Jersey Mike's Rail Adventures: 18-07-22 PHOTOS: Georgia Trip 2018

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.

As #649 hangs out, Amtrak P42DC #191 rolls by heading towards Ivy City.

#649, having just come off the Regional, then also heads north towards Ivy City.

That power consists of P42DC #154 and P40DC #837.

Normally at this point the Genesis units would pull head to wye and get serviced at Ivy City. Instead Amtrak SW1000 #796 rolled up to couple to the diesel units, which were still idling.

Video of the coupling process between #796 and the two diesels.

Here we see #796 coupled up and ready to pull forward with the diesels.

While waiting for the power change process, Amtrak Regional Train 174 departed on the adjacent track led by ACS-86 #600.

As #796 pulled ahead with the diesels, there was a flurry of light engine action including sister SW1200 #798 and ACS-86 #665, which would eventually be coupled to Train #20.

The #837/154/796 lashup pass by ACS-86 #665 at K TOWER.

#665 then heads back to couple against Train #20 as a non-7000 series Metro Red Line train passes in the background.

I had assumed that the Amtrak switcher was towing the two Genesis diesels to the Ivy City engine terminal, however the line of diesels actually reversed back through the lower level on the eastmost track. This is highly puzzling as there is nowhere to turn the power south of the station.

Amtrak 2GS12BR genset diesel #597 was also hanging out in the terminal area. Normally the switches are used to tow entire trainsets for turning and servicing.