Eastern Railroad Discussion > Armchair Railroading: Ashland, VA in 2010

Yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 3-26-2020), Auto Train #52 derailed ten of its auto carriers near DeLand, Florida, shortly after beginning its trip northward from Sanford, Florida.  Thankfully no one was injured!  Though a shortage of auto carriers will impact business in the near term, Auto Train will rebound as it has many times during its history and continue its public service as one of Amtrak’s premier long distance trains.  

To celebrate Auto Train, and since many of us are under stay-at-Home orders due to the Coronavirus, I thought some armchair railroading was in order.  From a wonderful trip ten years ago in April, 2010, to Ashland, Virginia, here are three nice catches.  Ashland, Virginia is located fifteen miles north of Richmond, Virginia along CSX’s RF&P Subdivision, the former Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad that connected the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Baltimore & Ohio in Washington, DC to the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line in Richmond.  The RF&P Subdivision is all double and triple track CTC.  Ashland sees 20 Amtraks per day and between 12 and 20 CSX freights per day.

1.  On Sunday morning, 4-18-2010 at 6:30 am, CSX Q174 (Jacksonville, FL to New Jersey), predecessor to today’s Q032, rolls north through downtown Ashland.  An ES40DC leads a C40-8 and an ex-Conrail CW40-8 and 124 trailers and containers.  The speed limit is 45 mph down the middle of Center Street, but increases to 60 mph for intermodals once the lead locomotive passes the last grade crossing in town about a mile north.  The iron Horse Restaurant guards the intersection of Center Street and England Street at the south end of the station platform.  

2.  That afternoon, an ontime Auto Train #53 glides southward on track 2 past the depot.  P42CH’s 160 and 88 lead 16 Superliners and 26 auto carriers toward Florida sunshine.  Railfans of all ages gather to breathe in its beauty.

3.  At dawn on Monday morning, 4-19-2010, northbound Auto Train #52 wisks by the Ashland depot on track 3 with Northern Virginia in its sights.  Two P42CH’s and 42 cars continue trimming the tree beside the station.  The students at Randolph-Macon College across Center Street are still sleeping since classes are still several hours off.

Enjoy and be safe!

Jay Best
Raleigh, NC

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Is the speed thru Ashland Really 45 mph? That would emulate "whack a mole"

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Thanks for the pictures.  CSX has improved track maintenance in the area since these pictures were taken. More ballast, less vegetation between the tracks.  And, construction is well along on new platforms / shelter.

Speed limit through Ashland, head end only, is 45 mph from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am, 35 mph from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.  On Fridays, 35 mph extends to 10:00 pm.  Center Street extends all the way through Ashland from about a mile north of the station to about 1.5 miles south of the station. 

I would love to have a house on that street.

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