Vacation Reading

I'm doing some reading right now. I have taken up reading, Swiss Family Robinson. This is a book, I used to read on vacation every year. I would start the beginning of each vacation, making it only one two or even three chapters into the book. Than vacation got interesting. I would find myself involved in whatever we were doing. If we were at the beach I would be enjoying the the surf. Or it could be that we were in the mountains and I was watching the skyline for all the the mountains in the background. About evening time I was too tired to even consider reading.

I got to read 2 or 3 chapters, at the most. Now this will become the book that I will be reading while traveling. Instead of using the full book which is a little bit heavy and that's probably why I gave up on reading at these vacations. I have the book on my phone, computer, and tablets. So it's available anywhere, anytime that I have the time to read. I have never had a dedicated e-reader but I've always used the phone or my tablet. I have one phone plus two tablets plus a laptop and whatever book I want to read is available on all four.

I prefer using the phone. It is lightweight, sits in my pocket, take it out to read, put it back when I'm not doing any more reading, then I did the whole thing again later. In the morning or afternoon, I take my books on my phone or my tablet, find a nice quiet place, maybe the mall, maybe the library, or perhaps a coffee shop, take out my book on my phone and read away. I did that this morning, will probably do it again tomorrow, sometime either morning or afternoon and the place will vary as it always does. This is the book form that I take with me on the train or plane or just riding with a friend.

Planning an Excursion, Part 2

Transfer between transits means time to explore or whatever. A good book will pass the time, both in station and on board. Picture taking will take time and give good souvenirs. I have been in Washington a number of times so, sightseeing may not be as unique as I would like. More than once, I have been by the monuments and the museum many times. Train watching and Metro riding, will require some time. Union Station always has something good to see. There is always a private car in the station. If you want good train watching you have to go north of the station for run-by. South of the station is good. There is one public space that overlooks the tunnel portal from the south into Union Station (the last time I was there, I was approach by police. The first thing you should say, in such case is "do you want me to leave?")

Overnight train travel means not much waking time to watch, but there is always NYC light up in the night. Arrival in Boston, early morning, ready for a day of sight seeing. First question: what Boston Station to arrive at? Route 128 is a out of town station with many train watching chances: commuter and Amtrak. Back Bay is in the middle of the Social areas, but not good watching. South Station is the terminus of the line and in a good part of downtown (just south of the station is good). What side of town, you want to be in, will also determine the station. This trip has become a north side trip with most of my sightseeing in Boston or north of the river, looking around Cambridge and Alewife.

When I first arrived in Boston to live, 35+ years ago, for the first month, I lived at the YMCA about two blocks from work. I than got a sublease in Cambridge, for a month or two. It was north of Cambridge Square and Harvard Yard and near what is know as Potters Square. The Red  Line Subway was only completed as far as Harvard (now it goes through Potters Square all the way to Alewife) so I had to take the bus from there.

My first plan was to go past the old apartment. which I lived in and go to Alewife, to check that out. I never have been all the way to Alewife. It is not a major detour nor something major  to see. This segment is:

Richmond to Boston, MA, South Station, 6:30 pm-7:58 am, Amtrak 66, Northeast Regional

Boston, MA, South Station to Harvard Square 8:16 am - 8:30 am, Red Line MBTA

Harvard Square to Fairfield Ave Apartment 8:34 am - 8:47 am, Bus 77. 8:34 am - 9:00 am
                Cambridge Commons

Fairfield Ave Apartment to Porter Square 12 min. Walking 9:30 am - 9:45 am

Of course the tour will continue. The times marked are those from Google maps laying out route and generating an approximate time. The real time will vary with pictures, bypasses, detours, and long term rest periods.

