Railroaders' Nostalgia > Room with a view RF&P University, Ashland Virginia 1987

This was my third floor window dorm room at Randolph Macon College. Moorland was the only air conditioned mens dorm on campus. The housing was done on a seniority basis, so it took until Junior year to get that room, but I was able to hold it for two years. Number 1 is the northbound Auto Train in January 87 about nine in the morning, before I left for class. Number 2 is a northbound RF&P freight taken in the the about three in the afternoon. The third one is later in February when it snowed one afternoon. All winter 1987. 

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Thanks for a nice look back through your pictures and story.

I wasn't so fortunate to have a dorm or apartment view from my college days, but we did have a three-story classroom building near the SP Coast Line main just (SP) west of San Luis Obispo. I'd try to schedule political science, history, or business courses there in the afternoons (anywhere from 1-4 PM) when we'd have both Coast Starlights come through town along with freights that were dispatched either before or after the Starlights.
Not sure what my instructors would have thought if I'd brought a camera to class to shoot the passing parade. Guess I could've explained it as a class assignment for a graphics class.

Cal Poly SLO from 1978 to 1980 saw many SP and Amtrak trains from many campus locations. September 1978 to June 1979 lived on Murray Street at the SP tracks across from Hathaway st. After a week in the apartment I learned to sleep through all the slack noise. Never took any pictures though.

Fee Hall was my dorm at Michigan State in the late 1960s. We had a great view of the GTW mainline, including pre-Amtrak passenger trains to Detroit and Toronto. The ex Pere Marquette tracks (Detroit to Grand Rapids) were a little further, just out of sight but an easy walk.

I started college at Drexel University in Center City Philly.  Seeing traffic on the highline during walks to class was always enjoyable.  Also had a decent view of 30th Street station from my dorm.  I transferred after freshman year to Purdue University in Indiana, where Lafayette was a good railroad town.  When I had a car there, I was able to railfan as well as hit up Hawkins Rail Service hobby shop.  Only fitting that Purdue's mascot was a train (The Boilermaker Special).

-Sean