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

[strench707]

Lol, actually the real speed limit through there is 110mph, I just haven't implemented that yet. That engine actually tops out at 65mph bekieve it or not.


Now Im off to go railfanning at BWI.

Davis

 

[strench707]

Hey guys I went railfanning on the NEC today and my dad and I took some pictures so if anyone is interested I can post them here.

Davis

 

[Isaacg]

Post Away!

 

[strench707]

Pictures

Hello all!

Well, for me this 3-day weekend was full of railfanning. I started on Saturday by hanging out with my friend who is the staionmaster of Union Station. Sunday I spent all day working on the route. And today Monday I had quite the adventure.

So I will start out with shots from Saturday. My sister had a horse show so we couldn't stay very long but since there was an accident involving a HHP-8 and a deer up near BWI the whole station was backed up and more bustling than normal Saturdays.

My only regret is that I walked right up and down the MARC MP36 test train and I spaced out and forgot to take a pic of the engine. Aw, maybe next time I suppose....

So here comes the pics:

Here we have AEM-7AC #928 positioned for an inbound Long Distance Train from the South:

Here we have the very late NB Crescent pulling in with P42DC #139 as the lead unit:

Workers within the safety of the initiated blue light safety zone are now preparing to slack out the engines so they can decouple. Notice the cab car on the back of the MARC MP36 Test Train is in the foreground:

Here an Amtrak switcher is pulling two ex-PRR, ex-PC, ex-Amtrak now back in PRR livery private cars that the very lucky guy hanging out the door owns. The switcher is taking these up to the Ivy City Yards in this shot:

Both cars pictured:

I wish I could have stayed longer but thats all for that.

My railfanning adventure will be in the next post(s)...

Thanks

Davis

 

[strench707]

Okay now here are today's (Monday's) shots.
First I went to the BWI Station to catch some trains there.
Then I went to Elkton, MD to go check out the Thames Bridge from the Civil War and the Camden Line trackage in the area.

So lets start chronologically at BWI:

Here we have a NB Acela Express headed for New York coming in hot on Track 1. Notice the almost opened platform exstension down there:

cntd...

Getting closer with ditchlights now flashing and beel now clanging:

Easy does it.....

NOTE: Since the platform exstension is not yet open and the current platform is inadequete to fit the whole train the Acela has to park a good one or two cars ahead. This will soon change when that section previously shown opens:

There's me messing with my Flip Video Camera wearing my Acela T-Shirt, Operation Lifesaver/Amtrak hat and dirty shoes and shorts!

Doors now closed back up:

The rear unit's pantograph as it slips out of the station:

Well my rear and the train's rear, lol:

A great shot of the train heading North around the bend. You can see the supports for the farther behing exstension of the platform to the North and after thats done then, the platforms will be finally the same length. Also note the backs of the speed limit signs hanging in the catenary:

Continued...

 

[strench707]

Still at BWI:

Well I was sitting down when I heard a horn. I jumped up too late and at least caught this shot of a Northbound Silver Service. NOTE: How all LD Trains have had there consists flipped so Coaches are up front and sleepers are in the middle:

And on the back rattling on at 110mph+ is a PV Car. I'm not sure who's but I recall the sides were painted very patriotic.

Another shot where you can see the whole consist:

Now I switched sides just in time to be on the wrong side of an inbound double headed Northeast Regional headed North:

cntd:

Hey there's me already sunburned and squinting at the sun. We cant get any good pics of me can we? lol Here ya go:

Squealing to a halt....

Parked and exchaging passengers:

The rear as it pulls out:

And I thought all the trains were gonna come on track 1 today (lol) then here comes this Southbound Northeast Regional headed up by HHP-8 #663:

Continued....

 

[rusty6896]

Excellent shots. Since you were the one being photographed, I presume your father was the taking the pics.

 

[strench707]

BWI Continued:

And I thought all the trains today were gonna be on Track 1 (lol) here comes this Southbound Northeast Regional:

Another shot of HHP-8 #663 pullin' in:

Buisnessclass:

Lookin' forward. There's me by the pole:

Me waiting for its departure:

Conductor doing a final check. He realizes that just because Im standing up there doesn't mean I can't find my way on. He's like; "The doors here kid!" lol:

Pulling out. Next stop New Carrollton, MD. There's me still watchin with a train lover's passion!

I'm tired now so the next set of pics are comin at ya tommorow.

Hold tight and enjoy!

Davis

 

[strench707]

Excellent shots. Since you were the one being photographed, I presume your father was the taking the pics.

Him some me some.

Davis

 

[rusty6896]

Cool shots. But be safe out there. Amtrak has created a new policy that says your not allowed to take photos of any kind from their station platforms. It was written up recently both in Trains and Railpace.
Rusty

 

[strench707]

Cool shots. But be safe out there. Amtrak has created a new policy that says your not allowed to take photos of any kind from their station platforms. It was written up recently both in Trains and Railpace.
Rusty

Yeah but honestly who cares. I'd rather get yelled at then miss out on great pictures. I actually read that article in Trains as well.

But here's the nitch at BWI:

All the clueless strict station workers stay in the ticket/waiting building so the only people you interact with on the platform are the conductors and engineers when they step out of the cab for fresh air (which they do quite often at BWI). But all those conductors and engineers are more often than not heavy railroaders and appreciate pics and dont support the policy.

Davis

Oh and Ill post the pics in a second.

 

[strench707]

Continued:

Now are next stop was Elkton, MD to get some gas and to see some trains. So we headed up a really steep and windy road and came across CSX's Camden Line that MARC uses during the week.