Planning an Excursion, Part 1

Putting together, a plan begins, deciding on either destination or route. My first excursions were planned to follow a route. Steam excursions were frequent in the 1960's and 1979's. Add to that the Freedom Train, Chessie Steam Specials, Chessie Safety Express, and all the Southern steam specials. These were the mid 1970's and rumor had it that Southern was going to discontinue the Crescent Limited from Washington to New Orleans and turn it over to Amtrak. I decided to take the Crescent from Washington to Atlanta, which was its destination three days a week with extended to New Orleans on Tuesday and Thursday (I my have that wrong, but I am working from memory). Of course Southern kept it for a little longer before turning operation of the Crescent to Amtrak. So! I took the Crescent to Atlanta, spent the day, and return that night back to Washington.

I normally use both destination and route in combination to plan my trips. Looking at the Boston trip, I began with destination. Here, I plugged my home of Cary, NC with Boston being the destination. Amtrak's website, will take either the Silver Star or the Carolinian from Cary, NC to Washington, DC. From DC, they recommend the Northeast Regional, departing around 10:00 pm to Boston, an overnight train, with arrival in Boston around 8:00 am. Considering that a return trip begins at 9:30 with connection in DC after an overnight trip. It would be conceivable to do a single day in Boston as an excursion with sleeping overnight on the train.

In this one day trip to Boston, I set out to see what I could see. I lived in Boston in the 1980's. Part of that was in Cambridge and part was in Lynn, with my first months at the YMCA near Copley. I worked near the Copley Library. In fact, is next door to what is now Copley Place. It was under construction when I lived there.

Planning begins with starting point and destination, than layout route. In a trip from Car, NC to Boston, MA, we lay out two trains. Transfer can occur any where from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC. Richmond is nice: early off and early back on. Fredericksburg, VA limits what train to start on. Alexandria is good as is DC.

April 7

Since my Selma trip, which I wrote little on, it was a straight forward trip. I started planning other trips. I another trip to Raleigh, to watch trains, at the train station. I have planned other trips which I may or may not take. Most recently, I took to planning or revising a trip from my home port in Cary to Florida. I had worked three, before. The first was to Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa. The first draft did not include Tampa because I passed though Tampa and did see the two railfan sites, the airport monorail and the streetcars downtown. However, the final revision did include Tampa. The second plan took in Southern Florida with Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. However, I had to combine them in a third option.

As fate would have it, rumors of the high speed, Brightline was materializing. And is not partly in use. It is not Virgin trains. This warranted a bit of revision to the old southern Florida plans to, at least, see Virgin Trains. However, I generated a new option to include watching and riding Virgin trains. This still needs final revisions and corrections before being taken. I am very tempted to take this as my next excursion.

The trip

Starting my trip to Selma, NC, I got, to the station, about 30 minutes before the Carolinian. As so happens, the Silver Star was running over an hour late. It is about 30 minutes until the Carolinian and my trip to Selma, NC, for a day of train watching. Around 9.39, a CSX south bound freight came through, but I was not in a position to film, which is standard for me. On board the Carolinian, it was on time. I could not get clear videos in Cary. In Selma, l rushed and did get video of the departure. To my delight, I was pulled by phase III Paint scheme.

Soon, the Carolinian came and I boarded. I could not get a video of it in Cary but waited to Selma.

90, Southbound Palmetto  came through. Nothing special.  

There has not been one freight through today. You must have been that they all the freight was moved. yesterday before the weekend. That made me that I want to take another date I'm down here and spend the day on hopefully some freight will come through as well.

Next will be the South down Palmetto

and finally the Carolinian back to Cary.

Carolinian was a tad late, butl accessible. I got video of all trains through Selma. Now to editing

Railfans and Police

A video which I have bookmarked is "Railfans and Police Don't Mix." Often railfans might feel that way. I have been confronted about a half dozen times. A couple of times, the confrontation was by Yard Masters. One was to stop me from taking pictures of the yard. He gave me the old post 9/11 reason. I did ask if he wanted me to leave and he said I could not take pictures but I could stay but put my camera away. Another yardmaster may not have wanted me to leave but the dialogue was a bit odd. I was at the throat of the yard. I could not be seen from the office, he did stop as he left. I was first asked, where did I park my car. I had parked back off of the yard but thought that his concern was my trespassing so I asked where the RR property line was. The confrontation was friendly, not accusative. 

