A Few More Bits and Pieces from the Tracks

These shots are from our last leg of rail travel.  We re-boarded the train in Gainesville, GA, about a hour late, just after 10:00 PM.  We passed the time waiting by watching all the freight line activity going on.  A nice thrill to have hundred car freight trains passing within twenty feet of you a near top speed!  After getting back on we tried to settle in for a night on the train.  We had to try and sleep in our Coach Class seats.  Suffice to say not the greatest night of sleep ever.  Some of the people around us apparently had no intention of sleeping or at least not until shear fatigue knocked them out!  I (Harlan) was really glad for my cup of coffee in the morning.

" I hear the train a comin'...."

We might look comfortable, but.................

We rode out of Georgia, through both the Carolinas (at night) and watched the sun rise in very picturesque Virginia.  So orderly, neat and clean there!  They're almost as "perfect" as we are in Lancaster County :}  

Breaking the fast

Look closely

Everybody has to wait for us (and get their picture taken!)

Our train crew working very hard

Arlington, VA

After Virginia we entered Washington D.C. where we stopped for a bit in Union Station.  There they changed out our diesel locomotive for an electric one.  Speeds increased from there on.  It's quite a challenge to take a picture of something when zipping by at something like 90 miles an hour. 

Union Station

Amtrak diesel locomotives

Li'l' rail rider

Cool bridge in Baltimore

Serious urban decay in Baltimore

What is it about the cities starting with a "B"?  Baltimore & Birmingham  both  falling apart some places

 In Philly we got off the Crescent at 30th St. Station.  An impressive place, by far the busiest and grandest station we saw.  From Philadelphia we boarded the Keystone for Lancaster, PA, our final destination!

30th Street Station

Downtown Philly as seen from the front of the train station

Memorial to fallen WWII soldiers

Almost there!

Startin' to look like Lancaster County!

"We're done and we're home!" - Outside the Lancaster, PA train station w/ our welcoming committee