June 6, 2016:

 

            I got up at 6:00 am and got dressed. I went to the lobby for breakfast. I noticed there were a few cyclists in the lobby as well. They were going to hit the road just before me.

 

            After breakfast, I walked to the bus stop across the street from my hotel. I was told to be at the stop for 6:48 am. At one point, a bus passed going the other way so I had a feeling that THIS TIME, Google was right. The bus ended up coming back shortly after 6:48 am. However, the ride was fast and I got to the station at 6:57 am. If I was taking the train, I would have made it with 41 minutes to spare before the train was scheduled to depart.

 

            I saw the train that would be today’s Regional train #176 to Boston. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            I then walked to a nearby overpass and photographed the front of the train.

 

 

            The train was on a stub track next to the platform. I had assumed the train boarded on that track then departed Lynchburg. However, about 20 minutes before the train was scheduled to depart, the train pulled onto the main line. I realized it would be backing onto the main platform which is closer to the station. I photographed the train and filmed it pulling past the switch.

 

 

            I then walked back towards the station and photographed the train again as well as a Norfolk Southern Hi-rail truck.

 

 

 

            I then photographed a bus from Lynchburg’s transit system pulling into the terminal.

 

 

            Amtrak train #176 soon departed on time. I filmed the train leaving. I then walked back to the Amtrak station and bought a Pepsi from the vending machine.

 

            I went to the bus terminal. I was taking Greyhound to Roanoke. I wanted to visit the Virginia Railway Museum that I briefly caught a glimpse of last year on my way to the airport there. I rode the same departure that I took last year.

 

            The bus left a few minutes late. We had to detour around some roadwork, but soon we hit the highway.

 

            The bus ride is just over an hour. We soon arrived in Roanoke. I got off and left the terminal. It was 9:30 am. The museum opens at 10:00. I had made sure the museum would be open that day.

 

            I photographed the museum from the overpass the bus I took to the airport last year.

 

 

 

 

            I then walked to the next overpass and photographed some stored Norfolk Southern locomotives.

 

 

            It was 10:00 am, so I walked back to the museum. Along the way, I photographed a former Norfolk and Western steam locomotive that had been moved from a scrap yard and needs A LOT of restoration work.

 

 

            I saw there was a fishbowl parked outside! I photographed it.

 

 

            I then went to the museum entrance.  I photographed the entrance to the museum.

 

 

I went inside and paid my admission. There were two other people there. They were also from Ontario, Canada like me. However, I didn’t know them.

 

            The first thing I photographed was some cars on display; some real and some toys.

 

 

Let’s go back to the future!

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed a few train related exhibits.

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed a model of the warship USS Roanoke.

 

 

            I photographed some flight related exhibits including a mock up of a private plane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then went outside. The first thing I photographed was a former Washington DC PCC streetcar that is in need of a paint job.

 

 

 

            I then photographed former Norfolk and Western Class “A” steam locomotive #1218. #1218 was used to haul fast freights and from 1985 to 1991, it was restored to operation and pulled excursions alongside the #611 until problems sidelined the unit. There are no plans to restore the #1218 to operation at this time.

 

 

            Next I photographed Wabash E8 #1009 which I had seen at Streamliners at Spencer two years ago.

 

 

            Next I photographed former Norfolk and Western class Y6a #2156 which is on loan from the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. The Virginia Railway Museum loaned them the FTB to go with the FT #103 in their collection following Streamliners at Spencer.

 

 

            Next I photographed former Norfolk and Western SD45 #1776 which has been restored to its Bicentennial livery.

 

 

            I then photographed an Alco road switcher.

 

 

            I then photographed former Chesapeake Western Baldwin #662. The unit and others had been stored in a local scrap yard where they rusted. A cosmetic restoration was completed and the unit looks nice.

 

 

You have an idea what #662 looked like prior to its restoration.

 

            I then photographed various pieces of equipment on display including former Norfolk and Western GP9 #521 which was equipped with a steam boiler to allow it to pull passenger trains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed former a Virginian Railroad electric locomotive.

 

 

            Next, I photographed former PRR GG-1 #4919 which appears to be in the process of being repainted.

 

 

 

 

 

            I photographed Norfolk and Western #2156 and #1218 again.

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed other pieces of equipment that are presently stored undercover.

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed equipment outside the shed.

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed a few cabooses.

 

 

 

            I then photographed a passenger coach.

 

 

            I then photographed fishbowl #319 again. #319 appears to have served the suburbs south of Washington DC in service. I felt a bit jealous because this bus had obviously been well taken care of compared to former TTC fishbowl #8058 at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum!

 

 

 

Why can’t we have fishbowls in this good condition back home?

 

 

 

 

            I photographed some more equipment and the stored Norfolk Southern diesels I photographed earlier.

 

 

 

 

            I took even more photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed what looked like a model train you could ride on a miniature railroad.

 

 

            I then photographed some more exhibits.

 

 

 

 

            A Norfolk Southern freight passed. I attempted to photograph it.

 

 

 

            I then took a few more photos before I went back inside the museum building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Once back inside, I photographed a few railway exhibits. The Virginia Museum of Transportation has two full size cabs in the room; one of a Norfolk Southern diesel, and the other a cab of a J class steam locomotive like #611. The steam cab had a video playing about the #611. However, I only photographed the diesel cab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then went into the gift shop. I bought a ball cap. I took a few more photos including for a fundraiser that would build a shed for the #611, #1218, and the #2156.

 

 

 

 

 

            I photographed a bench with the #611 on it. I could have bought a bench like it but getting it home would be a challenge to say the least!

 

 

            I then left the museum. I photographed another cab mock up of a Norfolk Southern diesel.

 

 

            Outside the museum, there was a walk that was railway themed. I photographed various exhibits on it as well as one last shot of the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            One of the exhibits was a working grade crossing.

 

 

            Another exhibit was about horns including an actual train horn.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed a map of the Norfolk and Western Railway.

 

 

            Since I took A LOT of photos on this day, click for the rest of June 6^th and my trip home:         Roanoke continuation.