Suggestions for DC/Gettysburg/Williamsburg trip

I will be making a trip this fall (probably October) to Gettysburg, PA,
Williamsburg, VA, and Washington, DC... and was wondering if there are
any worthwhile rail-related places to go or things to see. I'm from
Maine and have never been to that area, so I have absolutely NO idea
what's there in terms of things that would be interesting for a train
enthusiast, so hit me with your ideas and suggestions!

Let's see....

Can't help you with Williamsburg and Gettysburg, but the DC area is a GREAT place for train enthusiasts. Don't know if you'll be able to drive around or if you'll be confined by travel means and time, but here goes...

Just a quick jog through my personal favorites:

The B&O Railroad Museum - Self-explanatory!!! Even if the museum is in Baltimore, it's worth the trip from DC.

Union Station in DC is worth a visit. It's not the greatest for watching trains come and go (though the New York Ave. Red Line Metro stop IS. MARC, Metro, Amtrak, and VRE traffic!), but it's a neat place, and is a good place to hop a train to where-ever.

If it's train-watching you want, you can find almost anything in the greater DC area. CSX runs a good deal of freight on the Metropolitan and Capital Subdivisions, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor is exceptionally busy around rush hour (10+ trains an hour from 5pm to 7pm) on weekdays, and Washington's METRO system is extensive and interesting.

Other landmarks worth the trip include:

Point of Rocks MD - A great scenic location (probably an hour from DC) and the junction of the Old Main and Metro subs. Harper's Ferry WV is not far from there and is also very nice.

Thomas Viaduct - Located just south of Baltimore in Patapsco park, the stone arched viaduct has been in place and in use for over 170 years. Quite a sight!

Susquehanna River Bridge - About 30 minutes north of Baltimore is the big bridge over the river at Perryville/Havre de Grace. You'll see the same Amtrak traffic as you will between DC and Baltimore, though with substantially less MARC traffic.


If you'd like any additional information about any of these places, or others specifically, you can personal message me. You can also find pictures taken at each of these locations at railpictures.net.

Thanks for the info! I will definitely look into the places you suggested.

I will be driving from Maine to the aforementioned destinations. I don't want to go too far off the beaten path, but if it's within an hour's drive, I'm interested.

I'll be traveling with a non-railfan who does happen to be a history buff, so things like museums, tourist trains, etc., would be good to know about, as they're probably more interesting to a non-railfan than sitting at a station or other random location and waiting for trains. (although I still don't understand how anybody can't find that enjoyable!)

If you don't want to stray to far off I-95, then the B&O museum is a good place to start. Then head down I-95 and stop at Relay/St. Denis. There is a ton of history associated with these tracks. The Capitol sub and the old main line also jion here. In addition to 6 MARC trains in both the morning & afternoon, you can count on 9-10 regularly scheduled trains with many additional runs. This is my personnal favorite. Just down the street is Patapsco (??spelling??) state park. There are a few hicking trails that will take you down to the Thomas Viaduct. A good way to stretch the legs and one awesome photo if you happen to see a train at the time.

The tracks around Williamsburg don't see a ton of traffic. You can go into downtown Richmond to the triple track crossing. Ashland VA is also an enjoyable place to watch trains. Trains run down the middle of the street. There are also some very nice restruants and a great little coffee shop. The old RF&P train station is now the visitors center and has a lot of information on area attractions.

There is a small tourist railroad in Gettysburg. A guy I work with has taken his kids on the train ride and really enjoyed it. I am told they have have a old steam engine they use on the train.

Hope this helps. email if you need more info.

Have lunch or dinner at the Iron Horse restaurant in Ashland. Sits right on the tracks, and have great views of the action

One thing about Union sta, don't even think about going onto the platforms without a ticket. You will be stopped right a way. The Metro sta at NY Ave is a good area. I believe that area is coming back as well. You see everything there. Another area that is pretty good in DC is L'e'fant plaza. This is where the CSX line to pts south runs. A fair number of Amtks run to Rchmond, and you will get ld trains. VRE commuter trains only run on weekdays. I am thinking about planning a railfanning trip to DC in March; taking a regional, riding more of Metro, maybe riding MARC's Camden line, entire length, and then an Acela from Balty. It would be nice going over Thomas, which I have seen pix of. It's nice.

