Category: US Rail Journeys

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:35 — 17.9MB)

Overnight from Los Angeles to Tucson – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 20

In ‘Overnight from Los Angeles to Tucson‘ I travel through the night on the first leg of my journey to Chicago. We depart on time from Union Station in LA and arrive in Tucson the next morning, 30 minutes early, whilst I’m having breakfast.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Departing from Los Angeles:

We depart exactly on time. Our GE Genesis locomotives power up and we are soon slipping out of LA Union Station. This is my favourite station in the US. Will I ever return here?

I’m travelling on the Texas Eagle to Chicago which is some 2,728 miles away. For the first part of the journey I’m in a carriage attached to the Sunset Limited. The train splits in San Antonio which is rougly half way.

Pomona:

The schedule says that we should be in Pomona about 40 minutes after departing from LA. We’re running late!

The eastbound Sunset Limited / Texas Eagle stops at the station on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday around 10:40 pm, and the westbound trains are supposed to stop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4am.

1,131 Amtrak passengers used the station in 2022.

Ontario:

This is California’s Ontario, not the state in Canada. The station consists of  a covered, open-air pavilion built by the city in 1991. 3,374 Amtrak passengers use the station in 2022 although the trains are during the night.

Palm Springs and Yuma:

I’m sound asleep as we stop at these two stations, probably gently rocked by the train travelling along the tracks. The station at Palm Springs is 7 miles from the city, however 2,224 passengers used it in 2022.

The train schedule says we stop at Yuma around a quarter to three in the morning – why not 3.10? Yuma sees 4,403 night owls in 2022.

Maricopa:

This station dates from 1996 when Amtrak has to move from Phoenix. In 1999, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad dome car, “The Silver Horizon” from the old California Zephyr moves to act as the station office. Today it is on static display at the station.

Tucson:

The station dates from 1907. We are early and so we have a long stop in the station allowing me the chance to finish breakfast and look around.

Listen to the podcast to hear more about the first section of my journey on the Texas Eagle.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we travel through the desert on the Texas Eagle.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and One More Bebop for use in this podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:05 — 18.4MB)

Los Angeles – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 19

Los Angeles is an amazing city that I am visiting for the second time.

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New Orleans to Los Angeles:

Another day, another Uber! This time I’m travelling to the New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport for my journey to Los Angeles. I am flying with American Airlines. My first flight is to Dallas Fort Worth and then a second to LAX.

On arrival at LAX I quickly collect my bag from the carousel and go to the FlyAway bus stop for my transport to LA Union Station and then a short taxi ride to my hotel – the DoubleTree in Downtown LA.

Angels Flight:

The Angels Flight is a funicular railway running between Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill and Hill Street where it ends opposite the Grand Central Market. The railway has run since 1901. Unfortunately at the time of my visit it is closed for refurbishment work on the upper station. Even though I can’t travel on it I have seen it.

Grand Central Market:

Grand Central Market is well named! It is grand, I’m sure it is central and it is a market with an amazing number of cultures and food types. Whoever you are and whatever you like you’ll find food to enjoy here. There is food to eat and stalls selling all the ingredients you might want for a really tasty meal.

I decide to have a coffee at G&B whose coffee is really good and spend a while absorbing the atmosphere of the bustling market.

Listen to the podcast to hear about my time in LA, my fruitless search for a watchstrap, some wonderful buildings, Traxx Bar at Union Station and joining the Texas Eagle.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks for the start of my journey to Chicago on the Texas Eagle.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway, Fashion Show and The Gold Rush for use in this podcast.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:11 — 18.5MB)

Longue Vue Garden in New Orleans – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 18

In Longue Vue Garden in New Orleans I visit the amazing garden created by Edith and Edgar Stern.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Getting to Longue Vue:

I take an Uber from my hotel, the French Market Inn, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The driver has to follow his SatNav to get to the famed Longue Vue Garden in Bamboo Road in the Lakewood neighbourhood of the city.

We get there without too much trouble and I go to the gatehouse with the details of my booking.

History:

In 1921 the newlyweds Edith and Edgar Stern buy the property. Edith is a Sears Roebuck heiress and Edgar comes from a wealthy New Orleans family. In 1935 they attend a dinner party where they meet the self taught landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman.

Ellen Shipman works with the Sterns from 1935 until her death in 1950. Her designs are still evident in the garden that we see today. She uses two techniques – a series of ‘axial’ views which guide the visitor’s sightlines and also ‘garden rooms’ such as the ‘Pan Garden’ and the ‘Walled Garden’.

