Woodbridge, VA 03.08.14: By A Duck

It was by pure coincidence that after ending my last trip standing next to a bridge in wintry weather (see 'A Chilly Reception'), my next trip in warmer weather started beside a bridge at a similar angle. Although the railroad is familiar to me, the surroundings this time were not, at least in person. I have seen many pictures before of RF&P and Amtrak trains posed on the Powells Creek bridge south of Woodbridge, VA, and Saturday's warmer, sunny weather seemed like the perfect time to get a personal introduction to the spot.

The bridge is situated across the point where Powells Creek empties into the lower Potomac River, and a trail inside Leesylvania State Park provides a convenient location to watch the action. The location is much further north than I had ever been to film on the RF&P, and I had a lingering fear that the journey wouldn't pay off and I'd wind up having driven and hiked the distance for nothing, or very close to it. Happily that was not the case.

Within minutes after I reached the vantage point and set up shop, an Amtrak Northeast Regional (didn't quite catch the symbol) sailed across the bridge behind P42 175. A half-hour later, the first big payoff arrived - the northbound Auto Train, led by P40s 830 and 835, minutes away from its arrival in Lorton. As another Regional (whose symbol also escaped me) crossed the bridge 12 minutes later at 10:01, the dispatcher hinted that I might be catching a break soon from the passenger trains. Said break arrived at 10:14, as ES40DC 5402, ES44AH 3031, and CW44AH 508 followed in Amtrak's footsteps with intermodal L034. L034 was itself followed at 10:27 by Q438, with ES44AH 857 and C40-8 7532 for power. As the last cars of Q438 reached the north end of the bridge I kept the camera rolling, and seconds later Q703 passed in the other direction, led by a pair of ES44ACs - 3116 in CSX's latest 'Boxcar' livery, and 8878 on a visit from Canadian Pacific.

I wrapped up my visit to the bridge at 10:41 with another near meet, this time with a pair of Amtraks. Northeast Regional 88 (I think) hit the bridge first, led by P32-8BWH 514, followed shortly thereafter by the southbound Palmetto behind P42 169. 8 trains in a little less than 90 minutes seemed like a solid start to the day, so I left the ducks to their breakfast and began the hike back to the car.