Always In Training

All this writing about hoboes has me missing my trains. Or, missing the photographing of the trains, at least. Here's a sampling of shots from 2008 and 2009. Above, a westbound and empty coal train comes off the Old Main Line at Point of Rocks, MD in May, 2009.

Eastbound mixed freight splits the new signals at Barnesville, MD in May of 2008.

I miss the old B&O target signals. Change is bad, mmkay?

Another eastbound at Barnesville, later that same day.

Westbound Q400 rounds the big curve at Thomas Viaduct in Relay, near Baltimore. The tracks branching off to the left are the Old Main Line. This train will pass them again at their other end, in Point of Rocks.

Coal rumbles through Washington Grove, MD in the Spring of 2008.

Steam rises from the wet ties as the temperature quickly moves from the 50s to the 70s. Washington Grove, 2008.

I hate snow, but this morning at Washington Grove in January, 2009 was fun. Here comes the empty trash train, returning to the transfer station a mile or so away, to load up with more rubbish.

One spring morning in 2009, this old engine - the last un-rebuilt GP40 on the CSX - puttered by with a short work train. Just visible on the right, beyond the bridge, is a privately-owed old caboose, languishing in the sun.

At the west portal of the old Point of Rocks tunnel, empty auto-racks rattle westward, en route to Detroit to be reloaded with new cars.

Thanks for stopping by. More to come, as my hobo lifestyle permits...

Sometimes Skies Do This And Seas Do That

So, it's monsooning ridiculously hard in Maryland, tonight - might even change to snow before it's over. Normally, I head straight for my Keys or St. Thomas pics or some such warming images. Tonight, for some reason, I'm into the doom and gloom and howling wind. The sun is supposedly coming back tomorrow, anyway. The skies and seas in this post were photographed from the balcony of our favorite motel in Kill Devil Hills, NC in 2007.

See spray? I know - so do I!

Cormorants on the wing. It was really, really dark.

Then this happened. Serious coastal rain.

Gull. Yup.

Pelicans!

Wait - is that a patch of blue?

Just enough of a break to allow for a nice sunset over the Albemarle Sound.

The following morning's sunrise wasn't perfect, but I included it here because of the sheer novelty of having been awake to shoot it. Mornings are not my thing.

But this is. Early sunshine on a churning Atlantic. Looks like something else entirely.

Back soon! :)

Of Gathering Gulls And Stormy Skies - OBX '07 Continues

Okay. Where were we? Ah yes - making our way back up the Outer Banks of North Carolina in October of 2007. We had just missed the 3:00 ferry from Cedar Island to Ocracoke, and had almost three hours to kill before the next one. There's nothing but a ferry terminal at this end of Cedar Island, so this turned out to be the most peaceful respite on the whole trip.

Keep an eye on the big seagull. It's happy hour on the sandbar and he's the host.

You have to get there early to get a good spot on the bar of sand.

"Okay guys - do what I do..."

"Free sand crab appetizers until 6:00! Woohoo!"

I like ripples. Sue me.

Looking across the harbor from our room at the Anchorage Inn: Ocracoke Lighthouse.

It had stormed ferociously the night before, and the system still lingered not far offshore as we drove NC Route 12 from town to the next ferry at the north end of Ocracoke.

Serious weather.

So, [Maris] and I are not fans of gloomy weather, and we had to talk ourselves into stopping again to shoot lighthouses under threatening skies. I'm glad we did. This kind of weather is one of the major reasons lighthouses were built. This is Hatteras Light, stoic against the gathering darkness.

And here's Bodie Island Light, being rained on - hard.

Thanks for stopping by. There's still more to come, including a recently-completed excursion to the Gulf Coast.

(Cape) Lookout! Here Comes Happy Place Number Five!

Our October 2007 excursion to the edge of North Carolina continues. We checked out of the cutest motel room ever in Topsail Beach, not quite sure of what to do next. We had already photographed all the lighthouses in the state. Our shots of Cape Lookout were dark and dreary, however, and leaving Topsail we were greeted by the above sky. Back to the tiny town with the hit-or-miss "ferry" service, and back to Cape Lookout went we.

On the island, in the shadow of Cape Lookout Lighthouse - same sky!

Awwww yeeeah...

A token shot from the old 35mm. Still gets the job done.

On Cape Lookout, all roads lead to the lighthouse. Not really. This one does, though.

View from the beach. Those black and white diamonds are significant, by the way. They are aligned north-south and east-west, as a navigational aid. Cool, non?

Dead trees, for Mom. I like 'em, too. They're like odd candelabras.

Cupola! It's WAY up there, too. Like 160 feet up there.

Despite making my poor old Cavalier run 85mph on the two-lane roads through the swamplands that made up the last 20 miles to the ferry, we missed the 3:00 boat to Ocracoke Island by about 60 seconds. First in line for the 6:00, here she sits, cooling off and waiting patiently. The extra three hours turned out to be a welcome break, and riding the ferry in the dark as thunderstorms flashed in the distance across the sound was amazing.

Of Islands Bald, Moths, Lighthouses and a Pelican. Banks Outer and Coasts Crystal.

I'm back from Camp NaNoWriMo and I'm ready to go. To bed. For a month. But first, here are some more pics from our 2007 jaunt southward along the Outer, Middle and Lower Banks and Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Above - Fort Something-or-other Park, searching for the Bald Head Island Ferry.

Our base of operations for a couple of days - the Sea Vista Motel at Topsail Beach. Cutest motel room ever. It felt more like a beach house.

Pelican!

Old Baldy Lighthouse, on the quaint and exclusive Bald Head Island. The hike from the ferry terminal to the lighthouse in the heat and humidity = rent one of those golf carts, next time.

Cupola!

Chapel on Bald Head Island. I don't know. I just love the chaos of light and shadow and architecture. Nice spot.

Marshes on east side of Bald Head Island. Peace.

Funky moth. Bald Head Island has it all!

And on the crossing, you get a glimpse of Oak Island Light, down past Southport.

Massive. Incredibly tall. Ugly. Boring. Concrete. Oak Island Light Station. I'll bet the view is amazing.

Baby car, riding yet another ferry to yet another adventure on the N.C. Coast. While this pic was being taken, her cigarette lighter was busily melting one of our AC adapter/charger things. No fire, no one hurt - the adventure continued...

(wave wave wave)