Railfanning 1-16-2014

Hi, I spent this day photographing Maryland Midland's train UBEG, the turn from Union Bridge to Emory Grove, Maryland, with friends Bill Kalkman, Jim Kleeman, and Jon Wright.

We began our day on the east side of Union Bridge at the east end of the new wye connection from the mainline up to the cement plant.  All of the photos were taken in Maryland.

From there it was a quick move to Mckinstry Road grade crossing.

Our next location was a farm road off Slingluff Road on the east side of New Windsor (above and below).

We were able to get ahead and shoot off Avondale Road.

Our next stop was at Lawndale Road.

There is a nice location behind Reisterstown Lumber.

Then it was on to Emory Grove.  After taking this photograph, as the train pulled down so the engines could back the cars into the interchange track for CSX pickup, we headed into the adjacent shopping center to buy sandwiches at Santoni's Market.  They make a great Rubin.

We returned to Reisterstown Lumber to eat lunch and await the train of two locomotives and a single car.

In Westminster while the others photographed at the main street crossing (building in the background) I elected to wait on the Green Street Bridge.

We caught a lucky break as the train stopped just west of the end of Avondale Road to pick up a string of cars.  After cutting of the single car the engines backed through the switch off the main,

crossed Medford Road, and

coupled up to a long string of covered hoppers.

After a break test they pulled out onto the main line.

We returned to Slingluff Road and

McKinstry Road for our next two locations.

The train pulled through Union Bridge and then backed into the yard leaving most of its train.  The former WM station, now the home of the WM Historical Society, is on the left.

The crew stopped in front of their office (on the left) and sat for about 15 minutes providing an opportunity to try numerous angles.

The crew then headed for Keymar to switch KFI.  Just west of this crossing at Middleburg the train will take a siding, accessed by a remote control switch, from which they can reach the connection to their north south route.

There are two grade crossings on the connection.  This is closest to the north south line.

The rest of the afternoon was spent switching the plant.

There was even a little bit of snow left.

The train was pulled down to the connection track which was used to put a locomotive at each end.  Here the train is going away at Middleburg.

Thanks for looking.