Tuesday, September 15, 2015

First Rides Behind an ACS-64 City Sprinter

Did an up-and-back trip from Washington, DC to Stamford, CT over the weekend, and this ACS-64 was on the point. It was a smooth and uneventful ride, and my first ever ride behind a City Sprinter

Northbound Acela approaches Stamford while waiting for the train to take us home. Dig those tangles of track and catenary!

And this ACS-64 got us home, on time and without incident. These locos are growing on me . . . Kato announced one in N scale, maybe an HO version isn't far behind

Monday, September 7, 2015

Sighted During a DC Brewery Hike: Amtrak's Ivy City Facility

My wife Rachel and set out on a little urban hike in Washington DC's Ivy City neighborhood to find craft beer and fancy food. Our route took us on an overpass spanning Amtrak's Ivy City facility. Here are two Acelas warming up for runs up the Northeast Corridor later in the afternoon.
The whole facility, early in the afternoon. By late afternoon, this staging yard was full of Acelas as well as other trains destined for the NEC and points west.

A switcher pushes Amfleet cars into the shops while Acelas await their runs north.

More of the staging yard. Note the Superliner cars between the two Acelas on the right.


Another view of the staging yard.

Northbound Acela on the main line passes the Ivy City facility.