NS line still next to Martinsville track....

[Modelcar]

...Watching the activity at Martinsville this evening I noted the line hasn't been moved back away from the track yet, as I thought it was to be by now...That is, to make room for improvements at the track and with safety in mind for the fans. [8D]

[Modelcar]

....We must not have any Nascar fans on here but...did anyone see the dozens and dozens of fans walking down the railroad track...right on the track...after the race today and that is a well used route...!

[wabash1]

Im a nascar fan. but i didnt see what you are talking about. thing is i was working. but i bet the people move when a train does come

[pmsteamman]

From what i understand the improvements will be made in the off season.

[Modelcar]

....Yes, we hope the folks would move if activity on the track appears....but I couldn't believe how many were walking down the tracks to perhaps where they had parked after the race. The rails are real shiny there and I have seen trains go through while a race is being run...Dozens of people were not only walking on the ROW, but between the rails,etc....The info I read was this work was to start after last season and I didn't see any change from the aerial views I saw yesterday....

[TH&B]

People walking on the tracks is as American as apple pie, although also the Russians do it in Russia.

[heavyd]

I saw the tracks, you can see it every time they go to the blimp over the race track. With about 120 laps to go a NS unit coal train went by, (very slow, I'm sure the crew wanted to watch for fans and some action!) Even one of the tv race commentators, I think it was ol D.W. said "Hey look, here comes a train!" The cameras panned over to to it and you can really see how close the tracks are and NO FENCE! That really surprized me! But they could add several thousand seats if those tracks weren't there. It would be neat to build seats over the tracks then fans can't walk along them any more.

[Modelcar]

heavyd...It is my understanding the tracks are to be moved away from the back stretch side of the track about 350 ft....and yes, then extend the capacity of the stands and....by removing the tracks beyond the parking lot people won't have to cross over them to access the track, etc....I missed the train passing yesterday...was away from watching it at times.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by heavyd

I saw the tracks, you can see it every time they go to the blimp over the race track. With about 120 laps to go a NS unit coal train went by, (very slow, I'm sure the crew wanted to watch for fans and some action!) Even one of the tv race commentators, I think it was ol D.W. said "Hey look, here comes a train!" The cameras panned over to to it and you can really see how close the tracks are and NO FENCE! That really surprized me! But they could add several thousand seats if those tracks weren't there. It would be neat to build seats over the tracks then fans can't walk along them any more.

I saw that too. ( was there an old Conrail unit on that coal drag, too?

[UPTRAIN]

Take ur camera...watch the race and railfan...like killing two birds with one 12 guage shell [;)]

[bnsfkline]

This would be the best place to stage an Operation Lifesaver event, during a NASCAR Nextell Cup race........Let J. Gordon be the victim

[pmsteamman]

I am hopping the NS placed a slow order on this section of track near the "track" for the simple reason of the amount of people that attented the race, there is bound to be someone walking near the track . I have seen CSX do this for a parade, with the instructions to be on the look out for people on or about the track.

[wcfan4ever]

According to NASCAR.com, the tracks are to be moved and the seating is going to be enlarged. Right now they have 93,000 seats and want around 100,000. This is the first year since 1996 that I missed a Martinsville race on TV and i've only seen one train go through. ~GO JG!~

[Modelcar]

....If the darned track would not have damaged Jeff's car Sunday he would have had a great chance of winning it....Again...!

[Anonymous]

....What about Matt Kenseth, Dale Jarret, and Jeff Burton?

At least Rusty won the thing, although I wish he could have won it in a [bow]FORD.[bow]

[Modelcar]

Jeff is the one that suffered the damage and lost track position from the track failure.

[michaelstevens]

Rusty's win was definiteley "one for the old folks".
Pretty sure that I heard (during the TV show) that M'ville and NS have a deal for the "shoofly" -- M'ville pays..

Who's Jeff Gordon ??

