Wet Tide - Day 72

Train Station - Day 41

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the return of passenger rail service to Norfolk Va. This is the Amtrak station in Norfolk which opened to support the new passenger rail service.

Thunder Mountain Line - Day 18

Night Train

The new Norfolk Virginia Amtrak Train Station scheduled to open tomorrow gleams at night. Last December passenger passenger rail service to Norfolk resumed with daily trips to Washington D.C., New York and Boston. Ridership has been strong and now we have the most modern train station in Virginia. Canon G15, 1 to 1.5 sec, F/5.6, ISO 100 mounted on a trip tripod, HDR compilation of three images spanning 2 f stops.

Catch That Train

The morning train arrives at the Amtrak Virginia station in Norfolk. Taking the train to Washington D.C. today for a behind the scenes tour at the Newsuem. Canon G15, 1/80 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Christmas Train

Robert playing with the LGB "Big Train" on Christmas Eve. He would rather push the train on the tracks than run it with the transformer. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, ceiling bounced flash with a little direct light from a reflector.

The Delaware Dome

This is the Norfolk Southern Railroad's Delaware Dome car # NS 24 at the new station platform in Norfolk Virginia. I had the opportunity to ride in this car during a trip from Washington D.C.'s Union Station to Norfolk's Harbor Park Station. This stainless steel streamliner car was built in 1954, the year I was born, by the Budd Company for the Santa Fe Railroad's San Francisco Chief service. It has been restored by Norfolk Southern and now sports the Tuscan Red & Black paint scheme from the old N&W passenger lines, the Powhatan Arrow and Pocahontas. If you like trains, you've got to love this classic. Canon G15, 1/160 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800.

Long Awaited Return

After 36 years passenger rail service returns to Norfolk Virginia. The Governor's "Whistle Stop" train arrived in Norfolk this afternoon. Regular daily rail service provided by Amtrak Virginia from Norfolk to Washington D.C., New York and Boston starts tomorrow morning. This locomotive #156 carries the Amtrak 40th Anniversary "Phase I" paint scheme known as the "Bloody Nose." This was the first paint scheme widely used by Amtrak when it began service in 1971. Canon G15, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800.

The Holiday Express

The Hampton Roads Transit Holiday Express zips by on Monticello Avenue in Norfolk Virginia tonight. This is one cool full train wrap!

Canon G15, 1/10 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800 with the little help from the miracle of digital image stabilization.

Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway

Spent my birthday driving from Vail to Manitou Springs, crossing the Continental Divide at Hossier's Pass, and then taking the Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway to the summit of Pike's Peak. Here the cog wheel trains await at 14,110 feet above sea level while we spend time exploring the summit. All in all, a pretty cool birthday. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/400 sec @ f/11, ISO 400, 35mm focal length.

Happy Birthday to The Tide

On year ago today The Tide light rail opened to the public. It's been a great first year and I'm looking forward to voting in November to bring The Tide to Virginia Beach. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/250 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200.

BCR 2014

- Switcher 2014 leased by the Bay Coast Railroad from Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX) is used at the southern yard for the Bay Coast Railroad at Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Virgina. The Bay Coast took over operations of the Eastern Shore Railroad in 2006 operating a 90 mile connection on the DelMarVa peninsula from Pocomoke City, Maryland to Little Creek, Virginia via 64 miles of rail and a 26 miles Chesapeake Bay crossing using one of only two remaining "carfloats" left in operation in the U.S. BCR 2014 is an EMD GP38, a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in July 1970 and was once owned by Conrail and operated as CSXT 1946. Here's a short video of BCR 2014 pulling mixed freight including two massive 16 inch gun barrels from the Battleship Missouri earlier this year. iPhone 4, 1/385 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ app.

Still Shiny

- The Tide light rail has been running for six months now and I get to ride just about every weekday. I am proud of what a great job my old colleagues at HRT have done in operating and maintaining the trains. It is right on schedule and the railcars still gleam like they are new. Canon G11, 1/160 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 200.

Exmore

- Stopped in Exmore on the way back down the Eastern Shore of Virginia today. Exmore was named after the number of railroad stops left until reaching the Delaware state line, there were 10 more stops, thus "X-More." The tracks are now part of the Bay Coast Railroad but were originally built by New York, Pennsylvania and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N) aka the "Nip 'n N". Canon G11, 1/800 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, converted to black and white with Silver Efex Pro 2.

East Bound Tracks

- The east bound tracks of the new Norfolk Virginia Light Rail near Curlew Drive and Military Highway. Canon G11, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, converted to black and white.

Tracks

- The tracks of the Chicago "L" looking west toward the late afternoon sun from the Oak Park station on the Green Line. Canon g11, 1/800 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

Triple Decker

- The Thomas triple decker was tonight's living room construction project. You can see my co-builder and drawbridge operator at his duty station. Canon G11, 1/20 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Living Room Train

- Robert's train set on the living room floor. We had fun dodging the the oncoming train while taking pictures. Canon G11, 1/13 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Model Railroader

Today we took my grandson shopping for his birthday at one of his favorite stores, Chuckatuck Collectibles in Suffolk, Virginia. He spent a lot of time operating the accessories on the Lionel train layout. Here he is intently watching the coal loader do its thing. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens.