Train carrying members of Congress hits a truck

[mahatmakanejeeves]

67. Agreed. That crossing is at the end of a particularly enjoyable section of road for chasing trains.

Last edited Wed Mar 7, 2018, 11:38 AM - Edit history (5)

On sunny Friday afternoons, I've have my scanner on to listen as trains were made up in the Charlottesville yard. Once the time approached for them to leave, I'd get in my car and head out for 250 West. I could go either of two ways. One was to take JPA south past New Cabell Hall, turn north and go up Emmet Street. Generally, traffic was bad, so I'd cut through the Lewis Mountain neighborhood, turn north on Alderman Road, and make the left on 250 there. Another was to go north on JPA, make the left turn onto University Avenue and go under the C&O bridge and then up past the corner. Either way, I'd wait for the trains out by Farmington. I could hear the trains calling signals as they left Charlottesville, especially that westbound one at Rugby Road, so I knew where they were. I could photograph them several times between Farmington and the big bridge at Mechums River where 250 goes under the bridge and 240 heads up into Crozet. I'd go past the station and wait on the other side of the intersection with 810 for the trains to cross the bridge over 810, the main north-south street through Crozet. The road west from there on the north side of the tracks is Railroad Avenue, or Route 788. The trains are right beside you, and since they are now beginning their climb, they are bogged down. The sound is just great. You can drive right next to them until you approach that crossing, the one where the collision occurred.

You don't EVER try to beat the train to the crossing. You always wait for it. Once it's gone by, you always have time to get past it and photograph it as it approaches Jarman's Gap. Then you can run around it again and see it at Greenwood. And you can drive around him again and set up for him at Afton. After that, he takes off.