I’ve often found that a place appears very different lineside compared to the view from the train.
On a rainy evening, we photographed Amtrak No. 50, the eastward Cardinal, plying the old Chesapeake & Ohio along Old Goose Creek Road between Staunton and Waynesboro, Virginia.
A couple of evenings later we rolled through in the same direction aboard the dome on Virginia Scenic Railway’s Blue Ridge Flyer and I had a complete different impression of this location.
All photos exposed digitally using a Nikon Z6-III with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom.
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography Daily!
Having enjoyed our journey aboard Virginia Scenic Railway’s Appalachian Special from Staunton to Goshen, we decided to book another adventure—this time traveling east over the Blue Ridge on the Blue Ridge Flyer. (Same train set, different run).
Under clear blue skies, we boarded the Budd Vista Dome Shenandoah, with our seats upstairs in the dome this time.
Before departing Staunton, Kris and I watched Amtrak No. 51, the westbound Cardinal, work up the old Chesapeake & Ohio grade. It had been nearly ten years since I last traveled on Amtrak’s train over the C&O route.
One of the great pleasures of riding in a Vista Dome is the expansive view both forward and aft—especially when meeting opposing traffic.
Approaching the siding at Afton, we got a “white eye”—a lunar white signal aspect. This is a restricting signal.
“We’re in luck! Our train is taking the siding. I’ll bet there’s an empty coming against us.”
Where else on a short line tourist excursion train do you get a signaled meet with a 197-car freight?
At Crozet—named for the 19th-century civil engineer who laid out the route—we paused for the runaround, where our locomotive changed ends. On the return leg, we watched a Blue Ridge sunset from one of Budd’s finest cars.
Joining the main at Staunton.View of C&O’s Staunton station from the dome. It seems quite different than from street level.Meeting coal empties near Afton, Virginia.For me this was the highlight of the trip!Run around at Crozet. Returning to Staunton; the old C&O main climbing west on the right.
Tracking the Light Explores rail photography every day!
Kris booked our Virginia Scenic Railway tickets online days before we arrived in Staunton, Virginia.
As previously covered on Tracking the Light, we visited the Virginia Scenic Railway’s new Staunton station on the evening before our trip.
On the morning of our trip, we arrived with plenty of time to spare, giving me an opportunity to photograph both the equipment and the surroundings using my Nikon Z6 III and my father’s old Leica M4 (loaded with Ektachrome 100). We visited the gift shop, located in one of the restored 50ft boxcars and I bought a beer glass.
While we waited, a Buckingham Branch local freight worked up-grade on the former Chesapeake & Ohio main line. Before long, our train would reverse out of the station and follow the freight up-grade.
More on our train ride in the coming days!
Tracking the Light visits the Virginia Scenic Railway!
We arrived in Staunton, Virginia, under sunny skies.
On our list of things to do was a trip on the Virginia Scenic Railway, the passenger excursion affiliate of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, which operates this portion of the former Chesapeake & Ohio main line.
Shortly after arriving, we visited the VSR’s new station facilities, located a short distance west of the old Chesapeake & Ohio station. Here, we found VSR’s “pocket streamliner,” as well as a freshly painted Buckingham Branch display train that serves as the gift shop and public restrooms for passengers.
I took the opportunity to make a variety of images of the Buckingham Branch GP16 diesel on display, along with photographs of the other equipment.
The next morning, we returned for our VSR excursion over the former C&O. We were not disappointed…stay tuned!
Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.Exposed using my Nikon Z6-III.
Tracking the Light explores the old Chesapeake & Ohio!
