2Railz

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2Railz

2Railz We are 2Railz, we create videos about things that run on two rails - mostly trains.

Based largely in the Washington DC Metro area, and as such focused on CSX and Norfolk Southern operations in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, 2Railz produces railfan-focused content in video form.

13/11/2024

First Amtrak 41 Floridian

There's work going on in New York, and also a shortage of Superliners. Amtrak have decided to solve both problems (at least in part) by "temporarily" replacing the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star with a single service that runs between Chicago and Miami via Washington DC.

The first trains left on November 10th, which put them through the Washington DC area on the 11th. The North/West-bound train was going to arrive after dark (or close to it) but I was able to catch the East-bound service through Shenandoah Junction, WV. First time I've seen Amfleets on this line!

There's work going on in New York, and also a shortage of Superliners. Amtrak have decided to solve both problems (at least in part) by "temporarily" replaci...

12/11/2024

First Amtrak 41 Floridian

There's work going on in New York, and also a shortage of Superliners. Amtrak have decided to solve both problems by "temporarily" replacing the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star with a single service that runs between Chicago and Miami via Washington DC.

The first trains left on November 10th, which put them through the Washington DC area on the 11th. The North/West-bound train was going to arrive after dark (or close to it) but I was able to catch the East-bound service through Shenandoah Junction, WV. First time I've seen Amfleets on this line!

There's work going on in New York, and also a shortage of Superliners. Amtrak have decided to solve both problems by "temporarily" replacing the Capitol Limi...

27/09/2024

Rerouted Freight in Shenandoah Junction, WV

In 2016, CSX opened the first Virginia Avenue tunnel in DC to double-stacked containers. This was one of the final pieces in the puzzle that had been blocking double-stacks from traversing through DC from the south to the west.

But to the North... Baltimore's Howard Street Tunnel remains a similar block. Only single-stacked containers can pass through. After years of planning and negotiations on funding, CSX had begun the work in early 2024 to raise the height restriction through this choke-point.

The tunnel itself is on a highly-trafficked route for CSX trains. To free some time for work to proceed, CSX rerouted a number of trains around it. This is one of them - M422 is a manifest freight train that was sent west in DC to go "the long way" to the north of Baltimore.

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2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

In 2016, CSX opened the first Virginia Avenue tunnel in DC to double-stacked containers. This was one of the final pieces in the puzzle that had been blockin...

24/09/2024

Train 289 racing Southbound at Shenandoah Junction, WV

It's late 2023, most of the leaves have fallen, and Norfolk Southern's train 289 is headed towards Rossville, TN.

This was once train 201, and it would have taken the Shenandoah Valley Line to Roanoke, but between limited crew availability and shorter sidings on the southern end of the Hagerstown and the entirety of the Roanoke district, this train more frequently turns east at Riverton to take the old Southern to Lynchburg.

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

It's late 2023, most of the leaves have fallen, and Norfolk Southern's train 289 is headed towards Rossville, TN.This was once train 201, and it would have t...

20/09/2024

Cardinal in Charlottesville with an Aged P42DC

The front cowling on P42DC AMTK 27 has seen better days as it brings the westbound Cardinal, train 51, into the old-C&O side of Charlottesville station.

The story for this train is that I had the bright idea to get out of Charlottesville and head west to try and catch it again, and ideally at speed. Alas, I had this idea about 3 minutes too late for it to work out as I missed the train at Ivy - arriving at the east end just as the crew were calling the clear signal for the west end!

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6e (Audio Recording) -- https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1805576-REG/zoom_h6essential_32_bit_float.html
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm
Zoom H6 -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF

The front cowling on P42DC AMTK 27 has seen better days as it brings the westbound Cardinal, train 51, into the old-C&O side of Charlottesville station. The ...

17/09/2024

C is for Crescent - the Amtrak Crescent!

It's mid-summer, and the sun is shining high in the mid-morning as the north-bound Amtrak Crescent makes its way north through Virginia.

