if you look hard enough you can see our broken down subway down there. Here's a good aerial shot of the area:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

Shot:

Another random shot of a relay box just walking down the platform:

Another shot of it:

Signalling sensor, and its mini relay box...

Red Line train going outbound of DC (not our direction) pulling in pretty hot with the breaks squealing in the rain. The car pictured is more than two of my lifetimes put together old, It even has its origional bar code placard

Sorry about the bluriness but here is its tail end as it pulls out:

Now we have been on board our train for about a minute as we pull into the next stop; Brookland-CUA... Here is a shot of the station:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

Real shot:

Here we are pulling in pretty fast:

More to be continued on the next page....

 

[strench707]

Continued.....

Alright, well before Union Station we cant still be straddled by the freight line so we have to dip under and veer left so that they can go back to side by side. So here are some map shots of the whole ordeal:

Going in:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

The rejoining process and the metro popping out:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

Everything is back to normal:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

As you can see its a very short tunnel:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

The shot into the tunnel:

Now we are going up the hill to the elevated station: Rhode Island Avenue.

Map version:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

Here's the up close and personal version (my shot) now they have a good stack of replaced ties, that aren't depicted in the map shot. Look to the bottom of mine:

Basically the same thing....

This is the interlocking that redirects freights to the Camden Line for travels to Baltimore and points north or a connectyion with the NEC in Landover/Deanwood for points South like Richmond and Florida. Lets just say its very important that switch right there....

Another shot:

Self-explanatory:

Here we are crossing the tracks to the WMATA sied of Ivy City, notice there is electrification on one of the tracks, its no mistake, its so long electric trains being wyed can pull down there.

Map shot:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=fo...en, md|Fort Totten Park, District of Columbia

My shot:

Now we are descending into the Red Line shops called Brentwood in the Ivy City repair complex. The WMATA Red Line mainline tracks straddle the yards you can see the outbound track descending over yonder.

More from Brentwood/Ivy City...

Past all the Metro tracks you can see some structures and catenary in the VRE Shops/Yards

To be continued....

Davis

 

[strench707]

Next set:

A shot of a chemical tank in the yards with the VRE shops still visibile:

Here we have one of the CTC buildins which most likely controls the signal right out the window from me, also you can see some leftover switch parts like a frog....

Looking towards WUS. NY Avenue is the bridge directly ahead and off to the left the two tracks coming in are the outbound tracks. Also on the left there is a switch to an unelectrifed short spur with a temporary removeable buffer. This spot is used for launching new rail cars onto the tracks or removing them if necessary.

The train had stopped for a while at a red so I took another shot out to the left:

Going under NY Ave with the corridor at our side:

The NEC is working through its interlocking (which was a pain for me to build in Trainz)

More from the general vicinity:

Here we are in the recently added NY Avenue station. I think its the only intermediate stop built later on any line. Its smack dab in the middle of the NEC's interlocking area:

This is right before all the tracks bowl out into the station:

Blurry shot but the bowling out process has started

To be continued

 

[strench707]

even more....

Here we have a MARC geep (GP40WH-2) idiling in the mini yard before the unelectrified MARC Brunswick/Camden platforms.

Now we're starting to dip down behind some Amtrak offices. Also seen to the left are an Amtrak Switcher and a Kawasaki MARC Bi-Level

More offices and still going down:

Here we are in Metro's Union Station stop which is Red Line only:

Sorry this shot is really blurry (god damn phone, lol) but we have stepped off at Gallery Place/Chinatown to transfer to a Yellow Line train to Pentagon City, this is also the stop right below the Verizon Center so whenever I goto see the Wizards or the Capitols play or other stuff this where I get off.

Very few of these old faded bulbs still exsist as platform warning lights. Now almost all stations have the new bright red ones installed. It is very mix and match this was taken on the Green/Yellow platform, however the Red Line platform here at this same station has the red bulbs, like in the above picture. Anyways....

Here on the Yellow Line we have popped out of the ground after a quick stop at L'Enfant. To the left is the CSX tracks down to Alexandria and points south. This catenary is remanents of the day where electrified freights would go down to Potomac Yards and then transfer to diesil, now the supports are used as poles to hold up the CTC and power junk. We are crossing the potomac:

Its a very long bridge.....

Here is its swing bridge at about the halfway point, I dont know how muc or if it at all the swing function is used, it is heavily traversed by Amtrak/ 2 VRE Lines/ and CSX and NS (NS not so much but yeah sometimes, they redirect traffic west more). BTW both the Metro Bridge and Long Bridge (train bridge) are double tracked.

After a bit we went back under and here we are arriving into Pentagon City (Blue and Yellow Lines) :

To be continued....

 

[lsstaten]

nice route. funny im doing the B&O/CSX lines of the same area to baltimore on a DEM map. havent laid any track for the amtrak lines yet. got no track charts for that yet. keep up the good work.

 

[strench707]

Thats cool, are you referring to the MARC Camden Line trackage via Laurel MD? Thanks for the compliments.

Davis

 

[strench707]

The next set of Metro Pictures

Hi guys,

Im gonna try to finish up all these WMATA pics and maybe get some of the vids up later.

Also, Im doing a little Amtrak ride on the NEC today from New Carrollton, MD to Baltimore-Penn Station, MD. Then I will hop on the MTA Light Rail to Camden Yards, maybe take a few pics of the other MARC Station there. Ill hit the Baltimore and Ohio RR Museum and the harbor and maybe the Hard Rock Cafe for some good eating!!

