Today I hit the S line, a big day out railfanning, 13hrs on the road, about 300 miles traveled, 240+ photos and nine trains.
Started off early doors....before even the birds were up (06:30) to arrive at the first location (wildwood) at sun up, about 50 miles up the road from the villa.
First in the bag was this huge coal train tied down in the siding, one engine running which auto shit down soon after I arrived.
About an hour later the green was given on the main northbound and this mainfest blew through, being used to seeing the A line trains at 30mph odd except the Amtraks it was a sight to see one of these at around 60mph.
At the south end of town is a stone terminal with this switcher stood outside, no idea of class yet, possibly a SW1000?
A short while later I grabbed these two doing a spot of shunting at the south end of Wildwood
After which they ambled off south with two cars and under the massive signal gantries to the south, similar ones to the north of town too.
Then it was onward to the south and next stop was Bushnell about 15-18 mles south and first up running right through the middle of town at a good 40-50mph was this rail train, with accompanying friendly wave from the brake man.
Half later a north bound freight hoves into view and this is going like the clappers at 60mph
As it swings round the bend its clear why, it's the daily hot shot Tropicana juice train to New York, every one I'd spoken too these last two weeks raves about trying to catch the 'juice train', it'd their equivalent of the 'Flying Scotsman' I suppose LOL, it's not that long but boy it don't slow down at all!.
Next stop was further south at Dade City, now I Florida was flat, but I had that thought well and truly kicked to death today, there's some pretty big hills in central Florida and unlike Europe the US tends not to be big on earth works, so it's a real roller coaster in parts, I stopped a few times at side roads on the way down to Dade City, some nice photo spots but no time to sit and wait or explore further, but all had hills and a good few curves in.
Dade City station (former) is at the bottom of one big hill and trains sure look impressive coming down, first up was this slow moving coal train (104 cars), he'd stopped at the the top (well half way down it turns out....laters) just by that bridge structure in the back ground and was still accelerating when he got to the bottom.
This was followed less than 20mins later (so far I'd been waiting and hour or 90mins between trains) by another coal train (100 cars) going flat out down hill at 60mph.
Followed ten mins later by an equally fast moving manifest (68 cars).
A change of location to the top of the hill about 2 miles north saw a wait of over two hours for the next train, again a very fast moving manifest (72 cars), he tooted once before blowing around the curve I (no audible crossings north of here) and I had no chance to cross the crossing and get the intended shot so just rushed these off.
Coming round the bend and beginning the drop down the hill.
Going down the first part of the hill, it really is steep! I wish I'd had more chances to take more shots here to try and convey the location and roller coaster/ hilly aspect.
The whole train on the roller coaster humps, the locos are just beginning the next big drop down into Dade City station (former). The hump in the middle of the train isn't really an up grade, that's a slight rise, and from that hump it's downhill. You can see the structure over the tracks from the first shots taken at Dade City.
And to be honest, I've no idea what I meant to say LOL....but it was early!
