18-07-19 PHOTOS: Georgia Trip 2018 - Part 1 Southbound

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.

Just a month or so into it's existence, we see te the new Amtrak Train 78, en route to Raleigh, departing Greensboro. Using NC DoT equipment including F59 #1984 on the rear, these state sponsored trains new connect Charlotte with Raleigh with 3 round trips a day, up from 2. The new Train 77/78 round trip provides a later morning/evening option for travelers in this busy corridor.



I was able to hustle my ass down to the Elm St crossing to catch Train 79 departing the Greensboro station and head towards a Diverging Clear signal indication at POMONA interlocking that will route the train from the former Southern RR H-Line to its Main Line. Waiting on the Southern Main Line for T79 to clear up is a southbound NS freight.



After a brief layover I was back on the platform at Greensboro waiting for Amtrak Train #19, the southbound Crescent. The Greensboro station rehab was arguably the prototype for the later Raleigh improvements.

Arriving in Gainesville, GA I was finally able to get a good photo of the power leading Train #19. Amtrak P42DC #121 was in the lead with #72 behind.

Train #19 eventually departed, knocking down the Approach Diverging signal at MIDLAND interlocking.


Waiting for my friend to arrive a rolling grade crossing accident rolled by, failing in its mission to get stuck.

An unusually large assortment of NS road power was sitting south of the Gainesville, GA station along with one BNSF GE. The mix included ET44AC #3662, AC44C6M rebuild #4019, SD70M-2 #2768, C44-9Ws #9919 and #9896 and BNSF C44-9W #4430.

Now here is something interesting. A CSX local freight running out of Athens, GA has a single load of drywall for an on-line customer west of town. For whatever reason the delivery is performed with a long shoving move using CSX cabin car #900424 as a pushing platform. Power is provided by CSX GP39-2 #4308 and CSX GP38-2 #2780.



While in Georgia I visited the Atlanta Botanical Gardens which had a special fantasy themed mosaiculture show in addition to some art glass installations. Mosaiculture creatures included a mermaid, a dragon, a phoenix, a Pegasus, some camels and a peacock.

That's it for part 1. Check back next week for part two where I return back to the Baltimore area.