\
Starting off, here's a video from May 2023, with yet another chase of a couple trains on Norfolk Southern's Hagerstown Line. Included are the usual N&W signals, plus a shot of a train over the famous Compton trestle.
Over three days in the past two weeks, I joined the (I'd guess almost 10,000) folks who made the pilgrimage into downtown Washington, DC, to take some pictures of the Yoshino cherry trees as they reached peak bloom. The main body of trees on the tidal basin are not well-positioned for train shots, but a small stand of the trees in East Potomac park are located downstream from the Long Bridge's crossing of the Washington Channel. I joined two local and one out-of-state fan in snapping Amtrak's Carolinian with a now-common ALC-42 in the lead.
A week before, the blossoms were not quite at peak as a northbound CSX manifest crossed the bridge. In the channel is a drill being used to take geologic samples, in preparation for construction of a second double-track span for passenger traffic.
As I crossed the Maine Avenue bridge on my way to the Metro station, I heard a horn in the direction of L'Enfant plaza. Racing back down the bridge, I snagged a shot of CSX C750 heading south under the old PRR signal bridge as the conductor waved to the crowd of tourists.
Finally, I figured I would share my two best non-train shots from my three outings. Thankfully there has been no rain during the festival, but there were enough clouds to make some very moody sunrises.
