In Part 2 of my 2018 Georgia trip I will cover the northbound leg of the trip between Gainesville, GA and Washington, DC. Of course the same situation with a rear positioned baggage car applies and I pretty much had nothing to do for the actual train trip itself. However there was a good number of NS units waiting at the Gainesville, GA station and the DC power change is always interesting. You can find the full gallery of photos here or on Google.
We start with NS SD40-2 #6166 sitting on the local power track in front of the Gainesville, GA station.
It was coupled to NS #3471, a former lease company SD40-2
A freight train was parked on Main Track #2 with seemingly nowhere to go, even though a signal was displayed for it at MIDLANd interlocking. NS SD70M-2 #2653 was in the trailing position in the lashup.
NS ET44AC #3662 was also in the lashup, having been previously spotted in a lineup of light power earlier in the week.
At the head of the train was NS C44-9W #9786.
Eventually, due to Amtrak Train #20's increasing lateness, the freight went ahead, taking the signal at MIDLAND interlocking and perhaps moving onto the eventual section of single track two miles to the south.
Inside the NS half of the old Southern RR station building we see that the injury/safety board is being updated.
Eventually Train #20 showed up where I had a sleeper accommodation booked all the way to Baltimore. With the sleeping cars now on the end I was prepared to walk all the way down to where they would platform, however the conductor had me wait for all the coach passengers to get processed so the train could pull ahead for a second stop. I'm all for service, but I am also for not delaying the train :-(
Amtrak Train #20 was running too late for me to get dinner, but I was able to enjoy breakfast in a new Viewliner II dining car.
Not really much to take photos of out the side window save for the renovated VIRGINIA tower in Washington, DC, which I heard might become some sort of small boutique pub.
As is typical when Train 20 is delayed there were suddenly multiple Amtrak trains on the lower level of Washington Union Station awaiting power changes. Here we see ACS-86 #649 waiting to couple onto my northbound Crescent while a southbound Virginia Regional sits on the adjacent track.
Between 2009 and 2015 I would make two trips a year via Amtrak to visit a friend in Georgia via Train 79, 19 and 20. I would be able to take photos ad video from the rear of the trains providing a valuable source of content and documenting the transition from the Seaboard era signals to modern replacements. Then both life and Amtrak intervened to both pause the trips and cover the rear facing windows with baggage cars. Three years later my friend was good to go, but Amtrak was steadfast in its new policy changing a pleasant ride into a boring slog through the south.
Here in Part One I cover the southbound leg with what photos I could take at stations and out the side of the train. This is padded out with some video and additional photos from a mythical mosiaculture exhibition at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. You can view the full gallery here or on Google Photos here.
We kick off with northbound Amtrak Acela power car #2033 at the BWI Airport Rail Station.
Shortly after Amtrak Train 92, the Northbound Silver Meteor, blasts through BWI Rail Station at track speed with ACS-86 #635 at the front.
ACELA power car #2029 was later spotted on the upper level from the lower level at Washington Union Station.
As Viewliner Baggage Car #61050 was tacked on the the rear of the train, there wasn't much I could do until the train got to Richmond.
Since I had last traveled on the route in 2015, GREENDALE interlocking at Staples Mill Road had been re-configured and a new interlocking had been added to reduce congestion in and out of the station. Previously trains would wind up stuck on the main line waiting for a platform spot. The new layout creates a short siding track where southbound Amtrak trains can wait off the main line as well as parallel crossovers so one Amtrak train can depart northward as another enters southward.
Acca Yard had also been heavily reconfigured as most traffic now bypasses the yard. The old AY and NORTH ACCA interlocking layouts had dated from the RF&P days when all through freights had to stop at Acca for a power change. With the former "passenger bypass" track being expanded to continue the two main through tracks the meat of the old AY interlocking, seen here next to CSX C44-10W #5322 and GP38-2 #2788, had been mostly ripped out.
Not much to take photos of until the Atlantic Coast Line yard at Rocky Mount, NC where SD40-3 #4324 and AC4400 #5114 were hanging out on the southern yard lead.