Here is a shot looking around the bend towards the Thames Viaduct which is double track and is the same structure as it was in the Cival War:

A closer look across the bridge:

Now looking the other way (South). Apparently someone doesn't want their log anymore:

Zoomed in down that way:

More shots of the bridge. More foucsed on the patchy protective fences for workers:

Again the bridge. If you look farther down you can see where the fence has just turned into poles:

Last pic of the area:

Now driving back under. That stonework is ancient:

Now we're pumping up has at a local BP. Here you can see another Camden Line Bridge. This one isn't quite from the 1830's as the other one was but nevertheless is probably very old:

Pretty sweet motorcycle in the shop window:

Continued.....

 

[strench707]

Still in Elkton:

Here we have another shot of that bridge:

Zoomed in. Dang I wish a train would go by:

Here's alittle perspective of the old town with the bridge on its high enbankment cutting right through:

A really tall highway bridge cutting through the valley that doesn't really go with this town's overall scene:

Here's alittle more clear shot of the vviaduct:

Next leg of journey will be on next post(s).

Davis

 

[strench707]

Leg 3:

So my dad and I decided that we wanted to find the exact spot where the Cmaden Line crossed the NEC. To do this we had to tresspass big time. The two nearest stations to the spot would be Halthrope to the North of it on the NEC and St. Denis to the East of it on the Camden Line. So we settled with St. Denis and started walking down the mainline for a bout a 1/2 mile til we hit the spot. The funny thing is that here the Cmaden is 4 tracks and the more important NEC is only 3 tracks. Enjoy:

Here my dad is standing on the Camden above the Penn in his Penn Central Green T-Shirt:

Here's me in my Acela T-Shirt in the exact same spot:

Here's a stake thing to mark a pipe under the ballast. You can see it pop out as it goes over the bridge:

Lookin' down the NEC towards Halethrope:

Me again squinting at the sun and getting more burned by the second:

Notice to the right of the 3 NEC tracks there is a gap. Amtrak foolishly ripped out the 4th track and now its going to take forever to get the money to put it back in:

I dont know how this got in the mix but this is back in that Elkton town. Sorry bout that:

Anyways, now we're looking across the 4 tracks South to BWI:

Again but more zoomed in. You can see the little speed limit signs' backs hanging in the catenary:

Looking down the line there are two (hopefully) parked CSX diesils:

Continued....

 

[strench707]

Continued:

Another shot up down the line:

Looking down the Camden the other way (the way we came). Notice the signal gantry is brand new. All the interlocking between that gantry and the gantry way in the distance is all freshly ballasted concrete track. Also that gantry down there past those 3 overpasses is just about where we started walking so yeah it was a long haul:

The marker thing cuz I was bored:

Well outta the blue on the otherside of the bridge two dirtbikers and an ATV rider come flying out of the woods, cross the bridge and continue down the main. Thats alittle worse than what we're doin:

The tail end of the convoy:

Here comes a NB Acela Express fresh outta BWI:

Look how the insulator covers all four of the headlights:

Great shot:

Preparing to tilt around the bend:

Going away:

Continued...

 

[strench707]

Still there:

Here as it tilts around the bend you can here it honk its horn as warning for Halethrope:

Well thats it:

Well for those of you who viewed thanks for watching. I hope I can do another adventure like this soon and share with you.

If you have any questions, comments, and/or critiques then feel free to post.


Thanks

Davis

 

[PerRock]

Yeah but honestly who cares. I'd rather get yelled at then miss out on great pictures. I actually read that article in Trains as well.

But here's the nitch at BWI:

All the clueless strict station workers stay in the ticket/waiting building so the only people you interact with on the platform are the conductors and engineers when they step out of the cab for fresh air (which they do quite often at BWI). But all those conductors and engineers are more often than not heavy railroaders and appreciate pics and dont support the policy.

Davis

Oh and Ill post the pics in a second.

you won't just get yelled at. you will get fined and possibly arrested for some terrorism charge.

peter

 

[cascaderailroad]

Please be careful when trespassing on RR right of way, it may seem safe...but it is not...Homeland Security has extremely valid reasons for watching and arresting trespassers who are ON the right of way, and at interlockings, and other places where security is needed. And too, the remote RR locations are unsafe, as violent individuals may accost you of your photo gear. Great photos by the way !

 

[Isaacg]

Please be careful when trespassing on RR right of way, it may seem safe...but it is not...Homeland Security has extremely valid reasons for watching and arresting trespassers who are ON the right of way, and at interlockings, and other places where security is needed. And too, the remote RR locations are unsafe, as violent individuals may accost you of your photo gear. Great photos by the way !

DHS is un-American. It's an intrusion on people's civil liberties and basic American freedoms. They should get rid of it and stop being terrorists in the name of fighting terrorists.... Like they say, to fight them; you have to be like 'em.

Anyways, back on subject: Lovely shots! The last few seem to be a bit dodgy though. You may want to re-load them. It may be just my PC, idk.

Any new pics from Trainz?

 

[strench707]

What do you mean by "dodgy"? Sorry but Im not really up on the photo jargin.

In regards to the security stuff (it may seem blunt and ignorant) but honestly I really do not care. There is no reason why its wrong and if earlier generations could get cool pics from spots they worked hard on finding and getting to, then I think its a ripoff I cant.

The no pics at station rule is honestly BS. No more to say there.

Thanks all for your compliments!

Davis