Chasing No. 611 from Spencer to Lynchburg, Va. on May 30

on Wednesday, May 13, 2015

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Amtrak's northbound Carolinian crosses the Yadkin River bridge as seen from an overlook just north of the bridge.

Photographer Samuel Phillips talked about places to photograph Norfolk & Western No. 611 on its home rails in his blog post a few days ago. Since then, we’ve had questions about the route of the May 30 homecoming trip from Spencer, N.C. to Roanoke, Va. While I was in North Carolina last week to see 611 take its first baby steps, I drove the route and checked out locations that I’ve been photographing for better than 30 years. Here’s my advice on the Spencer-Lynchburg chase.

First off, you’ll have to utilize U.S. 29 Business in most areas to reach the tracks. Between Spencer and Greensboro, parallel I-85 Business and I-85 super multi-lane freeway are your fast routes to leapfrog around the numerous small towns along the railroad. Add in time to move to the tracks, local traffic, and chase traffic. Expect to get one or two shots in this 40-mile stretch, one near the beginning of the trip and one near Greensboro.

A northbound FRA test train with CSX power rolls north near Pelham, N.C., on May 8, 2015. Jim Wrinn photo.

North of Greensboro, I-85 peels off to the East. U.S. 29 in northern North Carolina and southern Virginia becomes a four-lane highway with busy business spurs into towns like Reidsville, Danville, Chatham, Gretna, and Altavista. Some of the four-lane U.S. 29 is access controlled and some is not – gas stations, fast food restaurants, and other businesses are right on the road. It’s 114 miles from Greensboro to Lynchburg. I’d plan on two to three photos at the most.

Go into the big cities like High Point and Greensboro only if you want to get caught in traffic and have no need to get back ahead of the train. If you do get stuck, head straight to Stamey’s Barbecue near Norfolk Southern’s Pomona Yard in Greensboro. The Q and the hushpuppies are outstanding, and they’ll take the sting out of missing one of the best steam shows ever. Likewise, the small towns can be traps as they’re peppered with stoplights and will be filled with local residents out to watch 611.

Second, you need to know about the bridges. There are two spectacular ones.

NS Train No. 156 crosses the Yadkin River just north of Spencer, N.C. Jim Wrinn photo.

Leaving Spencer, the Yadkin River bridge is about two miles to the north on U.S. 29. It will be crowded and there’s little parking. If you want it, get there early. Also, the highway bridge is on the west side of the tracks. It will be a good place to watch, but not a great place for photos unless you are going for a silhouette. Going to the other side of the tracks means you’ll be trespassing on NS – a big No No, of course. And it’s really not worth it: The train will be on the western most track so if you’re at river level, you’ll miss much of the running gear. A better bet, drive a bit further north and there’s an overlook that has the bridge in the background and a sweeping curve at a location on the railroad known as Duke.

I have bad news about the other major bridge. At Altavista, Va., the NS main line soars over the Roanoke River and the former Virginian main line. U.S. 29 business runs right along side. But the pedestrian sidewalk on U.S. 29 Business has deteriorated, the wood planks in bad shape, and it was closed when I inspected it. It’s not going to be an option for 200 railfans. You might be able to drop down to a street at ground level and get a decent shot. Again, arrive early and pick a good vantage point.

Northbound NS train 212 gets underway at Altavista, Va., while a southbound stack train passes. Jim Wrinn photo.

If you want to pace the train — something I don’t recommend but I am sure some folks will do it anyway — you’ve got two options. There is a sprig of old U.S. 29 between Ruffin, N.C. and Danville, Va., through Pelham that would work. Just plan to be in a huge motorcade, and don’t be trying to reach Altavista for the bridge shot. The road and the tracks are close, so it’s also a good stretch if you’re not pacing too, and here’s an idea about that: Go in early, get a spot, shoot it and then while the zillion car motorcade creeps northbound, backtrack south to reach the four-lane bypass and then resume the chase. Remember to zig while others zag. There’s also a stretch of four-lane U.S. 29 between Gretna, Va., and Hurt, Va., where the main line and highway are next to each other. This will become a major bottleneck.

At Lynchburg, there’s a crew change, so you can hit a fast food place, take a quick break, refuel, and be ready for the next leg of this historic journey. See you there!