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| PHOTOS: WASHINGTON TERMINAL (1643862) | |||
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PHOTOS: WASHINGTON TERMINAL |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Sat Sep 20 21:04:16 2025 Typically when one railfans in Washington, DC proper that means something to do with Washington Union Terminal or the DC Metro. However one might be surprised to learn that there are in fact a few other railfan locations in the city and in the late summer of 2024 I took the day to hang out with a friend and visit as many as was feasible, getting plenty of photos along the way ( mirror ).The initial stop after arriving at Union Station was the southern end of the First St tunnels that allow passenger trains to proceed to and from points south of the city via the former RF&P and Southern Main Lines. The First Street Tunnel tunnels under the literal Capitol Hill via the First St right of way before turning slightly at the southern portal. At the portal I managed to catch Amtrak Regional Train 82 lead by the ultimate P42DC, #207.  Moving to a slightly different photo position I managed to south southbound Carolinian Train 79 with P42DC #144. The B&O style position light signals mark the start of K TOWER's territory and are likely mounted on poles that date to the 1908 opening of the station.  The passenger tracks to Union Station rejoin the old PRR freight route to Potomac Yard at VIRGINIA tower, located near 2nd St and E.    While there I found myself somewhat out of position to catch a southbound CSX freight train lead by CM44AC rebuild #7209.  The next stop was the L'Enfant Plaza VRE station where I was in time to catch Amtrak P42DC #77 bringing Regional Train 153 south out of Union Station.   Even though VRE doesn't run on weekends there is plenty of Amtrak and CSX traffic to keep one busy. In my case Regional Train 88 appeared not long after with P42DC #117 leading.   The next location was near the WMATA Rhode Island Ave station on the Red Line. Passing Brentwood Yard en route I spotted the green painted WMATA track geometry car #GV01.  I also spotted a pair of squabs who seemed a bit too big for their nest, mugging one of their parents for food. I guess failure to launch isn't just a human thing. For anyone who never got a chance to ride a WMATA 5000-series car, you still can at the Washington, DC Metrobar where #5058 has been converted into an eatery in the fashion of an old diner. Just follow the pedestrian walkway over the CSX Metropolitan Sub and you'll see it.     The next stop was Amtrak's Ivy City Yard, specifically WYE BRIDGE interlocking which is directly adjacent to a public road behind the DC Office of Film and Television. At Ivy City Amtrak stores all sorts of interesting equipment such as inspection car #10001 Beech Grove, Theatre Car #10004, Catenary Measurement Car #10005 and the Acela Track Geometry car #10003.     WYE BRIDGE is one of a handful of interlockings on non-revenue trackage, but compared to others in New York and Boston, it is much easier to photograph. The name comes from the bridge carrying the CSX Metropolitan Sub, which also completes the north leg of a conceptual wye between the old B&O F and QN towers that provide access to Washington Union Terminal.  All train movements between the Washington Union Terminal station tracks and Ivy City storage yard/engine terminal/shoppes must pass through WYE BRIDGE. Here we see a cut of lite engines, including ALC42 #342, #344 and P42DC #111 reversing to the engine facility from Amtrak's own turning wye.     My goal that day was to catch Amtrak Capitol Limited Train 29 as it reversed out of the yard and to its customary birth on Track 15 or Track 16. It had already been announced that Trains 29 and 30 would be replaced by Miami to Chicago through train #40/41 under the Floridian name.  The Capitol Limited had already been reduced to a 4-5 car consist due to equipment availability pressures. Today ALC42 #341 was the sole source of motive power.  An interesting detail is that trains traveling between WYE BRIDGE and Union Terminal have to travel through the MARC storage yard.  Walking back to Union Station from Ivy City, the 9th St bridge provides an excellent view of the Ivy City shoppe and engine terminal complex.   A pair of Next Gen Acelas were stashed in the back lot along with a red faced P42C cab car conversion. The 9th St Bridge also provides a nice overhead view of the NEC. Here we see Acela power car #2031 on the tail end of a northbound departure.  I was running low on time before my departure so I decided to use the WMATA to get from New York Ave to Union Station. On the platform I was treated to a pair 3k series cars #3185 and #3128.   My MARC Penn Line train was departing from track #8. Kawasaki cab car #7851 was sitting by uncoupled at the buffer stop as some sort of spare.  MARC MP36PH-3C #34 in the Union Station MARC yard.  After a full day and 5-7 miles of walking I wound up back where I started at the BWI Airport Rail Station.  That's all for this week. Check back next time as I poke around both ends of Amtrak's Susquehanna River Bridge. |
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