Where Do the Trains back up to after Terminating in NPN??

Hi guys,

You can almost say I'm a regular passenger on train 95 and every time the train is done unloading at Newport News, VA, it backs out of the station even though the tracks continue South (or East).

I was wondering what the train does. Is there a wye nearby or a loop? I haven't noticed any in close proximity and I know Amtrak doesn't like pushing it's trains if it doesn't have to. (In the NE anyway).

Does anyone have the asnwer to this question? I've been curious about this since December 2001.

Thanks!

Several years ago on a Friday evening, I rode to Newport News from
Richmond and returned that same evening on the same equipment. The
train unloaded then backed out of the station and went over into the yard
and turned the whole train, I suppose it was a wye.
It is still possible to do that trip on a Friday although at this time of the
year, a good share of it will be in darkness.
Noel Weaver

I have never been down to NPN but now my curiosity is peaked. Where do these tracks continue to beyond the station as mlrr has stated?

This is really out of my territory but at one time the tracks went all the
way down to the water where the C. & O. had a station. I got some
movies probably back in the 1960's of a C. & O. passenger train leaving
from this facility.
I have no idea just when the station location was moved, nor do I have
any idea if the tracks still go down in the area of the old station although
I would not be surprised if there is still railroad in that area.
Hope this is helpful.
Noel Weaver

The current Amtrak station is at 9304 Warwick Boulevard. That address is off US Route 60, across from Huntington Park and north of the intersection with US Route 17. This station is about 2.5 miles northwest of the old C&O station in downtown Newport News.

The old C&O station was located at about 25th Street and Harbor Road in downtown Newport News. When I was stationed onboard USS TEXAS (CGN 39) and we were at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company for some work, in mid-1978, the Amtrak station was a very convenient walk from the shipyard gate. I think the cafe car attendant stayed overnight at an old hotel about 2 blocks from the station, near a city park with a triumphal victory arch.

It looks like there is a loop just south of the station according to mapquest:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?pa ... wapQ%3d%3d

Here is the corresponding Satellite/Areal image:

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/addres ... c+Virginia

Thanks!

I still find that a bit odd though. If it's south of the station, why doesn't Amtrak just continue south without backing up?