June 6, 2016 (continued):

 

            After I was done with the rail walk, I made my way back to the bus terminal. I saw the ad for planning a trip on Roanoke’s transit system with Google Transit which I found to be ironic in a bad way last year was still there. I photographed it.

 

 

            I had lunch at the same Subway restaurant I ate lunch last year in Roanoke when I was trying to get home. After lunch, I went to the pedestrian bridge near the bus terminal and photographed what turned out to be a major Norfolk Southern locomotive shop and the Virginia Museum of Transportation again.

 

 

 

            I also attempted to photograph some local transit buses from the bridge.

 

           

 

 

 

 

            I could have sworn the buses in Roanoke had a red, white, and blue livery last year. I neglected to photograph a single bus when I was attempting to go home.

 

            I was hoping for a freight train would pass by while I was on the pedestrian overpass. However, none did. The closest was a hi-rail truck which I photographed.

 

 

            I made my way back to the bus terminal. Along the way, I photographed a bus that shuttles tourists around Roanoke.

 

 

            I saw planes coming in to land at Roanoke’s airport. They appeared to be landing in the opposite direction my flight out of Roanoke took off from last year.

 

            I then spent the next little while photographing buses as they all arrived for the next pulse out of the terminal and then photographed some departing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I went to a convenience store across the street and bought something to drink. I also bought a Powerball ticket. I returned to the bus terminal.

 

            I soon saw my bus back to Lynchburg coming towards the terminal. I photographed it.

 

 

            I went inside the terminal and awaiting boarding of my bus. I had a window seat, though the bus filled up and I got a seatmate. The bus ended up leaving a minute early. However, no one complained.

 

            The bus hit the highway. The 65 minute ride back to Lynchburg was uneventful, though the driver missed the turn into the station and ended up turning around in an auto garage parking lot!

 

            Once we got back to Lynchburg, I photographed the bus.

 

 

            I had plans to go the River Ridge Mall which was the mall next to where #611 boarded in Lynchburg last year. As a result of the bus driver missing the turn, I had just missed the bus that would take me there.

 

            I waited for about 20 minute for the next bus. I rode it a few blocks from River Ridge Mall and walked the rest of the way.

 

            I soon got to the mall and looked around inside. At one point, I stopped for a $12 massage at a store in the mall. The employees there weren’t the brightest bulbs; and not because they didn’t speak English very well. When I attempted to pay, I paid with a $20 bill. They almost gave me $18 in change. However, they realized their mistake before handing me the money and gave me the correct change.

 

            After looking around for a few more minutes, I went outside and photographed the Norfolk Southern yard where #611 had departed from last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Until 1979, Amtrak ran a train called the Hilltopper which served Roanoke and Lynchburg. The Hilltopper didn’t stop at the present Amtrak station, but at a different station which I believe is now a freight depot in this yard. If the Hilltopper was still running, I don’t know schedule wise if it would have allowed me to take a day trip to Roanoke.

 

            I then photographed buses used as shuttles by Liberty University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Meanwhile, I saw an American Eagle Dash-8 turboprop plane fly over on approach to Lynchburg’s airport. I only found out Lynchburg had an airport last year after my flight from Roanoke landed in Charlotte and I saw a screen for a flight for Lynchburg. Maybe if I had known, I could have saved a couple bucks flying home and/or gotten home just a little sooner.

 

            I photographed the plane and remarked that I hope I wouldn’t have to fly a similar plane tomorrow; or even with the airline operating it!

 

 

 

            I then walked back to the Arby’s I had dinner at last year following my ride on #611. I then went to the gas station across the street and bought some milk. I then went to the bus stop and boarded the route #4 back to the terminal downtown.

 

            When I got to the terminal downtown, I photographed a bus on route #8.

 

 

            I was hoping to take a route #9 back to my hotel, but after waiting for a few pulses, I saw the route #9 wasn’t coming. I went inside and found out the route #9 was done for the day. I had a backup plan and ended up taking the next route #4a bus to a few blocks from my hotel as it was the second closest route to my hotel.

 

            When the route #4a bus got on, I overheard another passenger say he saw #611 passing through. I missed seeing the #611 again. I did mention to him that I rode behind the #611 a few days earlier.

 

            When I got off the bus, I photographed it.

 

 

 

            I then walked back to my hotel. I went online and I also worked on this report some more.

 

            I phoned Yellow Cab to book a cab to take me to the Amtrak station the next morning. Even though Google Transit was right this time about the bus, I wasn’t going to risk missing the train again!

 

            I soon set the alarm on my phone for 5:55 am and called it a night.

