First Timer

[Anonymous]

[:)]Hi everyone! This is my first posting in this forum. I hope that I will not be a dissappointment to my craft and myself.[^] I'm currently working for Amtrak in Washington, DC. I've recently purchased the new edition of 'Classic Trains' magazine, which featured a story of the old Washington Terminal and Union Station here in our nation's capital. I showed it to some of the senior employees, and they were in awe. They were telling me about the way things used to be, before Amtrak took over operations. [V]

So much has changed from their time. Much of the original coach yard is gone. The Washington's Metro transit yard sits on most of the western section, while the mail facility and yard office occupies some of the eastern section of the yard. The remaining tracks are primarily used by Virginia Railway Express (VRE [Virginia's commuter rail service]). All of the engine servicing facility is gone, replaced by a combined locomotive/carshop running repair shop, along with two separate service & inspection shops to inspect and repair complete train consist without having to break them up regularly. The engine servicing facility is a small area that sits off by itself near the main line. It is a far cry from what used to be two half roundhouses and other shop buildings servicing the great number of road and yard locomotives. It was a big dissappointment to the senior guys to whom I showed the magazine.[:(]

One last note...I'm suprised that neither 'Trains' or 'Classic Trains' did a story on that 1953 runaway train into Washington, DC. From other articles I've read on it, it is one story that involves the determination of men and divine intervention. It should have been made into a movie.[:D]


Glenn