BAltimore/DC area a$$hat railfan alert

[sirenwerks]

Coming into DC on the MARC today I spied 4 or 5 Milwaukee Road cars in the Amtrak coach yard, situated to head north.  The full-dome and Skytop observation were among them.  Unfortunately, I wasn't in a place to snap even a cellphone shot and will not be able to get down there until Saturday morning at best, and they'll probably be gone by then. 

[Denver Road Doug]

So what you're saying is you need to have your railfan license revoked.   

That's pulling the E-stop and tuck&rolling kind of stuff right there.   

[Philip H]

Paging Bob Bufkin.  Bob Bufkin, you're needed to Benning Road STAT!

[CVSNE]

Coming into DC on the MARC today I spied 4 or 5 Milwaukee Road cars in the Amtrak coach yard, situated to head north.  The full-dome and Skytop observation were among them.  Unfortunately, I wasn't in a place to snap even a cellphone shot and will not be able to get down there until Saturday morning at best, and they'll probably be gone by then. 

they were tied to the tail end of a Florida train yesterday afternoon when I was waiting for the VRE. Got one very poor shot with my cell camera. The front of that same train had a CB&Q private car between the power and the baggage car. That was most likely a light move.

Marty

[Bob Bufkin]

They came in on yesterdays Cap.  Heard they were going north not to FL.

[Bob Bufkin]

More info.  It's the Art Train.  Private charter for music and art.

[LV LOU]

 Looks like it's going to Juniata..
 
http://artrainusa.org/calendar.asp

[sirenwerks]

ArTrain retired the "train" part in the early 90s and was doing everything as traveling exhibition by truck.  Blockbuster museum exhibitions can be traveled in a 53' trailer and the real content of most exhibitions ArTrain organized could easily fit in a 26' single axle reefer.  The train part was novel but it was originally intended to be a temporary endeavor and only operate in Michigan.  After leaving the rails, the organization hoped to reclaim some novelty by designing/operating a container-based gallery to travel around the country similar to its rail-based predecessor, and present art in WalMart parking lots.  But when I was still an arts administrator five years ago, it was struggling to manifest the cash and leadership it needed to do so.

[jmlaboda]

"ArTrain retired the "train" part in the early 90s..."

I beg to differ... there are plenty of photos that prove that the Artrain operated into 2007.  Now the original "Michigan" Artrain ended in the 90s, evolving into the national tour train, it was scheduled to have a former KCS/NYC observation car to be added (acquired in 2004 and overhauled slowly through 2007) only to have the plug pulled on the train in 2007.

[crencs]

I got to see them too!  I was on a MARC bi-level car at the end - wanted to kick myself for not getting an upper deck seat. (Might have been able to see better over the trees!) And yes these are crappy smart phone shots!   

Start of the string of private cars


Burlington car


Skytop observation

Did not see them in the station or in the Amtrak yard on the way out this afternoon. 

Craig

[sirenwerks]

"ArTrain retired the "train" part in the early 90s..."

I beg to differ... there are plenty of photos that prove that the Artrain operated into 2007.  Now the original "Michigan" Artrain ended in the 90s, evolving into the national tour train...only to have the plug pulled on the train in 2007.

You're right Jerry.  The train ran through '07 with an exhibit organized in the late 90s, when they were already planning on abandoning the rails.  I was working in the mid-90s at the Corcoran and ArTrain was trying to borrow work from the collection but was declined because of security issues.  ArTrain has a project due to show in Juniata but it's not rail-born. 

The train in DC is a project called Station-To-Station, which I spied on the baggage car just ahead of the Burlington car Craig shows in his photos.  According to the website it leaves the east coast for the west today.  So I imagine the cars will be heading out on the #29 around 4 pm and running the Metropolitan sub?  It would be sweet to photograph those cars passing PoR station or going over the new bridge at Harpers Ferry.  Unfortunately, I passed the coach yard this morning right as another MARC train was passing on the inside track so still no photos for me and I can't get to my camera in Odenton until 5.  No way I'd win that race.

[parkrrrr]

The website says it'll be in NYC tonight and PGH on Sunday. So it probably won't be on the Cap this afternoon, though one could probably get some good shots at the Curve on Saturday evening. (The Sunday Pennsylvanian arrives an hour and a half after their scheduled start time in PGH, so it'll have to be on the Saturday train.)

Looks like it'll be rolling through my local station (WTI) on the Cap on either Monday or Tuesday morning for another appearance in Chicago on Tuesday night. But that means getting up early enough to be 35 miles from home at 6:30 in the morning, possibly two days in a row if it's not on the Monday train. Just how motivated am I?

[parkrrrr]

However, the website also says the Station-to-station train is currently in Oak Point Yard. Did it move overnight?

[seusscaboose]

"ArTrain retired the "train" part in the early 90s..."

I beg to differ... there are plenty of photos that prove that the Artrain operated into 2007.  Now the original "Michigan" Artrain ended in the 90s, evolving into the national tour train, it was scheduled to have a former KCS/NYC observation car to be added (acquired in 2004 and overhauled slowly through 2007) only to have the plug pulled on the train in 2007.

Hi Jerry
slight thread drift...
if i recall correctly.. in the 2007 time frame didn't Disney buy the ArtTrain for their Jim Carrey Christmas Carol Movie (relased in 2009) rail promotion (stopped in Baltimore at the B&O Museum)

it kinda makes sense...  it would give it a 2 year window to put the promotion together.

I remember b/c there was an original PRR Double Diner (gutted) still together in that train.

EP

[jnevis]

The "Christmas Carol" train was taken from Amtrak Horizon cars, I believe.