My visit:

It is a hot and sticky day in late June when I visit. I think I’m too late for many of the flowers but it is still an amazing experience and I can see why the Sterns loved it here. My visit ends with a thunderstorm bringing much needed rain.

Some of the staff are in 1920s dress because it is the 101st anniversary of the Stern’s wedding and there is a big celebration that evening.

Listen to the podcast to hear my thoughts as I walk round the garden.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks when I explore the city of Los Angeles.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway, Jazz Street and Horticulture for use in this podcast.

Sound effects are courtesy of Pixabay.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:27 — 16.0MB)

We reach New Orleans on The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 17

In We reach New Orleans on The Crescent this section of my journey comes to an end as we reach New Orleans after midnight.

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Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

South of Meridian:

This episode begins after we leave the station at Meridian. We are running over an hour and a half late. We pass a collection of storage silos beside the line. It doesn’t look as though they are used to load railcars.

Laurel:

Our first stop is at Laurel, a flag-stop. Our stop is short and we are soon on our way. The station dates from 1913, built by the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad. The station is a Mississippi Landmark and is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2022 the station was used by 2,024 Crescent passengers.

Hattiesburg:

Hattiesburg station is also known as Union Station and the New Orleans & Northeastern Passenger Depot. The station is the last regular stop before reaching New Orleans.

The City of Hattiesburg owns the depot plus approximately 3 acres of land. A major project to converted the facility into an intermodal transportation centre. The depot’s Grand Hall is used for art exhibitions, social functions, and private events as it is no longer used by rail passengers.

The station hosts the Bonhomie & Hattiesburg Southern No. 300, built in 1925 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The locomotive was in service until 1961 and was one of the last steam locomotives in regular use in the USA. In the last year there has been a legal case about the ownership and placing of the locomotive.

Picayune station:

The station is in the heart of downtown Picayune. This flag-stop is served by The Crescent. The building dates from 2008, a replacement for an open covered shelter. Picayune has been the only Amtrak station on the Mississippi Gulf Coast since the 2005 suspension of the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans.

Slidell:

The flag-stop at Slidell station dates from 1913. It was built for the New Orleans and Northeastern and the New Orleans Great Northern Railroads. Slidell was established in 1881 as a construction camp for the NO&NE and is across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.

Arrival into New Orleans:

We cross Lake Pontchartrain on the single track Norfolk Southern Lake Pontchartrain Bridge, this is a rolling lift trunnion bridge running parallel to the Maestri Bridge . It is 5.8 miles long and therefore the longest railway bridge in the United States and the longest rail bridge over water in the world.

After further delays we arrive in New Orleans over three hours late at around midnight. I share a taxi to my hotel, check in and am soon asleep!

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks when I visit the beautiful Longue Vue gardens in New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and America on the Move for use in this podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:16 — 16.7MB)

From east of Leeds to Meridian on The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 16

From east of Leeds to Meridian on The Crescent continues my journey as we  travel, with many unscheduled stops, towards New Orleans on  The Crescent.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Leeds:

This is not the Leeds of my University days! Instead this is a relatively small city of just over 12,000 in the Alabama.

Leeds is a city of mixed industry and although it is a suburb of Birmingham there are lots of trees and it is quite rural. We are soon out into the countryside again.

Irondale:

We pass through Irondale. The downtown area seems to have many grey buildings but someone seems to like the place as there is a very colourful ‘I love Irondale’ message painted on a wall.

Irondale’s (after Irondale Furnace) incorporation dates from October 19, 1887. The Golden Rule Bar-B-Q opens in 1891, it is the oldest restaurant in Alabama.

In 1916 the Irondale earthquake, magnitude 5.1, causes damage in the area. In 1981, Mother Angelica founds the Eternal Word Television Network.

The Irondale Chamber of Commerce uses the old Great Southern Railway’s X500 refurbished caboose as their office.

Sloss Ironworks:

We pass the historic Sloss Ironworks on our approach to the station in Birmingham. The ironworks is a historic monument with the only US blast furnaces making up part of a museum.

Birmingham station:

How depressing. The platform area really is in need of a great deal of TLC! When we leave the station we soon pass through one of the best scrapyards I’ve seen in the US.

