Doswell, Virginia is a great place, rich in heritage. My first trip there coincided with my first use of my digital camera. Doswell was where the C&O crossed the RF&P. Since both lines are now CSX, it is not as interesting, but I could feel the history as I walked the grounds. My first shot shows the tower that used to guard this crossing: Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
The tower is in the northeast corner of the tracks... the RF&P northbound tracks are immediately in front of the tower and heading off to the left. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
This photo is a southbound view of the same area: Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
This is a better Southbound view of the same scene. Immediately to the right of the "50" sign, you'll see a set of tracks. These tracks come off the westbound C&O and interchanged to the RF&P tracks. I thought this would be a great scene to model, and sure enough, it appeared in a past issue of N Scale Magazine! Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
Very enjoyable looking at these photos Harold. ------------------ Ship It On The FRISCO! | IAMOKA.com
Harold, did you see the photos of the engines of the RF&P RR on Favorite engine forum? ------------------ Watash
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by watash: Harold, did you see the photos of the engines of the RF&P RR on Favorite engine forum? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> NO! I guess I missed it. Which forum was it posted in? I vaguely remember seeing the topic but cannot remember where. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
As you can tell from my pictures, the lighting was very poor...and I had no luck moving the sun Also, being a longtime 35mm user, I was used to a wide angle lens and extensive metering options. It was a very cold day and I did not want to hang around too long for fear of being picked up by the CSX police. Anyway, I had always read about Doswell and enjoyed seeing it first hand. In addition to the Southbound interchange with the RF&P, there is also a Northbound interchange, with an old station in the "wye". I have a picture somewhere of a 3 unit CSX lashup idling in the wye. Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
Hello There! As a former ( disabled ) conductor for the C&O, I went over that railroad crossing at grade, or "diamond" as those in the north called it, many times. The diamond is governed by signals in both directions. It stands as a little island in the middle of dark territory, as the Piedmont Subdivision is all Block territory, until just outside Washingtonville, where it goes back to signals. Riding over that crossing was loud, and rough. With so many trains going across the RF&P, the track is pretty chewed up. The C&O has the Piedmont Local, Verdon Rock Train, and empties that return to Clifton Forge, via Washington, and Mountain Sub Divisions. Not much activity goes across the Piedmont anymore, and CSX has continually tried to abandon those tracks. Railfanning at that spot, I agree, isn't what it used to be, but you can still get some good shots. With the tower, now boarded up, get as many shots as you can, because CSX is systematically tearing down those buildings to save on taxes. Right before I got hurt, CSX tore down the last remaining Water Column for Steam in Fulton Yard, Richmond, and the old Yard Tower is now gone too! The old heritage is disappearing fast! Take care! Randy SLSFFRISCOKID P.S.: CSX has one railroad officer in the Richmond/Doswell area. Everyone humbly nicknamed him " Magnum ". He's a decent guy who won't give you a hard time, unless your doing something you're not supposed to do. [This message has been edited by slsffriscokid (edited 26 November 2000).]
Randy, Thanks for the great information and welcome aboard the forum! Your comment about the "vanishing" history items is one of the main reason I got into photographing trains. (I started around 1984 photgraphing on the Southern and Seaboard lines in my town... I knew that the "fallen flags" would be disappearing and wanted to preserve those memories.) We had an old interlocking tower in town that unfortunately fell into disrepair and was eventually demolished; fortunately I got some good pictures before it left! Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
Harold, on the Railfanning & Rail Fan Forum, go to the Favorite Engine thread, and look on Page 2 & 3 for a 2-8-8-2 and 4-6-2 RF&P steam engines. ------------------ Watash
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by watash: Harold, on the Railfanning & Rail Fan Forum, go to the Favorite Engine thread, and look on Page 2 & 3 for a 2-8-8-2 and 4-6-2 RF&P steam engines. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Watash, great photos! (That was one of the few forums I didn't look in ) I could just imagine what kind of ruckus that beast would cause charging the diamonds at Doswell! Chessie ------------------ Harold Hodnett Fan of NS, CSX, and their predecessors! Coming soon: The North Carolina Railfan Web Site http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/
Hey Guys! If anyone can tell me how to download a photo on here, I can put a photo of the Doswell Railroad Crossing at Grade, dated 1880! Awesome Picture! Randy I've got the scanner, just don't know how to upload the picture from this site!