It left Charlottesville about 20 minutes ago, and is passing through the town of Orange. It will be another 20 minutes or so before it reaches Culpeper, and then on to DC and New York.

I was hesitant about the new Siemens locomotives, but they're growing on me. I can appreciate the LED headlights and the semi-European stylings, it will be interesting to see how they fare as Amtrak begins preparations to replace the Amfleet cars.

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6e (Audio Recording) -- https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1805576-REG/zoom_h6essential_32_bit_float.html
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm
Zoom H6 -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF

It's mid-summer, and the sun is shining high in the mid-morning as the north-bound Amtrak Crescent makes its way north through Virginia.It left Charlottesvil...

13/09/2024

Wairarapa at Ava

Back in August we shared a video of the Electric "Matangi" trains that service the Wellington region. We promised there would be another, and here it is!

The Wairarapa (Why-rah-rap-ah) is a region of New Zealand just to the north/east of Wellington and the Hutt Valley. It was through the Wairarapa that the early New Zealand Government Railway would build its main line north, but the mountain range called the Remutaka Ranges (also the Rimutakas) stood in the way. Until the 1950s this section was always special - the south side was conventional rail, but the north side was a Fell incline. The Fell system used a raised third rail between the two running rails, and special locomotives had a set of horizontal wheels that could grip that rail for traction. Brake vans had special levers that allowed them to grip the rail for braking.

As you might imagine this system was cumbersome - every train going over "the hill" had to stop and be broken up to allow the Fell Locomotives and the Brake Vans to be inserted for the trip up or down, and then reassembled to continue the journey.

In 1955 the Remutaka Tunnel (Rimutaka, prior to 2017) was opened to rail traffic and the incline was required no more. Between the locomotive changes and the speed restrictions on the incline, journeys would take upwards of an hour; with the tunnel, that was cut to minutes!

That opens the various communities in the Wairarapa region to serve as commuter towns for Wellington, and many are served by Metlink's Wairarapa Connection trains. Three come in in the morning, three return in the evening, and a couple of mid-day trips bring commuters from north of Upper Hutt into Wellington City.

Trains are predominantly hauled by "DFB" class locomotives, originally built by GMD in Canada in 1979 and classed as GL22MC, or "DF" for NZ. In the early 1990s the class underwent upgrades to install turbochargers and became the "DFT". Later upgrades including the "Brightstar" computer control system saw them reclassified once more to "DFB".

The coaches or passenger cars are former British Rail Mk2, bought and imported from the UK in the 1990s. Various levels of rebuild have been performed to get them to where they are today. More reading on those can be found by searching for the KiwiRail "SW" class (panoramic windows) and "SE" (smaller windows) class passenger cars.

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

Back in August we shared a video of the Electric "Matangi" trains that service the Wellington region. We promised there would be another, and here it is!The ...

10/09/2024

Intermodal train 135 at Shenandoah Junction, WV

Earlier this year a trip was made to Shenandoah Junction - a personal favorite of mine as it puts CSX and NS right on top of each other.

Here we see train I135 tracking west. It's interesting to reflect on the years past - it doesn't seem so long ago that this would have been Q135, and it would have been all single-stacked containers because the old B&O (and the connecting lines that brought this train to the old B&O) didn't have the clearance to allow two containers. That finally changed when the Virginia Avenue tunnels in DC completed their upgrades. Hopefully it won't be too many more years before the remaining height restrictions north of DC can be lifted and CSX can doublestack just about anything moving through this area.

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

Earlier this year a trip was made to Shenandoah Junction - a personal favorite of mine as it puts CSX and NS right on top of each other.Here we see train I13...

07/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, 13R at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Alright, that's enough clearing for now, we'll keep a few for "From the Archives" posts over the next few months!

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Alright, that's enough cl...