Please listen to the podcast to hear the full story.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as I continue my journey south on The Crescent towards New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Summer Party for use in this podcast.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:58 — 17.4MB)

Atlanta to beyond Pell City on The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 15

Atlanta to beyond Pell City on The Crescent continues my journey as we slowly travel towards Birmingham on  The Crescent enroute to New Orleans.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Leaving Atlanta:

We are 49 minutes late as we pull out of the station. Our route takes us past the a panoramic view of many of the city’s skyscrapers. I am disappointed that Wells Fargo’s building is not like a stage coach!

We are soon into countryside as we travel across Georgia.

The train rolls through a number of small towns, or in US speak ‘cities’. They are spread out like a ribbon along Georgia’s US Route 78. Each community seems to have a selection of auto dealers and repairers and a number of churches along the road which runs next to the tracks.

We pass through Powder Springs, Temple, Bremen before we reach Tallapoosa which, with around 3,100 residents, is the last town of any size before we reach the state line.

The Alabama – Georgia State Line:

We cross the State Line and soon pass the small communities of Muscadine, Fruithurst and Edwardsville as we travel through the countryside before reaching Heflin. As we leave Heflin we pass what looks like a field of parked cars which, on taking a closer look, turns out to be a car cemetery.

The journey slows down:

We stop, we wait for a while. Then we reverse which makes me wonder if we have been in a siding. We stop again. All the while the Amtrak Train Tracker is telling me that we’ll arrive early into New Orleans.

Apparently the network can’t detect our train and so the conductor is having to walk along the track beside the train!

Anniston:

The station dates from 1925 and The Crescent is the only train to stop there today. A restoration project in 2008 has made it available for today’s passengers. 2,486 passengers used the station in 2022.

We leave Anniston 2 hours and 12 minutes late!

Our journey continues through countryside and small communities, through Pell City and on towards Birmingham. We have travelled around 120 miles from Atlanta in 5 hours, definitely not high speed!

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as I continue my journey south on The Crescent towards New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Summer Party for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:15 — 18.5MB)

We reach Atlanta on The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 14

We reach Atlanta on The Crescent continues my journey both through the night and into the morning, as we travel towards Atlanta on  The Crescent on my journey towards New Orleans.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Greensboro:

We are late and so it is very dark as we cross the Virginia / North Carolina State line.

Our next stop is in Greensboro which is the largest city in the Piedmont Triad metro region. The impressive Beaux Arts station dates from 1927 and is a stop for the Crescent, Carolinian and Piedmont trains.

High Point:

We reach the ‘Furniture Capital of the World’ which uses the symbol of the Worlds largest Chest of Drawers. Textiles and Thomas Built school buses also feature in the local industrial mix. The platforms are at a lower level than the Richardson Romanesque style station buildings which date from 1907.

Salisbury:

Another magnificent station building which I miss because I’m sleeping peacefully in my Roomette. The station dates from 1908 and is in the Spanish Mission style. In 2019 21,771 passengers used the station.

Charlotte:

The southern terminal of the Carolinian and the Piedmont trains is an ugly station with an exposed precast concrete frame. The station is one of the busiest in the South East USA with ten trains a day stopping there.

Gastonia:

The city is part of the Charlotte metropolitan area and is home to Parkdale Mills who are the worlds leading manufacturer of spun yarn. The station is a flag stop because passengers need to request that the train stops.

Spartanburg:

The Southern Railway built station has been open since 1904. In 1996 there was a major fire and a 16 year old led a crusade to save the station! The station is open every night from 11.00 pm to 6.00 am. In 2019 3,711 passengers turned out to use the station.

Greenville:

Once known as the ‘Textile Capital of the World’ the city now hosts the head offices of a number of large companies. Wayne Oates, the psychologist responsible for the word ‘workaholic’, and Jesse Jackson were both born here.

The modern station, reminiscent of a retail warehouse, dates from 1988.

Clemson:

It is, for me, early morning when we reach Clemson because we are running late. We are now in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The station dates from 1916 and hosted 2,868 passengers in 2022.

Toccoa:

Home to the 101st Airborne Division’s paratrooper base which features in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. It is also the home to Star Trek’s Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy and one time ‘Worlds Strongest Man’ Paul Anderson.

The wood framed station building dates from 1915 and is currently used by both Amtrak and the local community.

Gainesville:

We are now in the foothills of Georgia’s ‘Blue Ridge Mountains‘ in a town known as the ‘Chicken Capital of the World’ because of the number of poultry processing plants.

