 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photo home page |
|
RAILFANNING AT SANDPATCH GRADE |
|
|
|
|
|
JULY 9, 2004 |
|
|
|
After our trip on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, we drove north from Cumberland, parallel to the CSX main line up to Hyndman PA. There is no longer a tower there, and on this day there were no helpers sta-tioned there either. But a few trains did pass through, and we followed the first westbound out of town. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
From Hyndman, on the west side of the tracks, we took SR 3004 west, which parallels the railroad. There aren't too many places to see the railroad through the trees, but the road crosses the tracks at Fairhope, about 5 miles out From here we got a shot of the same train we saw at Hyndman, a multilevel with GE #9004 on the point. The second engine appears to be a Helm Leasing SD45-3. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
"Look up there, Pete. It looks like a deck or something." Yep, at the other side of the crossing up on a hill, there was indeed a deck built for trainwatching, with a bench and a space for tripods. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
A short climb above the deck is a nice shady spot which offers this view. There's another deck on a rise at the second wide space in the road by the tracks. After a while, a guy came up to the deck to greet us. It turns out he's the one who built the decks and welcomes railfans. His name is Earl Cummins, and he has a nice little bed-and-breakfast called "The Second Best Place," with a well-equipped A-frame cabin at a reasonable price, just a short walk from the tracks. The phone number is 814-267-5245. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
We drove over to the second lookout and climbed up to the deck. The tracks were quiet for a while, and then we saw a red car pull up. The driver said he's been pacing an empty coal train up from Cumberland and it would be here soon. And here it is, pulled by a pair of AC locomotives with no helper. |
|