06/09/2024

MOTAT Auckland

MOTAT - the Museum of Transport and Technology - is a museum located in Auckland, New Zealand, which celebrates all kinds of transportation artifacts and many different varieties of technology.

The Museum is made up of two sites and they are connected by a historic tramway. It was always one of my favorite places to visit when we would be in Auckland, and it was a great opportunity to visit with my own family! One day I hope to visit on a day that they have the railway section open, but for now I was challenged enough by the presence of many technology pieces that I'm personally familiar with - DVDs and Blurays, Guitar Hero and Singstar.

Come with us for a ride on the tram, and as we tour through some of the exhibits!

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

MOTAT - the Museum of Transport and Technology - is a museum located in Auckland, New Zealand, which celebrates all kinds of transportation artifacts and man...

06/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, Autoracks Meet at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

What's better than two trains meeting? OK, probably three, but that wasn't on the cards this day.

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

05/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, M371 at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

04/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, Capitol Limited at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

03/09/2024

CSX Manifest Freight at Shenandoah Junction, WV

It's late Spring and the trains are running, let's go and enjoy!

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Zoom H6 (Audio Recording) -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm

It's late Spring and the trains are running, let's go and enjoy!=====================================2Railz equipment:Field Recording:Canon GX10 (Camera) -- ...

03/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, 12R at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

02/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, K46 at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

What is train K46? It's a local that serves businesses along the route bringing new cars loaded ready to empty or empty ready to load and returns them to the yard where another train will take them on to the next point in their journey.

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

01/09/2024

Back to School Backlog Clearance: April 2023, 14Z at Shenandoah Junction

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!

Check back over the next few days to see what other videos we share from the backlog!

This has been sitting in the to-publish queue for too long, so since it's back to school season, we're doing a clearance of our own!Check back over the next ...

30/08/2024

Amtrak Regional at Burke Centre, VA

This was a different attempt at a night capture at Burke Centre VRE; this one notably worse than the prior!

Admittedly, video of this train was a second priority, I was playing with a film still-camera. The film is (at least as I write this) still in the fridge waiting to be mailed out for processing, but once it is I'll likely have the images posted on my Flickr page: https://flickr.com/photos/kellyzdude

=====================================
2Railz equipment:

Field Recording:
Canon GX10 (Camera) -- https://bhpho.to/3vlvlBD
Panasonic HC-VX1 (Camera) - https://a.co/d/46pB12B
Zoom H6e (Audio Recording) -- https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1805576-REG/zoom_h6essential_32_bit_float.html
Te****le Sync -- https://bhpho.to/3paLWqI
DJI Osmo Action (Action Camera) -- https://amzn.to/3vlXTLk
Tripod -- https://amzn.to/3lNcEU9
Whistler WS1010 (Radio Scanner) -- https://amzn.to/3lZgPMZ

Studio:
Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Extreme ISO (Video mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3DPb7mM
Zoom Livetrak L-8 (Audio mixer) -- https://amzn.to/3FQVTzo

Also in the bag:
Zoom H1n -- https://amzn.to/3DTRxpk
Zoom H4n -- https://amzn.to/3vlF1Mm
Zoom H6 -- https://amzn.to/3B4kQUF

This was a different attempt at a night capture at Burke Centre VRE; this one notably worse than the prior!Admittedly, video of this train was a second prior...

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ViVa Vienna Open House

For the first time ever, the Northern Virginia Model Railroad club will be Live Streaming an Open House event on the internet! The club will be holding two Open House events on Saturday May 25th, and Sunday May 26th in support of the Town of Vienna's ViVa Vienna event, and the Saturday Open House will be beaming live to the internet. We'll be taking questions, sharing some pre-recorded video clips, and watching (1:87-sized) trains roll by the cameras. If you can come to the depot in Vienna, VA, we absolutely encourage you to do so, but if you can't then tune in between 1 :00 and 5:00pm US Eastern Time and enjoy the trains on our model of the Western North Carolina!

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