The station opens an hour before a train is due and closes one hour after it leaves. In 2019 there were 5,277 passengers.

Atlanta:

Peachtree station in Atlanta is magnificent at street level. It is in the Italian Renaissance style and dates from 1918. Originally a commuter stop on the north side of the city, it is used annually by around 50,000 passengers (2022) who either join or leave The Crescent.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as I continue my journey south on The Crescent towards New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Joyrider for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:03 — 17.4MB)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:12 — 16.7MB)

Philadelphia to Washington on The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 12

In ‘Philadelphia to Washington on The Crescent’ I continue my journey 0n  The Crescent as we travel towards New Orleans.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Philadelphia:

The Dining Car staff are making up boxes whilst we wait in Philadelphia for the passengers to board. These boxes will be used for the passengers wanting ‘room service’. They’ll miss out as the Dining Car is the place to meet fellow  travellers!

The driver is soon hard on the horn because we are late leaving Philadelphia. Our path takes us past houses and industry and then the Delaware River. We make fast progress to Wilmington.

Wilmington:

Our stop in Wilmington is an opportunity to see a bit of the station opened in 1908. It’s dedicated to Joe Biden who took over 7,000 round trips to Washington when he was in the Senate.

As we continue our journey south the speed reaches 105 m.ph. The train rattles loudly; when these carriages were built I’m sure that this was an exceptional speed!

The first dinners start to be taken to the passengers using room service as we pass Newark in Delaware. Unless they are getting off soon it seems very early to eat!

We slow to almost a stop as we change track round maintenance work. Once we have passed it we speed up.

Baltimore:

We stop at Baltimore, say goodbye to some passengers and greet others. Soon we pass the short platform of Baltimore West station. Then we pass through BWI, a station built for passengers flying from Baltimore – Washington International Airport.

Our journey into Washington takes us past a number of carriage sidings for both Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express.

Washington for our loco change:

We make good time into Washington where our Siemens ACS-64 locomotive, also known as an Amtrak Cities Sprinter, leaves us. As I watch the loco detach I realise I’m not the only interested observer.

Lets hope our GE Genesis power arrives quickly.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as I continue my journey south on The Crescent towards New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and The 50’s V12 for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:46 — 17.2MB)

Moynihan Train Hall and I join The Crescent – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 11

In ‘Moynihan Train Hall and I join The Crescent’ I take a good look at the wonderful new facility at New York’s Penn Station. I then board The Crescent for the journey to New Orleans.

To view the photographs for this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Moynihan Train Hall:

This is a magnificent facility, in the James A Farley building, which gives access to Penn Station’s platforms. The pride in the building is clearly on display and such pride is well deserved.

There is light from the glazed roof, there is room to move around easily and everything is well signposted. I find a good range of food outlets including a number high quality offers.

My only quibble? Just like every other station I’ve ever been to, the PA system is hard to understand.

The Post Office – a hidden gem:

The Post Office still operates at the front of the building! You can either go down a passageway from the train hall or enter through one of the numerous front doors.

It is unlike any other Post Office that I’ve ever been in. The façade and the doors are beautiful however the most wonderful bit is the ornate ceiling. Take a look at the photograph in the gallery to see what I mean.

I join The Crescent:

I join the queue and descend to the platform to board the Crescent because the display shows that train #19 is due to leave at 2.15 pm. We leave on time and very soon enter the tunnels that take us under the Hudson River and into New Jersey.

Rain:

As we come out into the Meadowlands the sky is dark grey and it is pouring with rain. I’m glad I’m in the train and not outside! The rain remains with us for much of the journey to Philadelphia.

Keeping to time:

Our Siemens ACS-64 locomotive, also known as an Amtrak Cities Sprinter, is helping us keep to our schedule as we reach our stops at Newark, Trenton and Philadelphia.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as I continue my journey south on The Crescent towards New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Funny Corporate for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:50 — 18.2MB)

We arrive into Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 10

In ‘We arrive into Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station’ the Silver Star completes our journey from Miami to New York.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Leaving Wilmington:

We travel through an industrial area after leaving Wilmington Station. Passing the  Delaware Car Company who have seven acres of sidings and a workshop where they repair and renovate rail cars.

Philadelphia:

As we near Philadelphia we see more tired industry but there is some decent graffiti!

