by NKP_SD9
Hello all, new to the forums here...
I just moved down to MD recently and today I decided to take the MARC to work in Silver Spring instead of braving the traffic. Here's my first trip/impressions...
After seeing a westbound CSX trash train head through my train arrived, a couple of minutes late. The ride in was much more relaxing than being on 270 and the beltway as I heard the sounds of our train heading down the rails, bell ringing and the blare of the K5LA once in a while. Yep, I took a seat in that 'dangerous' cab car, ha ha. Got in at work with time to spare this morning.
Tonight on the way back was also good. Got on board my train which had two locomotives, they moving the extra unit north for the night?, again avoiding traffic which I observed becoming nicely backed-up on the highways as we crossed over them. We did have to stop near Gaithersburg because of some radio problems talking to a MofW crew who was nearby, but were given permission to proceed. About a 5 min delay there before we were underway. I got off and got to see a loaded coal train with a pair of CSX GEs pulling eastbound. So a little bit of railfanning for me in there too.
All in all a very pleasant experience riding on the train today, I'm going to have to ride the train more often instead of driving every day, especially toward Friday where the metro DC area could be pounded with a good snow.
I just moved down to MD recently and today I decided to take the MARC to work in Silver Spring instead of braving the traffic. Here's my first trip/impressions...
After seeing a westbound CSX trash train head through my train arrived, a couple of minutes late. The ride in was much more relaxing than being on 270 and the beltway as I heard the sounds of our train heading down the rails, bell ringing and the blare of the K5LA once in a while. Yep, I took a seat in that 'dangerous' cab car, ha ha. Got in at work with time to spare this morning.
Tonight on the way back was also good. Got on board my train which had two locomotives, they moving the extra unit north for the night?, again avoiding traffic which I observed becoming nicely backed-up on the highways as we crossed over them. We did have to stop near Gaithersburg because of some radio problems talking to a MofW crew who was nearby, but were given permission to proceed. About a 5 min delay there before we were underway. I got off and got to see a loaded coal train with a pair of CSX GEs pulling eastbound. So a little bit of railfanning for me in there too.
All in all a very pleasant experience riding on the train today, I'm going to have to ride the train more often instead of driving every day, especially toward Friday where the metro DC area could be pounded with a good snow.
