Hi, Friend Rudy Volin and I decided we wanted to photograph the Winchester and Western's new (to them) GP-38s on Wednesday so we headed to Martinsburg, WV in the hope that we would arrive in time to photograph the train picking up cars from the CSX interchange. We arrived at about 8:40 AM and it seemed the cars to be picked up were still sitting on the north leg of the wye. However, just to be sure I asked a flag person a block from the tracks if she had seen the train.
Big mistake! She said the train went through about 2 hours previously although she had heard it but not seen it as it was before she got to work. While it seemed her time estimate was too early and while the cars for pickup seemed to still be there, we nevertheless assumed her report was accurate and headed for the Potomac River Bridge to photograph the southbound train.
Unfortunately, her report was inaccurate; the train had not yet arrived in Martinsburg when we headed north. About 11:10 AM the northbound crossed the Potomac. As the northbound shot is not very good we elected to wait for the southbound which came back about 2 hours later. The next 3 photos are taken from private property with permission.
We next drove to the CSX interchange in Martinsburg where the train showed up after about 1/2 wait. What became obvious as soon as it got close was that the crew had switched the cars to be set out from the rear of the train to the front. The cars to the left of the train appear to be tomorrow's pickup.
While the crew was getting back on the train we went into a residential part of Martinsburg.
After spending about 1/2 at the station in Martinsburg we headed to Brunswick, MD where we finished our day. First up was an empty coal train. We had just missed Q400.
A few minutes later the first commuter, P873, showed up.
Next up was P875.
Here P873 is backing to the yard.
Once the commuter rush started other traffic used normally eastbound Track 2. This included, P029, the Capital Limited and 2 empty hopper trains. P877, headed for Martinsburg, arrived next.
We could hear Q416 approaching but before it showed up W091, a work train with ballast cars, went west.
At this point we decided it was time to call it a day and get some dinner. I hope you enjoyed the photos.
Big mistake! She said the train went through about 2 hours previously although she had heard it but not seen it as it was before she got to work. While it seemed her time estimate was too early and while the cars for pickup seemed to still be there, we nevertheless assumed her report was accurate and headed for the Potomac River Bridge to photograph the southbound train.
Unfortunately, her report was inaccurate; the train had not yet arrived in Martinsburg when we headed north. About 11:10 AM the northbound crossed the Potomac. As the northbound shot is not very good we elected to wait for the southbound which came back about 2 hours later. The next 3 photos are taken from private property with permission.
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