30th Street Station serves more than four million inter-city rail passengers (2018). Its Amtrak’s third-busiest, after Penn Station in New York and Union Station in Washington and the 12th-busiest railway station in North America. Opening in 1933 it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amtrak’s code for the station is PH and it has the IATA Airport Code ZFV for a codeshare agreement with United Airlines who sell Amtrak service between the station and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Trenton:

Trenton Transit Center is the main passenger railway station in Trenton, New Jersey. It is the terminus for NJ Transit trains to and from New York City and SEPTA trains to and from Philadelphia.

Bus services consist of local NJ Transit routes and a regional service to Philadelphia via Camden. The station also serves as the northern terminus for SEPTA buses to Oxford Valley Mall.

Newark, New Jersey:

Pennsylvania Station, also known as Newark Penn Station, is one of the New York metropolitan area‘s major transport hubs. It is served by multiple rail and bus carriers and is the seventh busiest railway station in the United States, and the fourth busiest in the New York City metropolitan area.

There are three NJ Transit commuter railway lines, the Newark Light Rail, the PATH rapid transit system, and all 11 of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor services. It is also Newark’s main intercity bus terminal with  Greyhound, Bolt, Fullington Trailways and 33 local and regional bus lines operated by NJ Transit Bus Operations and Coach USA .

New York, Penn Station:

Pennsylvania Station, also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station, is the main intercity railway station in New York City. It serves more than 600,000 passengers each weekday (2019). It is in Midtown Manhattan beneath Madison Square Garden  and also in the James A. Farley Building.

Seven tunnels (two North River Tunnels, four East River Tunnels, and the single Empire Connection tunnel) feed the 21 tracks at Penn Station.  Amtrak owns the station and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and NJ Transit (NJT) operate commuter rail services. There are connections to the  New York City Subway and buses.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks. I take a look at the Moynihan Train Hall before boarding the Crescent to New Orleans.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Motivational Build for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:00 — 15.6MB)

From Washington to Wilmington – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 9

In ‘From Washington to Wilmington’ the Silver Star travels through the Federal centre of the United States and into Delaware.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Across the Potomac:

As we cross the Potomac River, we can see the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery on the Virginia side. The 383 mile long river forms part of the borders between Maryland, Washington, Virginia and West Virginia.

Through Federal Washington:

We pass the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where all currency and postage stamps are produced. ‘Official’ Washington and the Capitol quickly follow. We then travel through a tunnel under the Capitol on our approach to Washington Union Station.

Washington Union Station:

It is goodbye to our diesel locomotive because an electric Siemens ACS-64, known as an Amtrak Cities Sprinter, joins the train to take us the rest of the way.

Washington Union Station originally opened in 1907. It is Amtrak’s headquarters and their second-busiest station. The annual ridership is just over 5 million.

The station is the southern terminus of the Northeast Corridor, an electrified line that goes north through Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and on to Boston. It’s the busiest passenger railway line in the US.

The high-speed Acela Express, the Northeast Regional and several long-distance trains, including the Capitol Limited, Crescent, and Silver Service trains use the station.

Baltimore:

About an hour after leaving Washington we reach this major seaport. It is named after Lord Baltimore, founding proprietor of the Maryland Colony. It is the largest city in Maryland.

We approach the station from the south through the two-track, 7,660-foot Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel. The tunnel, opened in 1873, has a 30 mph limit, sharp curves, and steep grades. Because of this it is one of the North East Corridor’s worst bottlenecks.

Amtrak owns Penn Station which is the eighth-busiest railway station in the United States. It serves nine of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor services. Because the tunnel bore is too small double deck Superliner railcars can’t use it.

In 2019 passenger numbers were 1,043,542 across the 9 Amtrak services.

Wilmington Station:

Built in 1907 as Pennsylvania Station, the station was renamed in 2011 after Joe Biden because ‘Amtrak Joe’ frequently  took the train from Wilmington to Washington, D.C. when he was a Senator .

Passenger numbers rose to over 705,259 in 2019.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks for the final part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Joseph McDade licenses Backplate for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:48 — 18.1MB)

Through Virginia to Alexandria – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 8

In ‘Through Virginia to Alexandria’ the Silver Star travels through 220 miles of Virginia.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Into Virginia:

Soon after leaving Rocky Mount we enter Virginia. The first town that we pass through is Emporia which has been a transport crossroads for many years.

The town became a city in 1967. A major north-south CSX railway line crosses a Norfolk Southern east-west line in Emporia and for those who prefer traffic jams U.S. Route 58 crosses Emporia east-west and Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 301 cross north-south.