One thing about Union sta, don't even think about going onto the platforms without a ticket. You will be stopped right a way. The Metro sta at NY Ave is a good area. I believe that area is coming back as well. You see everything there. Another area that is pretty good in DC is L'e'fant plaza. This is where the CSX line to pts south runs. A fair number of Amtks run to Rchmond, and you will get ld trains. VRE commuter trains only run on weekdays. I am thinking about planning a railfanning trip to DC in March; taking a regional, riding more of Metro, maybe riding MARC's Camden line, entire length, and then an Acela from Balty. It would be nice going over Thomas, which I have seen pix of. It's nice.

MEC407,

There is a tourist train in Gettysburg, currently using F units. (They've not had steam for a few years). Strasburg is about 2 hours east of Gettysburg, and Horshoe Curve is about 2.5 hours west. Enola yards in Harrisburg is less than an hour north of G'burg.

Fall is a good time for your history buff friend, as the summer campers and boy scouts have left, leaving the museums and tour guides available for more in-depth questions and answers. You could spend anywhere from an hour to two days on the battlefield, depending on what you're interested in. (Certainly you're going to want to see the 20th Maine monument...)

PM me when you're closer to finalizing plans, and I can let you know if I hear of any special battlefield activities.

yep, don't leave out the Gettysburg scenic railroad.

Once you're in Gettysburg you'll be heading south on 15 which will take you right to Point of Rocks. This is an excellent railfan spot. It's right on the Potomac River, next to the C&O Canal, has a short tunnel, a classic E. Francis Baldwin railroad station, and this is where DC's and Batimore's westbound lines converge, so trains are always on the move.

Head west just a few miles to Brunswick, MD and there is a CSX yard and lots of action. Also a small town/city where you can grab a bite to eat. There is even a small museum with an HO layout.

As long as you're there, you can't pass up a short drive west to Harper's Ferry, WV. A classic railfanning spot. Plus lots of history. Great Tunnel and bridge too. Great place to spend the night.

As for DC, there aren't too many places that are easily accessable to the public that are safe. L'Enfant promenade is one (Near Smithsonian Castle), Haines Point park (East of Jefferson Memorial) is another.

Good luck,

Jeff

Be sure to visit the Walkersville Southern Railroad. It's located a short distance northeast of Frederick, MD, about an hour's drive from DC. You'll find more information here:

www.wsrr.org

It's a friendly group that's restored rail service (excursion only) from Walkersville south to where the line has been truncated by Route 26. Rides last about an hour. Sometimes they operate a rare Model 40 when trains are long. Check out their website for various special trains offered during the year, too, in addition to the regular weekend runs.

MEC 407,

About 1:15 drive from Gettysburg is Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia. You have the double track CSX Cumberland Sub running through there and the Norfolk Southern H-Line crossing it on a bridge. During daylight hours you can probably catch 15-20 trains on the CSX line and at least 7-8 on the NS. It's right up the road from Harpers Ferry, so if you're stopping there, a trip to Shen Junction is well worth it.

A little over an hour north of Williamsburg is Doswell, Virginia where the CSX RF&P Sub and CSX Piedmont Sub cross. You also have the Buckingham Branch shortline RR there too, so there's always something going on. The tracks you see in Williamsburg is the CSX Piedmont Sub by the way.

I do very little railfanning in DC itself, but if you stop by the Amtrak Station at Alexandria, Virginia you won't be disappointed, especially on a weekday with CSX, Amtrak and VRE commuter trains galore. A location worth noting near Hyattsville, Maryland (just outside DC to the northeast) is Riverdale Park. It's here where the CSX Alexandria Extension comes up from the south at Benning Yard, you have the CSX Capital Sub coming in from Baltimore and the CSX Metropolitan Sub coming in from the northwest out of Brunswick. You get it all in that neck of the woods.

Any way you take you should have a blast!