If it doesn't have a "3" or an "E" on the side; it isn't worth watching !!

Talledega here we come !!

[Modelcar]

I'll be civil about this....and I also happen to have a "3" on the back window of one of my vehicles. "Unknown" Gordon happens to have 4 championships and more wins in a shorter period of time than any other modern era driver. And as for the NS railroad, I would wager they won't be paying for the relocation of track that will be benefitting another concern.

[heavyd]

I'll help relocate the tracks for free NASCAR tickets!!!!

[Train Guy 3]

The track is to be moved back and the new seats will be added to the backstretch after the fall Winston.... ummm... NEXTEL Cup race on October the 24. The seats were to be added in last year before the fall race but instead seats were added over-top the suites in turns 1 and 2.
I loved that train..... combined my 2 loves at once, trains and NASCAR. I snaped a few shots of it. The engineer even gave a freindly wave and a blow of the horn ( possibly to the idiots on the tracks) to the fans. I believe the 3rd loco was a Conrail, I'll watch my tape to find out. Did anyone see the 2 NS pushers on the end of the train?

[Modelcar]

...With the upcoming changes it seems all will be better off...Fans safer and the NS will have less concern for people safety and the [race], track seating will gain some capacity....The only thing that possibly will be missing will be the absence of viewing the RR tracks from TV and hence maybe a train during the race.

[broncoman]

I don't know how fast trains normally go through there, but it seems it would have been cool to build the stands over the tracks (like a snowshed). Could use some plexiglass on the sides and top for the occasional railfanning while the yellow/red flags were going on. Isn't there an elevated line that runs near/right next to a ball park. Thought is was Chicago but could be wrong

[Modelcar]

Baltimore I believe has tracks right next to it and I believe they actually are used for trains bringing in baseball fans....at least that used to happen. Anyone out there know for sure....

[heavyd]

Oh that is going to bug me about the ball park!!! Last year during the playoffs one of the teams the Yankees played has busy tracks next to the park. I am a Yankee fan and I watch the entire games and every 15 mins it seemed you could hear train horns. The tv play-by-play anouncer even mentioned that the noise was train horns and that the park was right next to the tracks. Ok they played Minnesota then Boston and finally Florida. I am guessing Boston maybe?

[swknox]

YES. Baltimore does have tracks that bring in Fans for the O's games. I believe its MARC trains but don't quote me on that. But this helps ease the congestion with parking and the amount of cars going and leaving at the games end. Here in Delaware we are supposed to be getting commuter trains down to Dover from Wilmington in a few years although I'm not sure who will be running the show, but it would be nice if they built a track to DOVER DOWNS Int. Raceway so it would not take me 4 hrs to get home when I'm only 30 min away. No no wait, I live south of Dover so I guess I would still have to drive. If we could only talk them into extending trains down to Harrington then I could ride... The traffic on Rt. 13 and Rt. 1 and 404 is getting terrible esp from out of staters who just go to the frekkin beach.

[michaelstevens]

How on earth did this thread get linked with base ball (the world's most boring sport -- cricket doesn't even come close !!) ??

What about those CALTRANS train sets parked off the back stretch at Calfornicate Speedway, yesterday ?? -- and the Fox plug about "getting there by train" ??

[Train Guy 3]

I dream of a speedway where the rail line runs throught the race track itself, then i can ride the train right in and get off and go to the pits.

[Modelcar]

....Darn, I missed rail cars at the California track.....I didn't see 100% of race but did see a big portion of it. I simply missed any rail cars within the view. I don't miss something like that very often.
Aggree....baseball can be ever so boring.

[Modelcar]

....I believe it was Mike Joy that mentioned something about the fans walking down the tracks after the Martinsville race...and maybe he did it again yesterday...Wonder, he may be a rail fan.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

I dream of a speedway where the rail line runs throught the race track itself, then i can ride the train right in and get off and go to the pits.

That's one crazy dream. [:D]