Petersburgh:

Just under 100 miles from Rocky Mount we reach our first stop at Petersburgh. We’re running late!

The station is also known as Ettrick station because it is outside Petersburgh and dates from 1955. Passenger numbers in 2021 were 21,476.

Richmond, Virginia:

Another 30 miles we reach Richmond in Virginia. The station is about 5 miles north of downtown as it replaces the old downtown station in 1975.

As I travel through, in July 2022, the station serves nine routes with 18 daily trains. All of these travel north to Washington Union Station and New York Pennsylvania Station with some continuing to Boston’s South Station.

Staples Mill Road is the busiest Amtrak station in 2018 in Virginia with 373,800 passengers.

Alexandria Union Station:

We continue on our northward jouney, past the US Marine Corps base and FBI Academy in Quantico as we travel along the Potomac River.

In Alexandria the original station, a one-story brick building completed in 1905, is still in use. Unlike most stations from the era, it is in the Federal Revival style.  The stone and concrete Veterans of Foreign Wars memorial dates from 1940.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and 50’s Woogie Mood for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:43 — 17.1MB)

Through North Carolina from Cary to Rocky Mount – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 7

In ‘Through North Carolina from Cary to Rocky Mount’ the Silver Star travels through 79 miles of North Carolina.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Cary:

Today Cary is served by the Silver Star, Carolinian and Piedmont services.

In 1854 the railway reaches the the town when the North Carolina Railroad arrives. This is Cary’s northernmost track and regular passenger services start in 1867.

A second line opens in 1868 when the Chatham Railroad creates a railway crossing in the town. By the early 20th century local residents use both railways for shopping trips to Raleigh.

Demolition takes place in 1976. Amtrak resumes passenger services in 1995 and because of this an ‘infill station’ is used.

Between 1996 and 2006 new platforms are built. Further expansion takes place in 2010/11 because of $2 million of NCDOT and Federal Railroad Administration funds. The station fully reopens on September 1, 2011.

Raleigh:

Raleigh Union Station opens on July 10, 2018. Amtrak uses the main building and GoTriangle will use an adjacent building as the bus terminus. The station is at the Boylan Wye which is a railway junction used by CSX and Norfolk Southern. It is next to the Depot Historic District in downtown Raleigh. The station is the second busiest in North Carolina.

Rocky Mount:

Rocky Mount station, officially named the Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station, is an intermodal transit facility. Amtrak uses the main building and an adjacent building is the bus terminus for the Tar River Transit and  Greyhound. The station is part of the Rocky Mount Central City Historic District.

The dark red brick Romanesque Revival style building dates from 1893 when the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad build it. Between 1911 and 1912  the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad rebuild the station, then again in 1916. 

You can get the feel of the original station in the attached photograph gallery because of the 21st Century major restoration to the original style.

Next up:

If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:40 — 16.2MB)

Through the Night from Palatka to Southern Pines – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 6

As ‘Through the Night from Palatka to Southern Pines’ begins I’m sat with other passengers in the dining car where the crew are working hard to keep people fed.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Palatka:

Palatka station dates from 1908. Amtrak‘s Silver Service trains stop here and  7,171 passengers used the station in 2021. The station building is also home to the Palatka Railroad Preservation Society and the David Browning Railroad Museum.

Note: The museum and the preservation society share the same website.

Jacksonville:

It is getting late and we are behind schedule when we reach Jacksonville.

Amtrak’s station opened in January 1974 when it replaced the Jacksonville Union Terminal situated in the downtown area. At the time of opening the station served 8 trains each day. They were the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Champion, and Floridian. The Floridian and Champion were discontinued because of the 1979 budget cuts.

In 1993, the Sunset Limited extended east from its New Orleans terminus to Miami, with a stop at Jacksonville. Today the Sunset Limited again terminates at New Orleans. You can listen to my journey on the Sunset Limited here.

Jesup:

Normally the Silver Star doesn’t stop at Jesup, however whilst the Silver Meteor is not running we have a stop here.

The station dates from 1899. A fire in February 2003 results in significant damage and the station being boarded up. A federal grant in 2005 enables the building to be refurbished to its early 20th-century appearance.

Through the night:

As we travel through the darkness we stop at Savannah in Georgia, and then Denmark, Columbia, and Camden in South Carolina.

Morning:

We are running late so I’m up by the time we reach Hamlet – I wonder whether a Shakespeare lover had a hand in naming Denmark and Hamlet, it’s Prince.

