Chris Parker and I got up on this very wet and rainy morning. I was glad that we had taken our equipment pictures in yesterday's sunny afternoon light. We enjoyed a continental breakfast before we drove to the Whitewater Valley Railroad station in Connersville. An umbrella would be needed this morning. We went inside the station to check in and as usual, I met plenty of my rare mileage friends from all over the country. We kept dry under the overhang waiting for our train to arrive to do the first Photo Runby of the day.
The train backing down to the station. I walked down for some pictures using my umbrella to keep dry.
The front of our train on this dark rainy morning.
The power was New York Central S-1 9339. We boarded and a few minutes later headed north to the bridge where the CSX Railroad crosses our route and detrained for pictures here. Once we were all off, our train backed into position.
It was announced that a westbound CSX freight would be here in ten minutes. I went under the overhang of a bar to stay dry until the freight was heard and then set up for my pictures.
The westbound freight arrived and we got the over-under picture we all wanted. We then reboarded and headed south back past the Connersville station, the Whitewater Valley Railroad shops and yard to Dearborn Tower for our next Photo Runby.
The backup move.
The Photo Runby at Dearborn Tower. We all detrained and set up our photo lines. We reboarded the train and continued south as the rain began to ease off. We crossed Williams Creek on a double arch bridge which is over a hundred years old. The train ran through Nulltown and we slowed for our next Photo Runby at "Nulltown International Airport". We detrained and lined up in the grass field that is used by the local airport.
The backup move.
The Nulltown Airport Photo Runby. We reboarded once more then continued south and passed the Berlin Lock. We ran by Alpine, the Conwell Lock, the Garrison Lock and the Hendrick's Lock. The train passed though Laurel and a few minutes later we crossed the West Fork of the Whitewater River. The train stopped at a grade crossing and we all detrained for our next Photo Runby.
The train backed across the river to the Laurel Bridge 125. I relocated to down by river for the next Photo Runby.
Photo Runby 2 at the Whitewater River Bridge. The train was then posed on the Whitewater River bridge. Next I switched to the west side of the bridge for more pictures.
I stopped just short of the grade crossing for this picture.
After this picture I moved just more slightly west.
After the final posed picture, we all reboarded and were on our way to our next Photo Runby location at Triple Crossing Curve. We all detrained for our Photo Runby.
The back up move.
Photo Runby 3.
A photo line at this location.
Back up move.
Photo Runby 4. After reboarding, we headed toward Laurel Siding. Upon our arrival, some of us detrained and were able to watch the train being rearranged for our northbound return later.
Our power running around our train.
After the power was run around our train, I reboarded while the consist was being switched to put us at the rear of the train.
Passengers taking photographs during this part of the trip. Once everyone was back onboard and the train put back together, we backed into Metamora and detrained for lunch into the pouring rain. I headed to a coffee bar and ordered a pair of hot dogs and a Coca-Cola. After lunch, I decided to look around.
I took pictures of our train by the Metamora Lock.
The engine with the grist mill behind it.
There is a waterfall next to the Metamora Lock.
Here is the train, the Metamora Lock and waterfall.
The rear of our train at Metamora.
The Metamora Lock and waterfall. I reboarded the train and we started down toward the end of track.
The Whitewater Canal.
We ran along the Whitewater Canal and passed Lock 24 before passing Hearthstone Restaurant, where we ate last night, then slowly backed all the way to the end of track. After a few moments there, we started the trip north as the rain continued, making our way along the Whitewater Canal.
Heading north along the Whitewater Canal.
We stopped at Lock 24 for posed pictures. Here is a picture from below.
Here is the train with Lock 24 in the picture.
Back onboard, we continued north back to Connersville as we rolled along the restored Whitewater Canal.
The train ran by the Duck Creek Bridge, which is reportedly the only remaining covered aqueduct in the country.
Another view of the interesting structure.
One of our passengers, Ralph, celebrated his 90th birthday aboard our train this weekend.
Later we crossed the Whitewater River as the rain continued to come down. As we neared Connersville, I called the internet radio show Lets Talk Trains and gave a brief report about the trip. We returned early into Connersville and I detrained into this rainy world for a few last pictures.
Views at the Connersville Station.
New York Central Alco 9339 after a fantastic trip aboard the Whitewater Valley Railroad Photo Freight.
The NYC 9339 builder plate. I found Chris Parker and we drove north on Highway 1 to US 40, on which we turned west. We drove about forty miles to Knightstown and found the station for our next trip.
