Eastern Railroad Discussion > September thus far is 95% out of Area (and pretty good stuff!)

Thus far in September, I've been out and about maybe 15 days, and all but two of those have been in the area! I've also had the chance to shoot some pretty cool and unusual stuff in those days, and the two days in my home area featured some kick-ass catches. Here we go!

My month started September 1 by heading to Doswell for a while. Seen here, the BB's most recent re-paint, #5 heads eastbound as a lite engine into Doswell Yard. 
One of just 2 westbounds we saw this day was CSX 99 west, seen here crossing the RF&P at grade. 
The next day, I got an early start in the Richmond area, and it paid off. CSX W097 is seen here heading south at Centralia with a solo SD50-2 for power. 

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It was then back up to Ashland for most of the day to hang around. Q416 is seen here thundering through town with nearly 200 cars, the first ~50 being loaded phosphate cars. 
The first time I've ever seen this in all the years I've been going here. As Amtrak train 95 departs the station, W952 rolls beside him making for a great head-end meet!
Been doing a lot of night photography lately. Q409 is seen here rolling through town with a CW44AH leading a D8-40CW. 

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2 days later on the 4th, it was back down south to welcome back one friend for college, and say goodbye to another moving back to NY. Amtrak 91 is seen here rolling through AY as the yard job shoves a cut of cars. 
Q400 came pulling into the yard shortly after looking like it came straight from 2006! The YN2 GP38-2s was showing point on 5 other units, not a repeat class in the consist!
And Q400 in Ashland some 6 1/2 hours later at midnight. 

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September 6th. We are seen at Carson, VA where empty Lee-Creek phosphate train K750 heads southbound through the new Double-track project with a pair of D8-40CW's for power. 
I'll skip the 10th since nothing good was shot that day, but on the 12th, I heard a deadhead move of the OCS was coming through town. P902 is seen here in Fredericksburg, VA with a pair of the Ex Amtrak F40's leading 9 business cars northbound on the RF&P. 
Zoom-pan's are my forte now, and this morning was no different. D779 is seen just before sunrise on this cool September 14th morning with the usual pair of GP40's for power. 

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A bit later that day, I was down at Collier, and another zoom-pan, this one in the middle of the day; V11 heads back to Crewe with a shiny tier-4 leader. 
A heads up on this guy led me to shoot him at Doswell and give short chase to Beaverdam (because a YN2 pair never gets old!). CSX 124 west with CSX 35 trailing made for a nice mid-afternoon chase. 
First shot is Doswell, then Noel siding, Hewlett, and finally Teman. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/16 09:47 by Railfan94.

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September 14th; Another night in Ashland, and more nighttime shots. Amtrak 66 is seen a few minutes late pulling into the station. 

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Amtrak 93 pulls into the station running a bit behind schedule. 
And again, me and my midnight catches; Q192 runs by the station at the stroke of midnight with a solo SD70AC leading. 
Forgot to post this one; PTC Test train W948 runs up the RF&P at midnight on the 13th (3 stroke of midnight catchs in a week) at Woodford on a warm night. 

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A day trip to the old B&O based out of Brunswick yielded some nice catches on the 16th. First up is rock train L751 seen here exiting the Harpers Ferry Tunnel. 
Next up was a monster 9-unit Q400 thundering across the Potomac River from the station.
The Capitol Limited featured P42 #42, the Veterans unit leading today, making for a nice treat.  

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And Amtrak 29 that night had this beautiful private car on the rear, with a couple of fellows giving a nice wave at PoR and grabbing their shots of the station as they pass. 
Zoom-pan! MARC train bound for Brunswick and beyond pulls into the station. 
September 17th, it was back at Collier for more awesome action. This was a first time for me; a three way meet at Collier! As train 234 ducks under on the N&W, Q400 shoves into the yard while Q193 passes on the far side (You can see the CSX through the boxcars). 

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2 days later, it was back on the N&W, but this time for something a little more special. NS 955 ran west with the OAR GP38-2 and matching train bound for North Carolina. 
And finally, just 2 days ago in Fredericsburg (told you I was in town just 2 times this month!), Amtrak P053, the Auto Train featured more than enough power!

P42DC #174 leads the train, with CSX ET44AH #3389 trailing, and P40DC's #830 and #815 behind that. When the 815 died coming north the day before, they added the ET44AH in Savannah, GA, and had planned on letting it lead back south that night, but when the turntable at Lorton coulnd't handle it, they stuck the P42 in front of it, making for an interesting shot! 

Hope Everyone Enjoys!!!

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Very nice shots, I am not familiar with that first paint scheme, you say it is B&B Railroad? Great views in between, I'd say you've about got that zoom-panning down pat, I have never tried it. That last photo, that CSX new motor is soooo out of place... === === = === JLH

Great catches in interesting locations. My favorite is AMT 44 with the pastel sky.
Bob

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> Very nice shots, I am not familiar with that first
> paint scheme, you say it is B&B Railroad? Great
> views in between, I'd say you've about got that
> zoom-panning down pat, I have never tried it. That
> last photo, that CSX new motor is soooo out of
> place... === === = === JLH

Its the Buckingham Branch Railroad.

Fantastic series of photos!  Thanks very much for posting these.  I have some great video of Doswell in the 1980's during RF&P days.  It is a nice place to watch trains.  Thank you again for your efforts, great job!

GREAT stuff....!!  Thanks for sharing these.

​All I can say is.......you have been busy.......:<)

Thanks, Buckingham Branch it is. Largest short line operator in Virginia, I see. They have a nice paint scheme going, I'll have to research them more! === === = === JLH

Great images! Is V11 the NS train that works Hopewell?

Congratulations on Image of the Day. A great effort with this series of photos.
John

V11 is indeed the Hopewell train.

Posted from iPhone

Awesome series, LOVE the zoom pan shots👍👍👍

Those zoom pans are awesome. Usually I don't like to shoot under cloud cover when given the choice, but the zoom pans and cloudy weather when used in tandem create a very moody (and awesome!) shot. Very well done and concrats on IOTD!