New Year's Planning

I realize that it has been months since my last entry. End of June, marked the beginning of full retirement. I moved to an apartment to be my home in retirement. I spent the first month of two, taking one day a week in train watching. It was hardly railfan travel. I did take a day trip on Amtrak for watching at Selma, NC. Time and weather did not work out and other interest caught my time.

Now, I focus my attention on my Christmas trip. As in the past, I will be going to Richmond, VA for New Years even and day. I usually take one day for a day trip. A one day out and back. I was looking at my list and will it will be a day trip to Washington, DC, from Richmond, on Amtrak. I did my scheduled perspective, so to see the DC streetcars, MARC at New Carrollton, VRE at L'Enfant Plaza.

My plans start by drawing out the schedule of possible trains, in both directions. It might take some time as to the number of carriers. I ends up like this for the MARC:

Marc, Amtrak New Carrollton Station

9:36a(164n)	10:00(2160n/Union)	10:06(523s)	10:05(425s)	10:22(174n)
10:41(416n)	11:03(427s)	11:31(418n)	11:55(2151s/Union)	12:00(2164n/Union)
12:13(429s)	12:17a(176n)	12:31(520n)	12:47(141s)	12:55(2153s/Union)
1:00(2166n/Union)	1:13(431s)	1:17p(194n)	1:31(422n)	1:48(95s)
1:55(2155s/Union)	2:00(2168n/Union)	2:13(433s)	2:31(424n)	2:32(156n)
3:00(2170n/Union	3:11(147s)	3:17(148n)	3:34(426n)	3:51(537s)
3:55(2159s/Union	3:58(171s)	4:00(2172n/Union)	4:14(178n)	4:20(99s)
4:21(428n)	4:23(439s)	4:31(430sns)	4:33(532n)	4:51(643n)
4:53(641s)	5:21(536n)	5:00(73s)	5:21(534n)	5:24(440n)
6:04(445s)	6:15(87s)

                        
I color code the carrier, in this case MARC is black, Amtrak is red and Amtrak Acela is brown. This information is put into a prospective schedule, with such schedule, above put into the format below. I deleted those in the schedule that is before arrival and after departure. This schedule will give me the ideal times to watch.

Richmond, VA, Staples Mill Rd - Washington, DC, Union Station, 8:25am-10:56am, 88 Northeast Regional
	DC Street Car 1.5 hr 11:00-12:30
Washington, DC, Union Station - New Carrollton Station, 1:20-1:31
	Marc, Amtrak New Carrollton Station, 1:31 arrival 3,2,2 1:31(422n) 1:48(95s) 1:55(2155s/Union) 2:00(2168n/Union) 2:13(433s) 2:31(424n) 2:32(156n)
New Carrollton Station - L'Enfant Plaza Station, 23 min orange line
	VRE, Amtrak L'Enfant Plaza Station. 2:55 arrival 3:05(91/Union) 3:18(303sf) 3:55(336nm/Union) 4:01(125s) 4:18(307sf) 4:29(80n/Union) 4:33(329sm) 4:56(171s) 5:23(311sf) 5:38(333sm)
L'Enfant Plaza Station - Washington, DC, Union Station 15 min green red
Washington, DC, Union Station - Richmond, VA, Staples Mill Rd, 7:00pm-9:13pm, 87 Northeast Regional

Of course, this plan is, in reality a perspectus not a shedule. I might get involved with one stop or the other, so I have to change as I go. Another factor in planning, is daylight. This should be between 5 and 6.