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Amtrak’s Carolinian at Richmond—On the way to Spencer—Part 5

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Heat Curtailment, Crew Change, and a Trash Train.

Amfleet_interior_Carolinian_P1020756

Hmm, sounds like the chorus to a song. It was cool and damp when Amtrak’s Carolinian departed Trenton a little after 8am this morning (May 28, 2014). Now, its 94 degrees Fahrenheit outside!

We’ve been traveling at a reduced speed because of the heat. An customer (passenger?) announcement was made in this regard, shortly after we crossed the diamonds at Doswell (historically where the Chesapeake & Ohio crossed the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac).

There’s lots of CSX freight on the line, if not moving particularly fast.

Amtrak's streamliner-era Budd-baggage car on train 79 at RIchmond, Virginia at 1:31 pm May 28, 2014. Lumix LX-7 photo.
Amtrak’s streamliner-era Budd-baggage car on train 79 at Richmond, Virginia at 1:31 pm May 28, 2014. Lumix LX-7 photo.

At Richmond, Staple Mills Station, we stopped for a crew change and a ‘smoke brake’. (If burning through the pixels with the LX-7 counts as ‘smoke,’ I’m in.)

A northward CSX trash train with an AC6000CW was parked near the head-end of Amtrak 79, Carolinian. It was a bit of shock to step out of the air-conditioned Amfleet car and into the heat.

Amtrak 79's crew change at Richmond. Lumix LX-7 photo.
Amtrak 79’s crew change at Richmond. Lumix LX-7 photo.
CSX AC6000CW leads an empty trash train bound for The Bronx at Staples Mills Station, Richmond, Virginia. Lumix LX-7 photo.
CSX AC6000CW leads an empty trash train bound for The Bronx at Staples Mills Station, Richmond, Virginia. Lumix LX-7 photo.
The AC6000CW features a pronounce radiator overhang that helps identify this locomotive. For a number of years these machines were common on the Boston & Albany route. Today, I saw no less than three in Richmond. Exposed on May 28, 2014 with a Lumix LX-7.
The AC6000CW features a pronounce radiator overhang that helps identify this locomotive. For a number of years these machines were common on the Boston & Albany route. Today, I saw no less than three in Richmond. Exposed on May 28, 2014 with a Lumix LX-7.
Among the features of the Panasonic Lumix LX-7 is a ‘digital zoom’ which allows for the effect of a much longer lens than offered optically. While this is really simply cropping in on the sensor, it does make photos like this one possible on site. I used the digital zoom as a composition tool, but I made another image the limits of the optical zoom as well. What I like about this long-telephoto angle is the signals to the right and the picket-fence effect of the canopy supports on the left. LX-7 photo.
Among the features of the Panasonic Lumix LX-7 is a ‘digital zoom’ which allows for the effect of a much longer lens than offered optically. While this is really simply cropping in on the sensor, it does make photos like this one possible on site. I used the digital zoom as a composition tool, but I made another image the limits of the optical zoom as well. What I like about this long-telephoto angle is the signals to the right and the picket-fence effect of the canopy supports on the left. LX-7 photo.

Our baggage car belongs to the streamlined era. Appropriate, since we are going to the North Carolina Transportation Museum’s Streamliners at Spencer event. Later this year I’ll be writing a book on American railroad’s streamlined era to be published by Voyageur Press!

More to come!

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