While in Cleveland, while watching the light rail, I was just beginning to watch at a particular station. I had talked to one policeman who was with a dog, more about the dog. I had not yet taken out the camera, at that point. After talking to him, a very friendly conversation, and he moved on, I took out my camera. Soon, I saw transit police, two officers. They approached and said they had a call about me taking picture. I corrected them that I was mostly taking video. We had a very friendly conversation, some jokes told. Note that this conversation came as a result of a call they gotten and were checking it out.

I was in Newark, NJ, after the morning in Trenton, NJ, watching light rail. I got off the light rail was beginning to look for a good place to watch the light rail, as well as getting a feel of the setting, as a tourist would. I stopped in the station to check the battery on my recorder, while looking at the setting. I crossed the track and moved to a place to sit, I was confronted by someone complaining about me taking pictures of him (I did not take any, at that point, much less of him). He called the police who came soon after. the local police and I had a nice conversation and than they went their way. I did show my only video that I had taken, which was not much and early in the day. At that point, my camera in my camera bag, so it was out of courtesy that I let her see what I had.

First to be noted that police will only get involved if a complaint or call is received. They might stop to investigate if we are in a sensitive location. By that, I mean, not a normal place. One video shows the police reacting to a night video party, on railroad property. That would be unusual, at the least. It was local police that confronted the railfans. Railroad managers would be concerned about safety. Plus to protect the company from liability.

As railfans, there should be things to remember when approached by those question us. Don't be argumentative and defensive. Never give more details than needed. For instance do describe yourself as involve in the hobby of railfanning. Be truthful but not too much. Another employee gives you permissions, but don't bring that up.

The oddest confrontation with police came in Washington, DC. I had chosen a  location after the tunnel into Union Station. I took the subway from Alexandria. Instead of bringing  everything, I just took a 6" tripod. The camcorder was hanging around the next while traveling, with the tripod not open, When I got to the location I set the camcorder down using the tripod, but not setting up for recording. A security officer came up and was to that I could take picture, but I could not use the tripod (even as small as it was).

The Next Trip

Looking ahead, I have more detain in planning certain trips. I did come up with my next trip. I will take the Carolinian to Selma, NC. Selma is where the Carolinian and Star move west toward Raleigh and Cary. The Star goes south at Cary and the Carolinian continues west. Selma is a crossroads as well. It is an hour by train and 45 minutes by car. The Star does not stop in Selma. I leave in the morning on the train.

My Future Trips, part 1 & 2

Looking ahead, I had planned out a trip to Memphis TN. Two railfan attractions and a few others, makes Memphis a good trip. We have a hanging monorail and streetcars in Memphis. Using Amtrak website, a trip to Memphis, had to go via Chicago. Another option, but not good, would to go via New Orleans. Via Chicago meant arriving in Chicago in the morning and leaving in the evening, both going and coming. I would arrive in Memphis in the morning and leave in the evening. So, I would have two days in Chicago, which could be used for site-seeing and rail-fanning. The connection in Washington is too short to be reliable so I would have to spend the night there. I came up with another, more expensive but nice option. Instead of spending the night in DC, take the overnight train to Boston and take the Lake Shore Ltd to Chicago. I would still have the overnight, but on a train. The return trip from Chicago would be via The Cardinal, through WVa. But spending the night in Manassas, VA which would give me a different set of views.

I also had planned three trip to Florida. The first and easiest was North Florida: Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. The next was to Miami and finally, to north and south Florida. During the panning of this trip, there was the development and first operation of Brightline, high  speed train. One improvement will not come for a coupe of years will be the Miami to Orlando run. Now it only goes to South Palm Beach. I might wait to the expansion starts. Taking the Silver service to Orlando and Brightline to Miami.