So anyways lets finish off the Metro stuff:

Here we are just waiting for the doors to open at Pentagon City:

A shot from inside the Pentagon City Fashion Centre or just The Mall:

Sorry this shots blurry because Im whipping around the other way to get away from that beast ahead, LOL!

Heading back across the bridge in the rain.

Another shot of CSX's swing bridge across the Potomac River:

This is just a random shot as we descend into the tunnel after the crossing of the Potomac....

Our train only went as far as McPherson Square waited for 10 minutes and then went back towards Hunington (its orgination). To my delight the cause of all the "sever delays" was sitting right in our station. A MoW used to rebrace the rails down, since there's no spikes in tunnels they do it this way.

Looking down into the tunnel at the switch replacement team doing there work under a flood light!

This was the front of our train, the headlights just switched off and the marker lights came on, I thought it would leave now but it rested for about another 5 minutes.

I treid to get another shot down in there....

Continued on next post......

 

[strench707]

Continued.....

Another shot of the machine.

I walked down the platform a little ways and there was another one, they were both facing right towards each other.... I have no clue why though.

Well lazy bones over here hasn't made any indication that he uis gona move yet.

This is another shot of the machine, since I was bored. It was definatly a contracted job considering there was no Metro logos or any indication it was WMATA property and that it had this company's logo on it.

Another giveaway that it is contracted work is that it has knuckle couplers which Metro does not. Which probablymeans that they not only do subways but also mainline US work.....

Sorry its too dark to see much of anything but here is the cab of it:

Another cab shot

A much more significant gap than with subway cars, alittle more hazardous IMHO, lol

And finally the last pic of the day (once again sorry for the bluriness) our outbound Green Line train to take us home.

Now if you will exscuse me I actually have to get a move on and shower up and eat so I can make my 9:30 departure.

Thanks guys and those pics to come.


Davis

 

[strench707]

Progress, no presentable updates.

Davis

 

[stagecoachdriverdave]

While in DC this past week I got some pics which may be of use/interest to you

Amtraks Carolinian passing through L'enfant VRE stop

Yellow Line Metro crossing the Potomac towards DC

VRE departing Alexandria in the horrible weather on friday

Crystal City Metro Station serving the Blue and Yellow lines

Matt S

 

[strench707]

Cool shots Matt! I think I spy an F40 on the back of that VRE rounding the corner! Anytime ur in DC again just PM me, we could hang out if you want.

Davis

 

[strench707]

Update:

I have made some progress in the Crystal City area. However I could really use a prototypical 1 lane service road for the railroads. Preferably with no traffic. It definatly needs to be 1 lane because thats the real size. Also no asphalt, its mainly gravel or dirt. In some places its just gravel/dirt tire marks and in others its an approximate 1 lane wide graded strip of gravel and/or dirt.

Any insight would be great!!

Davis

 

[strench707]

PICTURES!

Okay I made mininmal progress but I wanted to share:

Here we have a southbound Blue Line Metro just south of its National Airport stop.

Here's a shot from inside the Southbound Regional in the background of the first shot. No really much but its an alternative prespective. This train is bound for Newport News, VA and its next stop is Alexandria, VA which it will be arriving in in about 3 minutes as long as CSX doesn't give any delays.

Looking south from the driver's seat:

Looks like only one track is open.....

I recently started work on Crystal City, VA. This is a VRE oly stop for both Manasass and Fredericksburg bound trains.

Looking at the ticket machine things. These aren't prototypical VRE ticket machines but since there aren't any this is a good stand in. If anyone wants to make some along with some VRE nameable signs or pre-named signs that would be awesome!

Since they were waiting for passengers to finish boarding the radical engineer climbed up top and snapped a shot!

Looking from the walkway in....

The engineer snapped this shot while pulling in. You can see a northbound CSX coal manifest (all empties) crawling down the main after waiting out a red. He will be at speed shortly.

He was also nice enough to nab this one out the side window..

Continued....

 

[PVincent342]

looks like ur beta testing some nice amfleets there

 

[jtb1234]

Whose Amfleets are those then?

 

[strench707]

Corey Fisher's. They were phase 3 beta and my friend and I made them phase 4b.

 

[Drumboy444]

amtrak/Marc building

Where can I find building similar to the Amtrak/Marc building shown in the above pictures. I have searched to Engine sheds/repair shops, but have come up with a very limited selection. Definataly nothing with that many tracks entering and exiting, probably four at the most. If anyone can help me with this request I would be appreciate.

Thanks,
Stephen

 

[strench707]

Im sorry but could you please quote the picture. Im alittle slow today

Thanks

Davis

 

[Drumboy444]

Im sorry but could you please quote the picture. Im alittle slow today

Thanks

Davis

This building is found in a picture within post #3 submitting in January.

 

[strench707]

The Amtrak/MARC building:

Thanks

Davis S.

I am assuming you are tlaking about this one. I actually kitbashed it. This is a good idea for making specific shed sizes of may shapes and varietys. Notice this one is not a perfect square but has exstensions and spurs.

To answer your question I used JJS Retaining Wall for the walls and JJS Retainign Wall Portal for the openings for the track. I then used conc slab 100m (any size will do i.e. 25m 50m, etc.) and I raised it (its a spline) so that it comes flush with the roof.

If you need clarification or if this isn't what you are tlaking about please ask.


Thanks

Davis