Perhaps the biggest change since my last trip was the new Raleigh, NC passenger station. The old, single, low level platform was replaced by a new high level island platform, seen here with Amtrak P42DC #67 waiting on a signal at BOYLAN interlocking.
Here you can see the difference between the old and new station buildings. The old station appears to be at risk for demolition.
As is typical my Train #79 was running late and we slightly delayed the new Piedmont Service Train #78 with F59PH #1984 at Greensboro.
Continuing on with my 2018 westbound PRR Main Line survey, Part 2 begins at Altoona travels up the east slope past Horseshoe Curve then back down the West Slope to Johnstown, eventually ending at Latrobe due to rail and darkness. However I have also included some bonus photos taken around Pittsburgh, mostly traffic on the Fort Wayne Bridge. Part 1 can be found here, the video post can be found here and the full set of photos can be found right here or on Google Photos.
After departing Altoona station we pass the old ALTO tower standing watch over the new signals for CP-COVE that replaced part of the old ALTO plant.
CP-ALTOONA, a 3-track full crossover with attached helper pocket replaced ALTO and CP-SLOPE at the base of the steep grade over the Alleghenies. Our train has been switched over to the bi-directional track 2 in order to get around the 20G intermodal train we had been stuck behind since Huntington.
PRR GP9 #7048 at the Horseshoe Curve Park. Recent brush removal has improved sight lines.
MG tower still stands at CP-MG after having closed in 1994. Back then it was more cost effective for Conrail to splice the existing signals and switches into the new solid state interlocking logic. Today the 1944 vintage PRR signal bridges are on their way out as the new signaling is tested in parallel due to the cost of labor dominating the cost of new physical things.
Although cab signal equipped NS C44-9W #9482 still leads, the trailing units on this oil train consist of KCS and CSX GE's.
An SD40E helper pack with NS #6305 and #6328 helps the long train descend the hill.
The PRR summit park at Gallitzin isn't defined by vintage PRR signals and will thus retain most of its appeal after the re-signaling project is complete.
With the long climb and twisting curves of the east slope behind us, the engineer is able to open the taps as the Pennsylvanian passes through CP-MO and accelerate up to 80mph allowing us to quickly catch up with the intermodal train we had been stuck behind east of Altoona. My train completes the overtake just as NS SD70M-2 #1076 is passing the Milepost #258 signals at Newport.
At CP-SO little trace of SO tower is left after it burned down in 2008.
An eastbound oil train struggles up the hill with two helper packs including class lead SD40E #6300.
Some weird special purpose flat cars in Conemaugh Yard just west of CP-C.
The Johnstown station platform serving tracks 2 and 3 as framed by the WW2 vintage MP #275 PRR automatic signal bridge. The location of the removed second platform is visible between tracks 2 and 1.
NS SD70M-2 #2744 hauling a an eastbound doublestack intermodal train behind NS C44-9W #9956 just east of CP-CONPIT.
Pretty much all of the remaining PRR Main Line stations have been reconfigured as single platforms, even where a second platform remains as is the case at Latrobe.
Amtrak P42DC #92 at Pittsburgh standing next to the private car Sugar Creek, which seems to live full time at the station.
Large oil train lashup crossing the Fort Wayne Bridge with NS SD40E #6348 in the lead followed by NS GP40-2 #3293, new NS ET44AC #3679, CN SD75I #5765 and BNSF AC4400 #5659. The train is likely empty and the first two units are likely on a transfer move with the last two running through to whatever oil field the train originated at.
Another westbound train over the Fort Wayne bridge featured NS SD40M-2 #1065, NS C44-9W #9389 and NS SD75M #2804.
Heading a bit east of the station we find the new and old signals at CP-PITT looking back towards the station.
Two NS C44-9W's, #9519 and #9277, proceed elephant style through CP-EAST PITT with an eastbound doublestack intermodal train.
Finally we head back to the Fort Wayne bridge where the daily Allegheny Valley Railroad transfer move is crossing back westbound to the yards on the north shore of the Ohio River. Leading is the road slug #405 paired with GP40-3 #4005 followed by Carload Express branded MP15 #1559 and AVR GP40-3 #4004.
Well that's all from Pittsburgh and the PRR Main Line. Next week I am heading back to Georgia for the first time since 2015.
