North Carolina Transportation Museum

Spencer NC Transportation  Museum

The family and I went up last summer and visited. We saw many "F" and "E" units active and moving around. A couple of them took a spin on the turn table.

Here we see the Amtrak taking a spin, definitely a blast from he past railroad days as we see the other trains in the back ground.

And a rare picture of the older diesel trains from the past as they are all lined up.

 

 

And J Class 611 was there too, "Fire Up 611" eventually the grand old train will be active and moving on it's own power.

Here we have the NS twins 4270 and 4271 in a rare shot together, I caught on my cell phone.

We even got a night shot, please excuse the blurriness, night shot take special camera and lens but I think you can see the trains.

All in all, just a great day with family and friends as some of our model train club members can up too.

Interestingly, Spencer was a city made of railroad workers in the day there were so many, especially during the age of steam, it suppose to be the mid-way point between Atlanta and Washington DC. And it is here the maintenance shops for the trains.

 

The Austell Spilt

Rail Fanning with Caleb and Dan :-)

The Austell Spilt (in Austell, GA) is a very hot spot for Rail fanning. The trains coming east bound are usually coming from Birmingham, also  it's good place the catch the Crescent (if & when they are on time, ha ha)

The South bound trains are usually from Chattanooga, a lot of NS action coming down and going up.

West bound trains are coming from Atlanta possibly from Inman yard, heading to either west Birmingham or north to Chattanooga.

My son and I enjoy it, but he gets bored fairly quickly and He could stay there for many hours. Interesting, someone has said a good measurement of the economy is if you see many double decker containers, and I believe that to be so.

Happy Rail fanning and happy model railroading. !!

Rail fanning weekend with Southern 4501

A Rail fanning weekend with Southern 4501

Well, we ( the family) rail fanned the next to the last weekend in October. Southern 4501 was in great shape, very alive and well.  We planned to chase the train Saturday from Summerville Ga. then follow it north to Chattanooga. 

It was a cool clear sun shining day.  We actually started in Trion Ga. at the Bridge next to the park.

And we went back to Summerville at the turn table as we watch the big steam engine turn around and  head back to Chattanooga.

The town Summerville also, had a little Arts & crafts Festival and many had gather for that and the big train locomotive.  We had lunch and then we chased the big engine northward to Chattanooga.



 

 

The First spot was the Bridge at Trion. Notice the steam and the wood holding the track.

Notice the train coming through the woods on the train tracks. You don't see that often.

She crossed the Central Ga. bridge ofd Hwy. 27 near Rossville. Many were there to see the sight.

She ended the day crossing Holtsclaw Avenue in Chattanooga. 4501 looks like it's driving on the highway.

It was a smoky start early Sunday Morning for another day of train chasing. As she backed her way back to Grand Junction for the day's trip to Summerville.

She was really showing her stuff that cool weather morning as many of us gather on the east 23rd bridge to take some photos.

A stroll through Chickamauga and by the Depot on a very beautiful day.

4501 went through the Rock Springs area and we (the family) called it a day. :-)

 All of these pictures where taken with my Iphone 4 and we also had regular Digital cameras and video cameras too. It was just a great time and a great time with the family.

North GA Modurail at SRM

North Georgia Modurail train club at Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Ga.

Oct. 8th - 11th 10:00am to 5pm

The club will have a 40 X 16 ft. layout and the museum will have exhibits and trade rides.

Saturday they have the kid's train rides.

Rail Fest 2014 & TVRM

Rail Fest 2014 TVRM & Southern 4501

Well, the family and I went to Chattanooga to Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and enjoyed the day at rail fest, where the Southern 2-8-2 Mikado 4501 made it's inaugural run being the first time in many years.

It was a fun day with food snacks and music entertainment. But really locomotive steam trains where the interest of the day.  Rail fanners and photographers was to the order of the day. Many showing great interest in the steams trains.   That day Southern 630 was also in operation too. Making a steam photographers dream. Active steam engines in 2014 !!  Just not something seen anymore.

They put 4501 on the turn table and she barely fit. There was about four foot on the front and back of over hang.  But she did fit and the turntable was able to rotate the grand engine of old. The train pulled the passenger cars from Grand Junction to East Chattanooga and back. Once they got there the workman would detach the train, then roll it on the turn table. Turn it around, reattach the passenger cars and ride back to Grand Junction through a 900 feet tunnel in the middle of the ride.

 So it was a great day with family, friends and train enthusiasts.  We have 4501 in HO scale as a model train at home and it was very good to see her come alive.  At the of the day the workman allowed the two engines to Double head back to the shop. And it was a sight to behold.  A blast from the past, to see 4501 and 630 double head a load of passenger cars.

Again, just a good day with our family and many train friends !!

Rail Fanning in Tate Ga.

Greetings, I was looking at a map of northwest Georgia the other day and found a CSX line going from Marietta to Ellijay. I followed the tracks on the map and came up on a yard.  It was in Tate Ga. and there was an old Depot building.

 

 

So we drove up and I took my camera and used my cell phone / I-phone camera and took some pictures.  It was a very pretty day but by the time we got there the sun was straight up high noon.

 

I came in the back way to the yard, as I almost went passed it, I knew that it was near the four way intersection and a church but I was not sure where it was located.  We found the train tracks and of course we just followed it south.

We crossed the railroad tracks and went through a small neighborhood and then came up on the shop.

It was a very warm day but it was a clear day and I snapped off some shots with my Digital Camera.

The old depot was right by highway 53 and another photographer stop and took pictures as well .

Later we would have lunch and we went by the BBQ place which was very good.

BBQ and trains kind of go together hand in hand.  :-)

DanSamRR

Savannah Round House

A couple of summers ago, we took our family vacation in Savannah Georgia.  With River street, the train Round house and Tybee  beach near by, it has something for the whole family.  We enjoy River street day or night, either morning or afternoon.  We enjoy a first night walk on the beach, then next day on the beach. But with young Caleb, the meaning ALL day is usually spent at the train museum and round house.

    


Well He had  the best day ever. As they had a local active steam tank engine and Caleb wanted to ride in the cab.   Obviously, he could not do this in t-shirt and shorts with flip-flops.  So they gave him some train clothes with boots.  And he got to ride in the cab.

  

This also meant  prep work for the engine.  Firing up the engine then adding coal and water. An exciting job for young man hooked on trains.  

 

As Caleb got into the cab, he was given the responsibility of Bell man. A position  took very seriously. 

 

So now you can see while it took almost the whole day.  But it was  a good time and a good day.

It was a very hot day but we cooled off at the pool and did then did river street that night.

 

Here's a picture of the crew and yes one was a girl.

I must admit that we have gone there a couple of more times. And right now, it's a family favorite.