Search results

Taken this afternoon in Canton, NC, Blue Ridge Southern arrives home with the daily turn to Asheville.

Amtrak's northbound Silver Star is running 11 Hours late today. I'm not sure what caused the delay, but seeing the train in daylight is a treat. Here it is racing through the drizzle at Lugoff, SC. Those shovel-nosed GE P42DC's lack visual appeal in any light. :p

Old house with a very tired window:

A pair of Palmettos ....

CSX is back in action following the derailment. Caught this heavy ballast (crushed stone) train at dusk moving toward the site. I'd hoped to catch a vivid red signal in this shot, but the confounded "approach lit" signals stay dark until the very last second as the train passes by. :( We...

A CSX local freight derailed at 1AM nearby, so I checked it out late this morning. A dozen cars derailed, but thankfully there were no injuries. Law enforcement was everywhere, so I had to settle for a cropped 200mm telephoto shot from a highway bridge. The derailment also blocked Amtrak's...

After failing to catch NS's Penn Central Heritage Unit last week in a good spot for photography, I captured NS's N&W unit today in Columbia, SC! The skies were overcast, but this was to my benefit because the sun is in a tough spot at this location in the summer.

Thanks Chuck. If I someday buy a slide scanner, maybe I can post a few more shots on Saluda. I might have posted this low-rez scan here long ago, but I'm not sure. I took it in '84 at Big Sand Cut, about halfway down the grade. Back then, most trains came up in three sections.

Two other shots from today. Ivory hunters have been at work with attempts at stealing signal components. Too bad they can't just leave things be. There was once a phone in the concrete booth, used for crews to call the Dispatcher to confirm the status of moves on the mountain.

Stopped by Melrose, NC today at the foot of famous Saluda Grade, removed from service in late 2001. Nature is reclaiming the railroad, which is a sad sight. I posted the top photo here some years ago taken in 1986 and I'll repost it to contrast with today's picture. :(

Railfanning in the intense summer heat in the south is tough, so I don't do it as much. While waiting for the PC unit to appear, I caught NS inbound from Macon, GA. That's CSX to the left. There are some interlocking signals behind me, but I couldn't work them into the photo because there are...

While waiting, I caught a local switching a steel scrapper. I like the rural branchline feel of the photo matched with diesels built over 40 years ago.

NS's Penn Central "Heritage Unit" is in Columbia, SC today and despite my best efforts in the 95 Degree heat, I couldn't get close enough for a photo and the sun was in a poor spot. If it hangs around, maybe I'll be able to try again. All I was able to get were these:

My wife is well aware of my penchant for parking our vehicles in distant sections of parking lots to diminish door dents. She doesn't take it to my extremes, but does try for suitable parking places. So as to assuage my concerns, she sent me this cell phone picture a few minutes ago. This...

NS keeps its property secure, even locking its locks :confused: :

Okay Brent, I take back everything I wrote in the paragraph above. Waited today in high 90's trackside heat for a lousy backlit shot to see only this -- a 4000 HP locomotive toting an empty lumber rack. Must have been a VERY important empty. ;)

Taken today in Hendersonville, NC are a handful of shots. Unfortunately, this once busy spot no longer sees train service of any kind on the mainline or branchline which is also seen. Note that the block signals turned "field side" to affirm that they are out of service. Happily the depot...

A backlit shot taken this afternoon of CSX Train Q614 (New Orleans => Rocky Mount, NC) at Catawba, SC:

New Golf visits Amtrak station at Camden, SC:

Your 2-Door GTI is destined to become a rare ride, as VW recently quit manufacturing 2-Door MK7 Golfs, GTIs and Rs. I love the look. I've noticed a 2-Door MK6 GTI often parked at a local business. I should go inside and make the owner an offer he can't refuse. <g>