Real World Train Pictures

[ET44C4]

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CSX and Amtrak action in Petersburg, VA.

[ET44C4]

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Norfolk Southern Train #V14 slows to a stop in Suffolk, VA at the Commonwealth Railway's yard office. A crew change will take place and as you can see, Tony is ready to roll.

[ozinoz]

If you will forgive the self indulgence, but I thought somebody might be interested in some pics from my latest trip to the States. Started in Vegas, up through Utah and Idaho to Montana and those naughty Marias Pass locations I can see in real life but cant get on Train sim - including the beautiful Whitefish depot (and the wildfires in the mountains to the south) It was then down via the old Colorado & Southern and over to the Powder River basin for a couple of days before heading east again to North Platte and the triple track main to Gibbon. From North Platte it was west to Cheyenne and Sherman Hill before heading south to New Mexico (well, Antonito Co) for the real reason I put myself through 20 hours stuffed in a tube at 40000 feet - a series of charters organised by the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec, commemorating the Rio Grande Southern - a road that hasnt existed since it clossed in 1951 and was officially abandoned in 1952

[ozinoz]

It continues... Just about every train we saw had something of extra interest - BN and NS at East Glacier Park and the BiNSniF Business train on the Old C&S between Laurel and Wade. We got rousted fro taking the Montana Raillink pic - apparently the sidewalk there was private property and they were none too pleased. I opened my mouth and my Australian fell out which smoothed things over a bit, but security made sure we got back into the vehicle and didn't take any more pics, even surreptitiously.

[ozinoz]

some more...
(and my proudest Powder River Basin pic)
Certainly not as busy as my last visit here in 2010, but well worth the visit

[ozinoz]

North Platte - between all the road activity and the Golden Tower, this place is also certainly worth a visit, not to mention the "stuffed & Mounted" Challenger (the only surviving Challenger other than 3985 and in Overland Greyhound livery to boot ) & Centennial in Cody Park. Best presented S&M's I have seen. UP pass more than 200 loco's a day through the service facilities

[ozinoz]

Again, lots of trains with lots of interesting things, be it a US Army loco (heading for North Platte), an aerodynamic wedge on a container train or private operators "vintage" locos - just about every grain elevator facility had its own road power, all quite old (please excuse my ignorance on exact models - all diseasels look alike to me ) or a UP / BNSF double head

[ozinoz]

Sherman Hill... Were almost snookered here. Not a lot of daytime activity (it was a Saturday) and were blocked by a 12500ft mixed consist that had a brake line fail in the tunnel at Hermosa and it ended taking nearly 7 hours to get from Hermosa to Cheyenne. We had to take farm roads for 10 miles to get back onto the sealed road as it fouled the grade crossing. Luckily car and us were on the same side

[ozinoz]

Finally - the main reason for the trip.a series of charters on teh C&TS commemorating the Rio Grande Southern. A tremendous amount of work went into the event, with not only the loco (DRG 463 re born as RGS 455), but freight cars were also repained into the correct RGS shade of brown and stenciled as well as an authentic RGS caboose on loan from the owner from its usual home at the railroad museum in Golden. On the second day, C 19 # 315 from the Durango Railroad Historical Society at Silverton (currently holidaying on the C&TS) was used as a mid train helper and as a pilot engine, in its recently outshopped "Flying Rio Grande" livery - exactly as it would have been in 1942. The consist also included a couple of recently restored frameless tank cars. It is hoped that by 2019, full consist "oil trains" will once again run from the rebuilt oil docks at Chama up Cumbres Sumit

[ozinoz]

Almost the end...

Well, that is it. Hope there was something of interest...

[ET44C4]

Absolutely breathtaking pictures! Many thanks for posting these and the captions. Made me miss North Platte as well.

[slick204]

Wonderful pictures! Looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.

[ET44C4]

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Amtrak Train #88 through Chesapeake, VA.

[DrewG]

First time taking a picture of a train in a long time. Not a good day so best I could pull off. OSR 182 is new to the Guelph Junction Railroad, had to go check it out. Behind it is OSR 1591 and 505, a Gp9 and RS23.

[TheTeenageFoamer]

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Atleast Frankfort has some railroad history left.
Located in Frankfort's TPA park.