The Chase is On (part 1)

In this changed plan, I awoke, check out of the motel, and took a different route to a new runby site. According to the information I received, the train would pass my site, from Roanoke to Lynchburg, around 9 or so. I arrived well before 8, to give myself time to set up. I was first on the site. I decided that it would be best to stop and get a sausage biscuit, to go, on my trip to the site and eat it while waiting. I stopped by a connivance store near the runby site and got a bottle water to go with it. That proved to be a wise move, on my part. It was not a very busy site, only a half dozen or so people watching the train go by.

The train went by. I decided to wait for the return and than run to another site for another runby. I had anticipated the next runby to be around 11. It was an easy transition, I left the tripod where it was and turned the camcorder to face the right direction. More people came and some moved on. The train was 30 minutes earlier than expected. I almost did not get a video. I did miss two freights that passed by between runby. I could not get myself back to the camera in time. I was talking with other people, while waiting for the runby.

I than took the chase to my next site. I was not sure if I would overtake it. I found out that the engine was restricted to 45 mph. I got to the next runby with more than 5 minutes to spare. In my research, this site was a good spot, with a long straight track. However, the railroad has place a stack of railroad ties, in our line of view. This was the last spot before Roanoke. I wasn't even going to try and catch it, again.