I may with NEw Hope & ivyland or the Black River & western. Anyone else?

The Mrs. and I are heading to Horseshoe Curve next Thursday for a couple of days. The difference from last year to now is about a buck a gallon, so that works out to $60 more per trip, not too unrealistic...

Marty

I think you meant locally where you are. (Won't be going to Jersey this week.)

However, in the larger sense, I had a couple of photo trips in mind which would have put about 400-600 miles each on the car, and I have revised my plan to go locally instead. There's a Santa Fe steel lattice cantilever with a searchlight signal at Pampa, 50 miles from here. In fact, there are a lot of searchlights at Pampa, and even a stretch of pole line still standing, so I'm going there next week while that equipment is still in service, instead of to Woodward and Waynoka, as previously planned.

I'm waiting for my local bike trail to be completed, then I can ride my bike to the rail line.

I just stopped buying bottled water for my railfaning trips

Hi there,

I commute to work every weekend. I drive about 500 miles on the weekend. Gas in my area is now $4.24 and $4.34 in most spots. Lucky me, I get to see trains every weekend. The company I work for has 2 trains Northbound and 2 trains Southbound every Saturday and Monday. Plus I see the daily Whittier train and the freights when the barges are in.

Local for us. Thank goodness there is plenty of action around here this summer. The addition of a scanner has helped save lots of fuel.

We are planning and saving for two trips, though not to far. 150 miles will give us a day at Horseshoe Curve and Altoona.

Our second trip this summer will be a bus trip to the Inner Harbor at Baltimore, where we wish to vist the B&O Museum.

Ed

definitely local,
there's always something different on the NEC, the Port Reading secondary sometimes has unusual run-through power that I can see from my home, for yucks I head to Raritan Center to see what's switching down there.

these days, even a trip to Phillipsburg is getting pricey.

hopefully, this summer I will make my first trip to Horseshoe.

Since I like steam (mostly, anyway), local for me still means a 2-3 hour drive. Since I only do 2 or 3 trips a year, I figure that the extra cost won't hurt too much (of course I'll still complain about it...).

I plan on Western Maryland Scenic RR and maybe Potomac Eagle or Cass. I'm also thinking about the Reading and Northern.

Andy

A recent issue of TRAINS (or Railroad & Railfan?) mag had a list of the steam locos in the US & Canada, both active & those on static display.

quote:

the Port Reading secondary sometimes has unusual run-through power

Chris,

I'm surprised to see how busy this line has been. I had'nt seen a train on it for years, but now I have a pretty good chance. Also, it must be kinda weird for the people living right there in Metuchen when those chemical cars roll by!

I used to hang out by the Lehigh Line off of Oak Tree road where Faith Fellowship Ministries used to be. Haven't been there since they completed double-tracking the line.

I work in Raritan Center now, right next to a spur where they store (and unload into tanker trucks) hoppers. Up til about a year ago that line saw 2 trains a day. The building behind us used to receive sheetrock panels. Everyday they would take out the empties, and bring in full cars. I guess the sheetrock place moved.

I've done very little in the past year plus my film cameras both died due to usage. Looking for a good used digital.

My last long trip was last fall to the old Clinchfield and then the NS to Natural Tunnel area. To do this, a tank of gas plus a couple of meals, and you can drop $75.00 - $90.00 easy. You better be able to shoot plenty at this rate.

I travel around the Dallas/Fort Worth area for work also.

Yesterday, I ate my lunch in a parking lot near the train tracks in Terrell, Texas.

I was in luck, a UP train came by, pretty Cool!

Wayray

quote:

Originally posted by Ed Mullan:
Local for us. Thank goodness there is plenty of action around here this summer. The addition of a scanner has helped save lots of fuel.

We are planning and saving for two trips, though not to far. 150 miles will give us a day at Horseshoe Curve and Altoona.

Our second trip this summer will be a bus trip to the Inner Harbor at Baltimore, where we wish to vist the B&O Museum.

Ed

I'm in Ed's boat, Sand Patch is 20 miles away, Grafton is only 50 miles away, as is Altoona.
The former PRR line also runs through Latrobe Pa. so, that's only 25 miles away.

I have a scanner, but don't listen to it all that much. For me, the day trackside is worth more than getting the shot.

I am close enough to the BNSF yard in Phoenix, I can hear the horn blow on occasion while the GP30s and GP35s in switching tie up traffic at McDowell Road and 19th Ave. for long periods of time during rush hour.

My favorite spot for railfaning in this state though is the BNSF at Diablo Canyon between Flagstaff and Winslow just north of Two Guns. A very busy section of track although the Southwest Chief is a very difficult train to catch these days.

The Grand Canyon Railroad is a fun one too and always an excuse to do something different at the canyon. At 5 hours each way, I don't know if that's local or not.

UP is not bad near Tucson, but being a former east coaster, UP has never caught my attention as much as most out here.

The Port Reading Secondary usually plays host to the NS man heading to/from E-Rail in E'port as well.

Bob

As a matter of fact I did just that Last Saturday morning. The Flag Coal Steamer 0 4 0 came to the L M & M in Lebanon Ohiobetween Cincy and Dayton. This was the first operating steam ride her ine the Cincy area since 1994. It was about a four mile round trip due to the limited capacity of coal and no tender. I rode inside the last car backwards the first half and in a gondola behind the engine forward on the return. No assistaance needed from the GP standing on the siding which is the regualr power for their excursionas.

Fortunately, I live near the San Bernardino Depot and __SF Intermodal facility, so I don't have to drive far for my train fix.

I FEEL LIKE THE LUCKIEST RAILFAN ALIVE SOMETIMES .... I LIVE LESS THAN FIVE MINS AWAY FROM STEAMTOWN I CAN HEAR THE WHISTLE FROM MY OUTDOOR DECK