 

June 7, 2016:

 

            I got up at 5:55 am and got dressed. I went to the lobby for breakfast. After breakfast, I finished packing and went back to the lobby to check out. I still had some time before my cab was to arrive. I decided if it didn’t come by 6:45, I would try the bus.

 

            However, my cab came a few minutes early. I got in and we headed out. We arrived at the Amtrak station in about 5 minutes. I would definitely make the train this time!

 

            After paying the driver, I got out and photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I decided that I had plenty of time so I walked to the overpass and took a head on shot of my train.

 

 

            I walked back to the station. I photographed a few buses including a bus on route #10. While if I had taken a bus, it would have been the route #9, but the bus I took on route #9 became a route #10 bus once it arrived at the terminal. So I could have taken the bus and saved a couple bucks. However, like I said, it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

 

 

 

            At one point, a taxi backed out of the Amtrak station parking lot and continued to back up towards me! The driver asked if I needed a cab. I told him no. I thought it was a little odd how he kept reversing.

 

            I then returned to the station. I wondered if the train would board from the stub track or if it would pull onto the main line and back into the station like the day before. The train ended up pulling onto the main line then reversed into the station. I filmed the train backing in and then photographed it.

 

 

 

            Boarding the train #176 began a few minutes later. I was seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82622. I logged into Amtrak’s Wi-Fi network and I also worked on this report some more. This time, the AC outlets on my side of the train were working. The train departed on time.

 

            A little while after leaving, the train stopped. We were underway again after a few minutes. The train stopped in Charlottesville.  We stopped at Culpeper about 50 minutes later.

 

            I went to the café car for a snack. I returned to my seat. The train stopped in Manassas. Just before we stopped at Manassas, I saw a bus in the distance. We stopped at the Manassas station then departed. We were running 7-10 minutes late. I was still good for my flight out of Washington.

 

            The train stopped at Burke Centre. A little while later, we were approaching Alexandria. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. Train #176 had made up time and arrived into Alexandria on time. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

            I filmed the train pulling out of the station. I then went to the Washington Metro King Street-Old Town station. I paid my fare and went upstairs. I attempted to photograph a 35 foot Orion 5.

 

 

            My train came in moments later. I saw that the third and fourth cars were of the 1000 series. I photographed the cars before I got on.

 

 

            WMATA has recently been starting to ship retired 1000 series cars to a scrap yard in Baltimore. Some people are hoping that at least one set of 1000 series cars escapes the scrap yard. The National Capital Trolley Museum briefly thought about saving some, but decided against it. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is the best bet as far as I know.

 

            I rode to Pentagon City and got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            Although I didn’t notice it when I was in Washington on this trip, the Metro system is starting to fall into disrepair. At one point, the whole system was shut down for a day earlier this year. In order to fix it, parts of the system may have to be closed for some time.

 

            I went to the Pentagon City mall and had lunch at the food court. I phoned my mom and let her know I had made it to Washington.

 

            After lunch, I decided to head to the airport. I wanted to ride to the south ends of the Blue and/or the Yellow lines, however recently, lines to go through airport security in American airports have gotten really long recently and I didn’t want to risk missing my flight due to waiting in line to clear security.

 

            I filmed an out of service Metro train passing before I photographed the train that would take me to the airport.

 

 

            I rode two stops south to National Airport station and filmed the train pulling out. I saw the out of service train which I had filmed earlier in a pocket track in the station.

 

            I went to the airport. I photographed a couple Jetblue planes and the Metro again.

 

 

 

            I walked to the terminal where I would be flying out of. Like when I flew down last year, I would fly Air Canada as I was originally booked with them to fly home from Washington had I not missed the train in Lynchburg.

 

            On the way to my terminal, I photographed a couple exhibits relating to the history of Washington National Airport.

 

 

            I soon got to the terminal. I went to a window near the Air Canada check in desk and photographed an American Airlines Boeing 737 in the old American livery.

 

 

            I then checked in with Air Canada and checked my suitcase. I would not be flying directly to Toronto. Instead, I would be changing planes in Montreal. The reason I wasn’t going direct was that this is how I would have gone had I not missed the train in Lynchburg.

 

            The reason I had booked it last year was that it was about $15 cheaper than flying direct back to Toronto. It would have been cheaper had I changed planes in Montreal on the way down to Washington as well, but I didn’t want the hassle when I had to connect to a train.

 

            I then lined up for security. I found the line not too long. It was not as long as the line I waited in at Baltimore’s BWI Airport back in 2010 when I flew Southwest to Buffalo the day after I got off the Cardinal. I still had hours before my plane left. I could have ridden to the end of one of the Metro lines after all. Oh well, too late now.

