Strictly Trains

Hi and bye all.I hope this is a fitting end to this journey,a caboose in Herndon VA by the side of the WO&D rail trail on 8/26/10.
Thanks to all who followed us on this wonderful ride, we looked forward to all your comments. Thanks to Chris who provided all the information on the engines and railroads we photographed along the way. And a big thank you to God for keeping us safe and giving us the best weather possible .
I hit paydirt today 8/25. While riding between Brunswick MD and Point of Rocks the CSX was running coal, stone,and mixed freight. The light was a bit overcast but I managed not to get run over as I hustled up the bank. Tomorrow will be the last day of this odyssey,so check back for the finale.




This is the Western Maryland excursion train coming into Frostburg MD,and being turned for the return to Cumberland MD. Lots of smoke ,steam and noise!



back in West Newton ,again in the early morning, some action before the sun came up
This line runs through the center of these little towns. Must be a nightmare for the enginners.

High atop the Salisbury Viaduct this came into view. A long shot of the pusher on the end of a auto train.

This was the head end,again from the Viaduct.
Early Morning shot of lite power drifting thru Ohiopyle

No action today ,8/14,so this will have to do. A display at the side of the K-gap trail outside of Mt.Vernon Ohio. Very well maintained, along with the trail it is sided by. Only a couple of more days till we are in CSXT territory big time.



We're in Marion Ohio ,its Aug.12th and I don't know where to stand ,there are so many lines crossing every which way in this city.I was waiting at one crossing when I heard this double stack train approaching at another crossing down the road. So I ran down and just got this .
Utlx has a contract shop here in town, lots of repair work going on to their fleet.

You won't believe how I got these pictures. We were heading out of Delphos Ohio in the pouring rain when Jane said" I hear a whistle, turn around",so we did, rode back into town,down a gravel road ,hopped off the bike and fired away. So who is the rail buff in the family now? Chris, lets hear the story behind this line.





This was a perfect meet on 8/10 outside of Van Wert Ohio. I waited about 5 minutes in 106 degree temperature,but both trains passed by ,the NS taking the siding.I think both enginners thought we were crazy ,they leaned on the horn as if to say get out of the heat !
But hey, its something to pass the day .
somewhere in Wisconsin we were approaching a crossing. I was looking left,this was coming from the right. Jane screamed stop and I think she somehow dumped it. Just a local going to switch a plant,but something different nevertheless.


And who knows what this is?
Coming through Grand Rapids Michigan we were held up at the crossing by this . The middle unit ,2652,looks to be ex-Conrail.
Just like at Port Reading NJ, only double. And now we are in CP territory. I almost got a Soo engine too but didn't have time to get out the camera.
In St.Paul, where we briefly stopped, the yard crew added another sleeper ,so fast that the train was still coming to a stop when they switched onto the track. I suppose Amtrak wanted to make up some of the 4 hours this was running behind schedule!
This yellow engine was also in Williston. Any ideas as to why?
In Williston ND,the station parking lot is being redone. Perched next to the road is this Mikado,a gift to the citizens of Williston from the railroad. Wouldn't you love to get one for a gift?

Here's what we will be boarding tomorrow, the famed "Empire Builder",for our ride across North Dakota and MN.


Help us out here Chris, couldn't get close enough to id these units,it appears to be a picture of a buffalo on the side. Parked on a siding in Bainville Montana.
Saw this on the point on July 27Whats this, NS power out west. Yes indeed, saw them in the town of Oswego Montana waiting for a eastbound trailvan . Can't seem to get away from the black cloud!
The next few shots are a early morning crew change in Glasgow MT. They wasted no time , in and out of the station in under 5 minutes, can't tie up the main out here . too much going on,all from 7/25



Here's a speeder in front of the Malta Amtrak station,and some real foreign power! 7/23



Here's another mystery engine for someone to identify. It was in the town of Harlem Montana , on a side track off the main. These four are from 7/22

















7/21 , Finally,something different! That was a
fast moving local with 5 cars,just managed to stop the bike and turn on the camera.































Shots from 7/20. Most of the day the High Line was far away from Rt.2,but when it was close I got the shot. The "Empire Builder " was running with Amtrak engines on the point,unlike the first time we saw it. Anyone know why ?
I had had the wrong setting on the camera for this shot, hence the bluish cast. These trains are moving fast,no time to set up when you are biking along and see one in the rear view mirror.


























Here's 3 more from 7/19.I was told that on the average 43 trains run on the High Line on any given day. We also saw a track inspection truck clipping along. Its a busy section of railroad.


We are thick into the High Line territory today. It seems the trains are coming every 15 minutes. One great thing is if you don't like the head end shot, just wait till the pusher shows up and you get another chance! Click on the pic of the train on the trestle and you can see it snaking off into the distance, very cool






While biking along today I always glance in my mirror to see whats coming up on us. I saw the ditch lights, but no containers,and this is what shot past. The "Empire Builder" the train we have reservations on for the end of the month to get us across North Dakota and Minnesota.







We will be starting riding next to the High Line today, a BNSF main that will see us clear across Montana. I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of power in the next week or so,but nothing will match the backgrounds we saw in the Columbia Gorge. Here are a few shots from there to reminisce .
The back to back was a local switching a paper plant in Columbia Falls at 6am. They were working between trains on the main so there was no wasted motion.
The 1639 was in Orofino ID, at a small yard connected to a paper plant. Don't know its origin or present road,perhaps Cris can enlighten us.Our GPS says its the Camas Prairie,but I think that's long gone. Anyhow, we should be seeing lots of trains starting today,and if I can spare a minute from pedaling along I'll see what I can do.