June has already turned out to be a busy month with travel and work, but trains keep turning up, no matter where we go. We hiked the Inca Trail in from the outskirts of Cuzco, Peru to reach the breathtaking Macchu Pichu ruins, and then took the 3-foot modern narrow gauge PeruRail back to Cuzco to fly back home. Back down closer to sea level (and home), some snaps of CSX mainline action from the parking deck in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
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| Rails through the Inca Empire: A three-foot gauge PeruRail passenger train gets ready to depart Aguas Caliente, Peru, for Cuzco. Aguas Caliente is the rail and road hub to reach Macchu Pichu and other Inca Trail ruins. Note the soaring, vertical terrain in the background. |
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| All of the PeruRail rolling stock, right-of-way, and facilities we saw evidenced a well-run, modern operation. These spiffy diesel railbuses provide local service primarily to Peruvians who work in the region's booming tourism industry. Inspiring scenery, short trains, dense operations, a mix of Euro and North American equipment: seems like an awesome modeling opportunity . . . |
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Back at sea level, TOFC action in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
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| A long train of empty auto racks westbound through Gaithersburg. |
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Hot double-stack, eastbound through Gaithersburg.
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