 

            While waiting for my flight, I bought a Coke from a restaurant in the middle of the terminal. I also photographed some planes while waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I photographed an American Embraer 170 similar to what I flew on from Charlotte to Toronto last year.

 

 

            I saw a commuter jet still in the US Airways Express livery. I photographed it.

 

 

            I looked out to try to see if I could spot my plane coming in to land at the airport. Eventually, I saw it coming to land. I would be flying on a Bombardier CRJ-100 Regional jet similar to what I flew on to Moncton the last time I rode the Budd Ocean. I then went to my gate and photographed it as it pulled up.

 

 

            Boarding began about 30 minutes later. I had a window seat in the third row. From the plane, I photographed a WMATA subway train.

 

 

            The plane left the gate on time but sat for several minutes. We eventually headed off. I filmed the take off roll. I noted that the plane took off in the same direction as Air Florida flight #90 on January 13, 1982 which crashed shortly after takeoff. We climbed out without incident and I saw the Pentagon. I looked to see if I could tell where American Airlines flight #77 hit on September 11^th, but was unable to.

 

            My flight was with Air Canada Express and the plane didn’t have on board entertainment. I spent the time reading, listening to my Ipod, and looking out the window, though I had to bend down to look outside. I was given a form to fill out for Customs. I filled it out during the flight.

 

            Soon, we were approaching Montreal. From the plane, I photographed the Olympic stadium, the STM bus garage I got a tour of during the 2013 BHA Convention as well as an AMT commuter train as we made our approach.

 

 

 

 

            As we came into land at Montreal’s airport, I filmed the landing. As we taxied to the gate, I photographed various planes.

 

 

 

 

 

            We arrived about 10 minutes late. I got off the plane. I wanted to photograph it, but I was unable to find a window with a view of the plane.

 

            I walked to where Customs was. The inspection was quick. I then left the area and found my suitcase on a baggage carousel. I thought it would have been transferred automatically. I grabbed it and found where to check it for my connecting flight to Toronto.

 

            After checking the suitcase, I had to go through security a second time! Fortunately, I got through with plenty of time. The ONLY advantage to what happened last year was that I only had to go through security once when I flew home from Roanoke. I thought going through security a second time with a cold would have been more aggravating. Luckily, this trip, I did not have a cold.

 

            After clearing security, I found my departure gate which was close by. I phoned home and let my mom know I had made it to Montreal.

 

            I then had dinner at the same restaurant in the terminal where I had lunch when I flew down to Alabama by way of Toronto and dinner before I flew to Europe. I knew it was cutting it close, but I finished dinner and returned to my gate before my plane arrived.

 

            When my plane did arrive, I saw it was being towed in which presumably meant that it had undergone maintenance before heading out on this flight. I would be flying to Toronto on an Airbus A320. I photographed the plane.

 

 

            Boarding began after 7:30. I had a window seat. I knew this flight would be short, but I watched some documentaries on the plane’s on board entertainment system. The plane left a few minutes early. However, no one complained.

 

            From my seat, I photographed a Porter Airlines Bombardier Q400.

 

 

            As we taxied towards the runway, I photographed another Bombardier Q400.

 

 

 

            I then filmed the plane’s take off. I then photographed various planes at the terminal.

 

 

            I continued watching movies on the entertainment system. However, like I said, the flight was short. We were soon nearing Toronto as I saw Buttonville Airport from the plane.

 

 

            A minute later, I saw we were actually flying over my neighborhood. I took a picture

 

 

I can see my house from here!

 

            Moments later, I photographed the area where I work from the plane.

 

 

            A few minutes later, we landed at Toronto’s Pearson airport. I filmed the landing. As we taxied to the gate, I photographed some planes.

 

 

 

 

 

            We soon arrived at our gate. We were five minutes early. I got off and photographed the plane.

 

 

 

            I then went to the baggage claim to get my suitcase. It took several minutes for my suitcase to come, but it eventually did. I then headed out and met my mom. We then headed home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            Aside from the minor inconveniences of not being able to get off the excursion train at the opposite end of the run and not getting in a short dome, this trip was excellent and much better than last year. All my connections worked out and I was not sick. The Virginia Museum of Transportation was a very interesting place.

 

            As for me, as long as #611 stays in Virginia and North Carolina, I’m done with it for the next little while; as least until it’s due for its next 15 year inspection in about 2029/2030. However, if #611 was to come to Buffalo as it did the last time it pulled excursions until Norfolk Southern dropped the steam program in 1994, I would go ride behind it then.

 

            As for me, I’m not sure when my next trip will be, but hopefully by late September. This year, I do not plan to leave North America though. Until next time…

 

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