We continue our journey through woodland towards Southern Pines.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway and The 60’s searching for the 60’s for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:00 — 17.4MB)

From Tampa to DeLand via Lakeland- US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 5

As ‘From Tampa to DeLand via Lakeland’ begins we are starting on our return journey to Lakeland from Tampa. We are just about on schedule!

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

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Lakeland:

Our return to the station, on the northern shore of Lake Mirror, coincides with heavy rain, thunder and lightning. The train crew need to wrap up well in order to keep dry on the platform.

The train needs to move forwards at the station to pick up our northbound passengers because it is too long for the platform. Because of this we leave late.

Kissimmee:

The rain is very heavy making it difficult to see out of the windows. As we approach Kissimmee the train crew put on their rain coats again!

The station is served by Amtrak and SunRail, the commuter rail system serving Greater Orlando. The station dates from 1883. It is the closest Amtrak station to Walt Disney World.

Orlando:

We arrive at Orlando station, also known as Orlando Health/Amtrak station. Amtrak and Sunrail trains use the station in addition to local and intercity buses. Both the Silver Meteor and Silver Star stop here.

The historic station dates from 1926 and is in Downtown Orlando about a mile south of the central business district. Orlando is Amtrak’s fifth busiest station in the south-eastern United States and the second busiest in Florida.

We have a long stop in Orlando and leave 43 minutes late.

Winter Park:

The modern station at Winter Park dates from 2014. The first station in the area was built in 1882.

It is completely dark by the time we arrive for our short stop. The dining car is doing good business.

DeLand:

We are 50 minutes late when we arrive at DeLand station. The station is about 3 miles west of downtown DeLand. It was formerly known as DeLand Junction. The station dates from 1918 and the last restoration was in 2007.

The station was a stop on the route of Sunset Limited until 2005 when the route was shortened to terminate in New Orleans.

It’s a pity that it is dark as I’m unable to see the station gazebo.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway and The 50’s v 12 for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:14 — 17.6MB)

From Sebring to Tampa – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 4

As ‘From Sebring to Tampa’ begins we hear that we are 40 minutes from our next stop. At least the scenery has started to improve! Our route takes us past fields…..

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

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Sebring:

We stop at Sebring Station which was constructed in 1924 by the Seaboard Air Line Railway. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Sebring International Raceway is a road car race track near Sebring, Florida. It is one of the oldest continuously operating race tracks in the U.S. as its first race was in 1950. It is one of North America’s classic race tracks and  hosts the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The dining car:

This train doesn’t have an observation car because the carriages are single deck. I have positioned myself in the Dining Car because that means I see both people passing through and those having their meals. It is amazing how many sleeping car passengers have their meals delivered to their rooms. The excellent staff are very busy!

Winter Haven:

The Seaboard Air Line Railway station dates from 1925 and was rebuilt in 1947. A freight depot was demolished in 1983. Abandoned tracks still cross the platform on the south side of the station.

Winter Haven is the second largest city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven area and is 51 miles east of Tampa.

Lakeland:

The station, served by the Silver Star, is on the northern shore of Lake Mirror.

Lakeland is unique because it has two separate Amtrak station codes; one for passengers travelling to and from the north and the other for passengers travelling to and from the south. This means that passengers joining or leaving the train at Lakeland do not need to take the round trip to Tampa!

Tampa:

As we travel towards Tampa the train turns round using a ‘wye’ junction. It then reverses for the last part of the 40 mile journey from Lakeland to Tampa.

Tampa Union Station opened on May 15, 1912 combining the passenger operations of the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard Air Line and the Tampa Northern Railroad.

In 1974 Tampa Union Station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It closed in 1984, because of its condition, and Amtrak passengers used a temporary prefabricated station building (nicknamed an “Amshack”). Following restoration the station reopened in 1998. 

We say goodbye to some passengers and meet a large number of new ones here.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway and The 60’s surf 66 for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:39 — 18.0MB)

The journey begins….. – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 3

As ‘The journey begins…..’ we pull out of Amtrak’s Miami station. Our train is longer than usual because it includes carriages for the suspended Silver Meteor service.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

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My first breaker’s yard:

As we travel through the north Miami suburbs we pass a train full of scrap metal and then a breaker’s yard. The first breaker’s yard of the series! I’m sure there will be many more.

Hollywood, Florida:

Our first stop is in Hollywood, the Florida one. The town is between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The paved broad-walk by the beach is nearly 2 1/2 miles long.