Both these plans were redrawn to use flying as an option to Amtrak.

Final Work on My Last Trip

This trip is behind me and done. There was little planning for this trip. I had thought about taking a day in Colonial Williamsburg, where I lived 40 years ago, but decided that a library trip would be more productive. I got home, took a few days to get video edited and posted to YouTube. I am a believer in editing. I have seen video that look like they posted raw video. I take the leader  and unproductive parts out.

First step in this process is to copy the video from the camcorder or camera or phone, leaving the originals on the device for the present. After copying the file on the computer, from the devise, I give it a raw file number. It is in my raw video file, the last number plus one. I enter  this progressive for all raw files. Even if the raw file is added to others or is not used, it gets a separate number. My final Byrd Park video required 5 raw files. To this number, I build the final file name for raw. After editing these files are place in a file for raw data, just in case I need to come back to them.

Once editing, the video will be filed on my computer and the appropriate ones will be uploaded to YouTube. All done! I finished the last thing this afternoon when I took stills off the video.

This trip was little to plan, and had some changes as I went. Now to work on some of my next,

The Drive Home, Tuesday

I did not even cross a railroad track, except on overpasses, going some place. I decided that I might stop where I might watch and video, on my way down I 95 and US 301, on my way home. Looking at my memory as well as the map, I would pull off the interstate and take 301 south of Skippers, find a place and watch.  I stopped at the crossing, at Skippers, to see how good it was. Southbound was good but northbound not good as far as my standards go. Looking south, I did see what I thought might be a trains headlight. It was just a reflection off a metal shed. I than looked north and there is was. Even if I am checking a site out, I take my camcorder and camera, just in case something should come by. As luck would have it, a south bound freight. I did not have time to get my tripod, so I videoed the train, hand held.

After this train went past, I decided to continue on 301 until I got to a better place. I lived in Weldon, NC for a while and knew the area well. I decided that Halifax, NC would be the best place to stop and watch. I drove through town to find a pace to get lunch, Before I got back on the bypass, An Amtrak came through. As close as I can figure, it was a late Silver Star, Amtrak 92. I first stopped for a hot dog for lunch. I pulled over where I would watch and unfortunately, a south bound freight came through, before I could get set. I got settled in, set up my tripod, and was getting settled when the northbound Carolinian, Amtrak 80 comes by:

Over the next several hour, two freights came though. After I got home and began to get my video ready, I realized that the first of the two was the one that passed me in Skippers. I must have been delayed because of the Amtrak and the northbound freight. I was not trying to chase it. In fact I got my hot dog and got lost, in the meanwhile.

Finally, Amtrak 89, Palmetto, Southbound, finished out my afternoon:

As we can see any watch session combines luck and knowledge. Luck will cause us to miss and luck will allow us to catch the trains we want.

Sunday and Monday in Richmond, VA

My stay in Richmond, VA was without watching trains. On Monday, I went to the State Library to work on genealogy. I also took the slow surface road so I could see changes in the city. I took a stop at the Virginia Historical Society, to donate some documents to the Society. I did a lot of work in the library but little in new information obtained. I went to church on Sunday Morning. I lived in Richmond when I accepted the call to preach. I go back one Sunday a year to worship with my home church. Sunday afternoon, I went to Bird Park and took some video and only three stills.

Of Late!

I know that I have been very quite of late. I haven't taken any trips recently and just watching beside the railroad. i am in Richmond, VA now and have not done any train watching to name. I go home tomorrow with no real watching to be done. I come to Richmond to visit friends. Before I accepted tjt call to preach, I lived in Richmond but that was 27 years ago. Much had change, half for the better and half for the worst. I will go by the State Library to research some on my Virginia ancestors. I may or may not stay the day. Tomorrow I drive home.

I have  been planning trips, which I may or may not take. I will talk about that later. I do think about this a lot but just don't get to writing.