Midweek Photos 4/5/2017

A nice Sunday, 4/2/17, provided an opportunity to "exercise" a recently acquired Nikkor 18x140mm Autofocus telezoom lens.  I had just enough time before a family obligation to capture the Winchester & Western on its northbound run to Hagerstown,MD.

First intercept was at MD 63 xing, just east of Williamsport,MD. My timing was fortunate, as the train was blowing for the Potomac River Bridge, 1 mile south.  With the south breeze, I was able to hear the train rattle and bang across the bridge, and then non-turbocharged 2nd generation GP's getting a run for the first summit, just north of where I'm standing. This x-Pennsy trackage (Winchester-Williamsport)  was sold to W&W by Conrail in 1986, but CR cleverly began W&W ownership at this grade crossing, south of all the active shipper sidings. There is also a 10mph speed limit from here to NS's Vardo yard.
Today's train has 3 GP-38/38-2s, all of IC or GM&O ancestry, W&W has been getting these to replace the GP-9s.

Second intercept was the Sterling Road xing, which is where the train comes out of the dip past the mostly-non-rail served industrial park. The line makes a sharp curve to the northwest and levels out passing the suburb of Halfway,MD.

Last intercept was at the US11 xing in Halfway,MD. where once the Hagerstown & Frederick trolley  crossed on its Williamsport line.
The rails come out of the woods and squeeze between a Dollar General and a repurposed old factory, which now hosts a winery, among other businesses. The tracks then run along the edge of the Valley Mall shopping complex, and then go back into the woods until reaching the x-PRR wye trackage leading to Vardo yard.

All images by Warren W. Jenkins

From Epcot and Disney last week.

And this one is from Santee, SC.