Apparently there are seven miles of beach, seven golf courses and many parks in the town. Find out more by clicking here. Or watch their beach cam.

Fort Lauderdale:

The city is known as the Venice of America because it has a large canal system. It is a popular tourist destination with many restaurants,  nightclubs and, of course, beaches.

Check out the weather and waves on this beach cam. Because advertising funds the webcam it turns off after 10 seconds if you use an ‘ad blocker’.

Deerfield Beach:

This town is named after the deer that grazed along the Hillsboro river.

The historic station not only has trains but also hosts SFRM – The South Florida Railway Museum. Their website is here. Sadly the train doesn’t stop for long enough for a visit to the museum.

The museum takes part in the Operation Lifesaver rail safety programme which makes the public aware of the dangers associated with level crossings.

Delray Beach:

Another short journey to the next station in the next small town with a beach. You can find out more here. The land boom in the 1920s brought prosperity and now tourism is a major industry.

West Palm Beach:

This is the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida with the station dating from 1925. In 2019 53,700 Amtrak passengers used it.

The city is home to over 117,000 residents.

Okeechobee:

According to the town’s website ‘if you’re looking for a friendly, rural, small town community with a forward-thinking attitude, you’ll feel right at home here in Okeechobee!’

The station is next to a level crossing and the long train causes a traffic queue because it has to make multiple stops as the platform is shorter than the train.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in a couple of weeks for the next part of my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway and The 50s 56 Caddy for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:15 — 14.0MB)

Miami – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 2

In Miami I stay at the DoubleTree Grand, Biscayne Bay, visit the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and travel to Amtrak’s Miami station to join the Silver Star.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Getting to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden:

I have a good night’s sleep at the DoubleTree Grand, Biscayne Bay. After a relaxed breakfast in Primo’s Kitchen I book an Uber to take me to the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.

I’ve never used Uber before although I did set up an account in the UK. I’m using a US SIM  card and miraculously I’m able to change my phone number to the one I’m using in the US.

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden:

My Uber drops me at the main gate for the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. I’m sure that the driver has never been here before!

The garden dates from 1962 and is built on land that was previously used as a golf course. Sadly, over time, the civic garden falls into disrepair. In 1996 a group of residents approach the city to create the Miami Beach Garden Conservancy. Today this oasis is owned by the city and managed by the Conservancy. It is a dynamic venue for arts and cultural programming, environmental education and cultural tourism.

Oh, and well worth a visit!

Amtrak Miami station:

I check out of  the DoubleTree Grand and travel to the station which is at the end of the line. The station first opened in 1978 and is snot connected to the local rail network.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in a couple of weeks when I start my journey on the Silver Star to New York.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

The website for the Opera House restaurant is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway and Horticulture  and Joseph McDade licences Ambient Rock – On the Verge for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:51 — 13.6MB)

From London to Miami – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 1

From London to Miami charts my journey from the Premier Inn near Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport to the DoubleTree Grand, Biscayne Bay in Miami.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

To Terminal 5:

Because of a rail strike on the 23rd June I decide to stay overnight at the Premier Inn Terminal 5 so that I won’t get caught in traffic on my way to Heathrow.

After a peaceful night I cross the road and take the 423 bus to the terminal, a journey of around 5 minutes. The fare (January 2023) is £1.65. You can pay this by a contactless or Oyster card although I was able to used my ‘antique person’s bus pass’.

In addition the bus saves me the £5.00 terminal drop off charge at Heathrow.

At Terminal 5:

I take the lift from the bus station to the Terminal 5 Departures level and then quickly pass through check-in and security. Once I’m air-side I decide to have breakfast whilst waiting for my flight. Looking through the windows I see across the airport and watch all the activity.

My British Airways flight leaves from Terminal 5C so I take the ‘Transit’ in good time to board the Airbus A380. We wait for some time at the gate as there are delays. Fortunately it is a short taxi to the runway.

Miami:

We land late because the airport has a runway out of action because of an incident a few days ago. I pass through immigration, collect my bag from the carousel and get a taxi to my hotel, the DoubleTree Grand Biscayne Bay, which is on the water’s edge.

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. Please join me in two weeks time when I spend a day in Miami and visit the botanic gardens.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses the theme, Steam Railway, for use in this podcast.

The Flower Duet by Delibes and played by Mosaica Music is from MUSOPEN. It has the Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019 – 2023