Washington Union Station with Sebastian Lee

Hi, On Friday, November 28 I had the pleasure of joining daughter Joanna, son-in-law Dave and grandson Sebastian at Washington Union Station. It turns out Sebastian, who is almost 2 years old, loves trains. Thus our first stop was the G scale model train layout inside the station. After he tired of watching the train run around in circles we went to spot I knew of where we could safely watch Amtrak trains arriving and leaving Washington Union Station. This spot is open to the public and is outside the old REA building. We spent about 1/2 hour there and Sebastian was in no hurry to leave.

The first thing we saw move was this MARC GP40WH-2.  Actually, this was a real surprise as I thought all of these units had been removed from the MARC roster.

Shortly after the MARC engine stopped next to a platform a Northeast Regional train left behind an AEM-7

and then another Northeast Regional train arrived behind a new ACS 64.

This ACS 64 is moving to couple up to a Northeast Regional train that had just arrived from the south.  There were a number other moves as switch engines went about moving cars around.

After lunch I waited on the top deck of the station parking structure until a train arrived.  It turned out to be the Capital arriving only 20 minutes late at about 1:30 PM.  Thanks for looking.

Railfanning 11/20/2014

Hi, For our third day of railfanning Dale and I returned to the Maryland Midland as we had learned there would be stone train leaving Union Bridge at about 8:00 AM.

The power for the stone train ran light to Woodsboro, MD where it would pick up its loaded cars from a quarry and head to the Congoleum plant in Finksburg, MD.  The crew departed Union Bridge a few minutes after 8:00 AM.  Our first location was Middleburg, MD, a few miles west of Union Bridge.

A pond off Baker Road, just north of New Midway, MD, provided our next photo opportunity (above and two below). This is on the former Pennsy line between York, PA and Frederick, MD and was part of the original Maryland Midland.

We watched the train pick up loads at Woodsboro and then moved to the trestle at Keymar, MD just just before the train left the quarry.

Again we stopped at Middlebug for photos (above and below).

The train halted just west of the Depot in Union Bridge giving us a chance for another photo.

We then headed east passing the east end of the wye with the track leading up to the cement plant (above and below),

a farm on the east side of New Windsor, MD (above and and two below) and

Westminster, MD before

arriving at Finksburg, MD.

While the crew switched the Congoleum plant we waited at Carrollton, MD. 

Unbeknownst to us the crew picked up a large number of empty covered hoppers in Westminster so we waited almost an hour at the farm east of New Windsor.

The crew dropped some of the covered hoppers at a siding at the wye east of Union Bridge and

the remainder in the yard at Union Bridge.

We left Union Bridge a few minutes ahead of the train and set up for it on the connection between the former Western Maryland mainline and the former PRR branch down to Frederick.

For our final shot we returned to the pond at New Midway.  Thanks for looking.

Railfanning 11/19/2014

Hi, Dale and I spent the second day of his visit on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

Our first stop was in Northeast, MD and it was cold and windy along the water.  Among the trains we saw were this Acela and

Norfolk Southern train 38Q.

We then moved to the overpass where MD Route 272 crosses the corridor.

Our first train at this location was a Washington, DC bound Acela.

We were surprised when this line car came along.

Because I had forgotten to bring my scanner this oil train snuck up on us.

I wanted to catch an east bound train at Newark, DE so that was our next stop.  Unfortunately, by the time we got there the light had shifted so that west bound trains were well lit.

We caught three west bound trains, one Acela and two conventional.  One convention train was  hauled by a new ACS 64 and

one by an AEM-7.

For the final stop on the tour we went to Havre de Grace, MD.  The first train through was a commuter train that ran from Perryville, across the Susquehanna, to Washington, DC.

While waiting for more trains I spotted this very small tow boat.  Its a good thing there were no waves.

Here is a westbound Acela near the far shore.

Still in Havre de Grace we moved to a more broadside spot (above and below).

Thanks for looking.

Railfanning 11/18/2014

Hi, Friend Dale Diacont and I spent 3 days railfanning in the Washington, DC area.  On the first day we met in Union Bridge, MD hoping to photograph the train to Emory Grove, MD.  Alas, it was not to be as we were told the train would not leave until 5:00 PM, after dark.  However, a crew would run up to the cement plant about 1:00 PM.

Dale suggested we spend the morning on CSX so we headed for Point of Rocks, MD.  It was 25 F with a brisk wind at Point of Rocks.  It was coooooold.

After awhile we could hear a crew in Brunswick ask for permission to come to Point of Rocks to wye their power (above and 3 below).  When the three unit set showed up the lead engine was an SD40.

The trailing unit was an ES44AH.

Shortly after the turned power went west an auto rack train came east and took the Old Main Line to Baltimore.  Based on schedule information I believe this is Q216.

We were back in Union Bridge just in time for us to photograph the train to the cement plant as it approached the east switch for the line up to the plant.

After pulling past the switch the train pushed up to the plant.

We quickly relocated to the top of the grade getting there just in time (above and below).

After about 45 minutes of switching in the plant the train reappeared (above and 2 below).

Our last photos of the day were taken at the west switch to the line up to the cement plant (above and below).  This line to the plant is at the left in the photos.

Thanks for looking.