Friends and Listees, I am in Virginia from Germany for two weeks. I am going to school in Norfolk the rest of this week and most of next week. I am looking for N scale/RR advice for Norfolk. I'm intrigued by the idea of rail fanning Amtrak for the weekend in DC... Don't know where to start or what to do. What do you suggest? Terry PS Sorry for cross posting here and one other forum.
Well, let's see. You're a CofG fan, so I'm guessing you're not averse to seeing a nice old Southern Railway station (Manassas is nice). Then there's the Southern Ps4 number 1401 in the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History (plus the other nice trains there!). Metrorail is a good way to get around, and the trains over near Union Station let you get a good look at Amtrak's Ivy City yard. And the National Capitol Trolley Museum is pretty neat, too!
Newport News shipyard and Lambert's Point are where the coal trains dump their coal. Lambert's is a very cool gravity operation, but I'm not sure how friendly the dock would be to railfans. DC is about 2 1/2 hrs away. Closer by is the NS division point at Crewe VA, Roanoke is around 5 hrs away, and finally NC is nearby.
Besides the other great suggestions for the D.C. area, I've been considering railfanning the wye in Manassas. (I like watching stack trains on the old Orange and Alexandria to NS' B-line up through Gainsville and Front Royal, VA which was featured in the August 2010 Model Railroader.) Unfortunately, VRE doesn't run on the weekend so you would have to drive. You could take Amtrak to the Manassas Depot, though. Personally, I love the B&O railroad museum in Baltimore. Then there is a railroadiana and model train show in Gaithersburg, MD on Sunday, November 6. November Railroadiana Show Calender Andy Tetsu Uma
I second everything Andy says, especially the B&O Museum and the wye. I spent many nights as a teenager hanging out by the tracks watching the trains go by.
From the shopping concourse at Union Station, take the escalator up to the parking garage for a fantastic view over the yard throat and terminal tracks. Amtrak, MARC and Metro action all the time!
Didn't know that was where you had went... was getting ready to email you to see how you were doing. These two Yahoo! Groups would be the place to ask about such... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tidewater_Rails/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vrfd/
Harpers Ferry or Point of Rocks come to mind. Probably about an hour from Front Royal and/or DC. Beautiful scenery, tunnels, rivers, mountains, and bridges... Track is very visible and highly accessible.
