Trip to Wilmington, DE - 10/19 & 10/20/2017

Hi, I accompanied friend Dale Diacont on a quick trip to Wilmington, DE on October 19th and 20th. The main purpose of the trip was for Dale to present a program to the Wilmington Chapter of the NRHS.

After we got together near my condo in Silver Spring, MD we immediately headed over to the National Capital Trolley Museum, about 10 minutes away. Dale had never been there and wanted to take some photos.

After lunch we started north. Our first stop was at Havre de Grace, MD. Here are a few of the trains we photographed. First up was a northbound Acela.

Right behind the Acela was a northbound regional train.

After awhile we shot a southbound Acela and this southbound regional.

We then moved north to Marcus Hook, PA where we shot a number of commuter and Amtrak trains (above and six below). Then it was time for dinner and the NRHS meeting.

Our first stop the next morning was Kennett Square, PA where we hoped to get information on the East Penn Railroad's plans for the day. It turned out the people there were very nice and the information highly accurate. The crew drove from Kennett Square to Pocopson, PA where they picked up their train and power (four below). There are two former Pennsy cabin cars on display here: one is a former Pennsy cabin car in NYC green (above and third below) lettered Penn Central and the other a former Pennsy cabin car lettered PRR.

And now here's Dale.

The train took the connection off the former Reading RR line to Wilmington, DE at Chadds Ford, PA and headed west on a former PRR branch.

After the train stopped to drop a car at a lumber distributor in Kennett Square we photographed it on the west side of town and then again

passing a transload in Avondale, PA. Most of the train was dropped here before it came into our view.

It was very difficult to find open areas along the trains's route. Although we ran out of time so could not continue shooting I think things open up further along the route.

Thanks for looking.

Railfanning Central Pennsylvania - 2

Hi, This post will concentrate on the Nittany & Bald Eagle. We stayed in State College hoping to catch the turn from Bellefonte to Tyrone. However, it left before first light and by the time we got some information it already was approaching or in Tyrone awaiting the NS C42 local out of Altoona, so we headed south.

Fortunately, the C42 seemed to have just arrived as we got to Tyrone so we were able to get a few photos of the interchange taking place.

Having set out the N&BE cars the C42 has pulled onto the N&BE tracks giving the N&BE power headroom to back onto their cars.

The C42 then backed off the N&BE trackage so the N&BE crew could leave town.

Just north of the small Tyrone interchange yard the N&BE track is elevated for a short distance and

descends to run in the middle of the street (above and below). In drizzle and sometimes pouring rain the chase is on.

We beat the train to Port Matilda

and then were able to get three more locations as it ran north (above and two below)

Including Unionville.

The crew yarded their train on the west side of Bellefonte (above and three below).

The Bellefonte Historical Society RDC was parked near the station in Bellefonte.

About two o'clock a crew headed east to get a rock train at Pleasant Gap and take it to Lock Haven. Here the power is passing the Bellefonte station and then

the Budd car.

We chased the power east catching it on the east side of Bellefonte and then

as it entered the quarry passing under PA route 26 (above and below).

After about 15 minutes the train departed (above and below).

We caught at another location in Pleasant Gap

passing through Spring Township and

approaching the station in Bellefonte.

We then headed to Milesburg where the line from Bellefonte joins the Tyrone/Lock Haven main. We were pretty sure we beat the train here and planned to photograph it under the old signal bridge. However, before the N&BE arrived empty NS coal train #537 appeared.

Its a good thing the coal train did show up as the crew of the rock train ran around its train off the main and backed into town. The power was now on the north end of the train so as soon as it cleared the junction switch it headed north.

The next day we planned to photograph the Lycoming Valley so after breakfast we headed over to the yard in Williamsport. The pair of the Reading painted GP35s were sitting dead near the yard office. Eventually, when nothing much happened, I went into the yard office to try to find out if the GP35s would run that day and was told, very politely, that no information could be provided due to homeland security regulations. While we waited we got a switcher coming back to the yard with a couple of cars.

About 9:45 AM, with nothing happening we took one more photo of the GP35s and headed for Northumberland in hope of being able to shoot the North Shore Railroad.

However, on arriving in Northumberland we found the engine house buttoned up. We had an opportunity to talk to a railroad employee and he gave us the same line about homeland security when we asked for information.

As there was nothing to do except shoot NS, and that in cloudy weather, and as the weather forecast for the next day was more of the same we elected to cut the trip short and head for home. Thanks for looking.

Spain and Morocco - 5, Marrakesh

Hi, After breakfast the morning we arrived in Tangier we transferred to buses for a 6 hour ride to Marrakesh.

On the way we took photos of some desert communities from the bus (above and below).

Here is a street scene, again from the bus, in Marrakesh.

Our first stop in Marrakesh was Jardin Majorelle, named after Louis Majorelle, the man who created it (above and five below).
                                                           

On the way to lunch we took more photos from the bus.

When the bus could not get closer to the restaurant we walked taking photos as we went.

The restaurant was ornately decorated (above and two below).

Walking back to our bus through the Medina (market) provided additional photo oportunities (above and three below).

A mosque in the Medina was ornately decorated (above and two below).

Another photo op at the point we boarded our bus.

A stop was made at this Mosque but it was closed.

I visited a night market in Djemaa el Fna Square.

Our bus passed this fountain as we left Marrakesh.

Thanks for looking.