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Passenger Trains > From the rear of #51... and a questionDate: 12/19/14 10:51 From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI I'm going to ride #50, The Cardinal, east in coach. I think I've lucked out and it will be clear and sunny from Kentucky to the East Coast after forecasts previously said it would be cloudy. On previous trips it was cloudy, so I'm looking forward to being able to get some better photographs along the way. I've also got a way better camera (especially compared to 2007.)
On previous trips it looks like I got away with spending a lot of time in the "cross country cafe" and having the flexibility to move to either side of the windows because it wasn't too crowded. I feel like certain segments are best viewed from one side or the other. My question is - what exactly is the cafe/"diner" situation? It is still the half open seating, half reserved setup right? If need be I'll buy coffee all day long to sit in there, I'm just hoping I can. While looking at old photos, I was surprised to find that in 2010 I was able to stand at the rear of the last amfleet on #51 and got some interesting photos. A selection is posted below, heading east to west. 1. Entering Clifton Forge on the BBRR, with the CSX James River Sub branching off. 2. Clifton Forge Yard 3. I have this labeled as Q698, guess I was listening to the scanner Date: 12/19/14 10:52 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI 4. Unknown location
5. Thurmond station 6. Thurmond... Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/14 10:53 by inCHI. Date: 12/19/14 10:53 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI 7. Thurmond... with signals that I think are reported to be gone
8. West end of Thurmond siding? 9. Unknown location Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/14 10:54 by inCHI. Date: 12/19/14 10:54 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI Date: 12/19/14 10:55 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI Date: 12/19/14 10:57 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI Date: 12/19/14 10:58 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI 19. There is a bad picture of an eastbound coal train (that had the signals) passing before the single main track, but I'm skipping that.
20. Work train 21. Eastbound coal train #2 Date: 12/19/14 11:00 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: inCHI 22. Eastbound coal train #3. Lucked out of the motion blur on this one considering it was cloudy, it was an older camera, and I probably didn't even know what shutter speed I was on. The upcoming trip will be much more skilled!
23. End of that train, coming into Charleston I believe. Or maybe Montgomery... in any case, looks like I returned to my seat. Date: 12/19/14 11:32 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: firefighter25dfd 16 --- Cotton Hill just east of the station
19 --- Kanawha Falls 20 --- Deepwater 21 --- Mount Carbon 22 --- Eagle 23 --- Arriving in Montgomery Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/14 11:35 by firefighter25dfd. Date: 12/19/14 11:51 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: bluesboyst Nice... thanks for posting...love that route...
Date: 12/19/14 12:31 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: fulham Just finished a trip on #50 from Chicago to Washington. I was in sleeper and the "diner" part of the diner-lounge was pretty efficient. With only one half full sleeper, our SCA would ask me what time I wanted to eat and I would show up and be served. LSA in diner was friendly and efficient. The cafe side of the car was busy but I am sure there were times tables were open. Only ordered a few items from the cafe part of the car and did not spend anytime at the tables. It was a good trip with the only complaints being 4 hours late into Washington, and my biggest gripe, that being dirty windows when we left Chicago! Don't know if the consist never went through the wash rack, or the fact that it was cleaned upon arriving in Chicago on Monday, and then sat until Tuesday when the weather was foggy and misty. Hope you have a good trip, and let me know if the windows are clean when you leave Chicago.
Date: 12/19/14 18:00 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: railaddict I have never left Chicago on #50 the 5 or so times I have ridden it when it has been through the wash rack. It is always dirty.
Date: 12/19/14 18:22 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: fulham That is ridiculous...if they wash the other trains why not the Cardinal? The train goes through some of the best scenery in the east and they can't wash the damn windows. That is an issue that needs to be fixed!
Date: 12/19/14 18:43 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: atsf121 That looks like such a beautiful ride, too bad that can't keep the windows clean.
Nathan Date: 12/19/14 20:28 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: AndyBrown Riding Amtrak is a crapshoot each and every time.
You're photos are great; I too love shooting from the rear window. I haven't been on the Cardinal since before I was a photographer but hope to ride it again. Sleeper prices pushed us out of the market on our trip east in Sept. and we ended up riding the Capitol. Andy Date: 12/20/14 01:27 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: Orient Looking at photo 6, then googlemaps, I have to ask the question, would it be so much to just make that short 200 ft stretch double track?
Date: 12/20/14 06:12 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: mp51w That Thurmond shot is cool! Makes me want ride a train on one of those diverging tracks. The Cardinal is a slam dunk for scenery thru West Virginia!
Date: 12/20/14 08:17 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: 3rdswitch Great bunch, but what the heck is that car with headlights in shot two? If it's a "shoving platform" it's the biggest and most elaborate I have seen thus far.
JB Date: 12/20/14 08:29 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: PHall 3rdswitch Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Great bunch, but what the heck is that car with > headlights in shot two? If it's a "shoving > platform" it's the biggest and most elaborate I > have seen thus far. > JB RCL car. Has a generator and the black boxes for Remote Control Locomotive operations. Since it can lead it also has a headlight, ditch lights, a horn and a bell in addition to the RCL strobe lights. UP did the same thing with their retired GE's. Date: 12/20/14 10:12 Re: From the rear of #51... and a question Author: tq-07fan inCHI Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > 10. Recrew > 11. ... > 12. New River Gorge Bridge West end of Fayette, a siding on the number 1 track that is under the New River Bridge. Here is a shot, from June 04 2010 shot from the road crossing. As many times as I have road the Cardinal I never thought to take pictures out the back. Now a lot of those signals are gone. Jim |