down at ground level / passing through

[OT from cottage renovations]

lots of overcast today but now and then the light came through and did wonderful things with the leaves; the Maples (both sugar and Japanese) are about at their peak now. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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Grove Avenue

it's not just the trees whose leaves turn at this time of year.  look down and you'll see it happening at the lower elevations, too. 

hosta

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our Historic Bridge

viewed from the N abutment this eastbound intermodal train looks for all the world like it's running into a thicket of ailanthus though it doesn't seem to be any the worse for the encounter. 

Q130

later on, though, watching its progress on the big screen, it took a delay on account of showing up at QN Tower and the Washington Terminal lead around the time Amtrak's Capitol Limited was due to head West to Chicago.  the AU desk dispatcher had to choose between certain delay to a hot intermodal and the chance of delaying Amtrak.  the passengers made it out on time and the freight got a chance to sit at a red signal for a while. 

there are other railroads (and others who staff the desks in the CSX operations centre) who would do well to follow suit.  let's just say it doesn't always happen and leave it at that.  no point in naming names, is there?