15-08-14 PHOTOS: USENIX STATION

Back in August I was in DC for three days for a work related conference. Never one to let a railfan opportunity to pass me by, I utilized the lunch breaks to walk over to Washington's Union Station to take some photos from the parking garage. With enough zoom, the garage provides a great vantage point of Amtrak, MARC and DC Metro operations at the station. Bright green overhead catenary and the historic K Tower complete the look. You can find all the photos here.

We start off passing the Ivy City VRE yard with MP36PH-3C #V54.

Rolling in towards the station on a parallel track through C interlocking is MARC MP36PH-3C #14

Under the parking garage where MARC MP36PH-3C #16 sits on one of the low number high level platforms.

MARC Bi-level K-car #7852 sits next to Amtrak ACS-86 #641.

Up on the roof we find more MARC action with MARC MP36PH-3C #10 and Bi-level K-car #7855.

View of K-tower showing an inbound MARC movement into the MARC storage yard, a pair of Amtrak switchers and a MARC HHP-8.

The switchers are SW1000R #793 and 2GS12B #599.

Amtrak ACS-86 #612 shoving back to Ivy City after depositing its passengers on a low level platform.

DC Metro Red Line train with #5090 passing by the non-electrified MARC storage yard with bi-level K-Cab Car #7847.

Inbound Brunswick line MARC trainset with new NJT style bi-levels passing by the storage yard and into one of the low numbered station tracks. Engine is MARC MP36PH-3C #29.

The new DC Streetcar was also in test mode with #202 caught laying over at the western terminal serving Union Station.

A cut of diesel power running lite from Ivy City engine house to the ready service track on the lower level. Amtrak P42DC's #201, 197, 170 and 13 will be used on LD trains heading to Virginia and other points south.

Inbound Penn Line train with MARC MP36PH-3C #35.

The next day I came back about the same time, but the scene had quite a few differences. Here Amtrak ACS-86 #631 passes four other switchers and two spare Sprinters on adjacent tracks as it snakes into one of the high level platforms.

 Lite ACS-86's #610 and #635 sits behind SW1000R #793 and SW1500 #540.

Switchers like SW1000R's #796 and #798 are used to tow regional trains out of the stub end platforms to be wyed and serviced at Ivy City.

Over on the lower level P42DC #96 and #129 sit on the ready service track.

Here is a video of Amtrak Acela power car #2027 arriving at Washington DC's Union Station after snaking through K Interlocking. Video taken from the DC Union parking structure.



Over in the MARC storage yard was one one of the few surviving Geeps in the form of GP39-2H #71.

VRE MP36PH-3C #V51 heads in to the lower level past K-Tower and an outbound Regional trainset to get spotted for the afternoon rush.

Closeup of a MARC HHP-8 pantograph from above.

DC Metro Red Line trains passing at New York Ave.

A pair of surviving Amtrak AEM-7AC's, #941 and #917, sit at the heads of their respective trains as another survivor looks on.

MARC HHP-8 #4914 in Washington and then again in Baltimore with #4915.

Again at Baltimore, #4915 with the front of MP36PH-3C #33.

We finish up with Amtrak AEM-7AC #938 pulling into Baltimore Penn Station track 6 with an early morning northbound Regional train.