Carl's Blog

Started the day off just as before, with a nice breakfast at the hotel. Packed up all my things and drove 26 minutes back to Baltimore to turn on the rental car.

I had to take the shuttle back to the airport so I could get a taxi to Penn Station and then catch my train.

Interesting announcement on the train. It is running on electrical power but when we get to the Washington DC station it will be switching to diesel so the train will lose power and the bathrooms will be unavailable until the switch is completed so go now if you need.

Arrived at the Washington DC station around 10:40 AM and I overheard one of the other passengers saying it was going to be a 30 minute wait to allow boarding and I assume other things probably connected to switching from electric to diesel.

Most of the people in my car got off and the conductor let us know that we would be filling up again.

At 11:03 the fans turned on and the light by the power outlet relite.

I helped two people traveling together for work by switching my seat and they gave me $20. They could have asked the other person but I got lucky. It sometimes pays to be nice and helpful.

Just crossed over the Potomac River.

11:25 AM arrival at Alexandria, VA

Next stop is Quantico about 20 minutes away and a perfect time to see how fast the train is going.

It seems the train travels slower on diesel, between 65 and 70 mph.

Good news after the last stop, the cafe car opened. The prices are what you’d expect for a captive customer. For example a can of soda is $3.00.

11:58 Now arriving at Quantico and passing over Quantico Creek.

And just like that we are off again. I’ve tried to take some pictures, but the train is moving too fasts and there is too much foliage making all the pictures blurry. You will just have to take the train yourself.

Fredericksburg is next stop at 12:20 PM

Ashland is a town where the train goes down a street. Also look at all the houses decorated for Halloween.

Next stop is a 10 minute wait someplace outside of Richmond, VA. Staples Mill Road Station at 1:29 PM

Found a cool website to track my train. railroad.net/trains/79/

Next is Pittsburgh, VA yep on time 2:11 PM.

North of Garysburg

Rocky Mount, NC stop at 3:48 PM

Wilson, NC at 4:10

Stopped at Salem, NC

Raleigh, NC at 5:17

Next stop still in Raleigh but at The State Fair 5:30.

Cary, NC at 5:47 basically we are still on time.😃

Next is Durham let’s see what time we get there.. 6:07 I think that’s good.

I had hoped to see the change of the leaves but I’m guessing it’s not gotten cold enough to trigger the trees. I’ve got a solution to that problem. 😎

After a night in Charlett I’ve got a friend going to pick me up and heading to a cabin in the woods, he’s mentioned the trees there have started to change colors. 👏🍂🍃🍁

Burlington, NC is up next arrival time is/was 6:50 PM it’s starting to get too dark to take pictures so I’ll have to improve on the commentary.

Greensboro, NC 7:20 PM arrival

High Point, NC 7:40 PM

Salisbury, NC 8:12 PM

Kanapolis, NC 8:30 PM whoever was doing the arrival announcement really like saying Kanapolis. I think he said it about 8 times during the announcement. 😆

Now 25 minutes left…

Charlotte, NC 8:55 PM

Now to get a Lyft to the hotel, sure I could walk the 1.8 miles but I prefer a 6 minute ride over a 30 minute walk in the dark, in a city I don’t know, dragging a suitcase.

Made it to the hotel just in time to get a meal to go from the kitchen and a drink for dessert.