Here’s some remarkable shots of some side-by-side “drag race” running on the old RF&P, now CSX, in Ashland VA, courtesy of Virtual Railfan.
CSX trains, and Amtrak trains. This doesn’t happen all that often, and you’ll see why Ashland is such a good place for railfanning. The train shop “Tiny Tim’s Trains And Toys,” where I’ve spent more money than I want to think about, shows up in some of the shots. One of the best train shops on the East Coast, I might add! (Shameless plug.)
What you actually want with this is not just a ‘catch’; you want a show. Here is a SHOW:
Or an even better show, special for Wayne for starting this thread. (Someone can probably find this in non-Faceplant format, but it’s mighty evocative as is…)
And thanks for those vids Mod-man! I saw the Facebook vid just fine, and unless I miss my guess that’s the famous side-by-side run of 1218 and 611 in conjuction with the 1989 NRHS convention in Roanoke.
Those British mini-steamers are beyond cool! And you’re right, the Aussies did put on one hell of a show!
Why do I get the impression the other English speaking peoples seem to know how to have a lot more fun with preserved steam than we do? I can imagine them speaking to us now:
“You blokes take your railroading MUCH too seriously!”
I don’t believe the ‘Silver Service’ trains, including the Palmetto stop at Ashland. The North Carolina and Virginia ‘sponsored’ trains stop at Ashland.
Auto Train only stops at Florence for crew change and engine service.
I did the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway a few years ago and yes, those blokes are serious. There are special trains that carry children to school every day and during the big show between 1939 and 1945, they had an armoured train that would patrol the line because it parallels the coast. Them Brits!