Steaming along

I rode my bike along the trail to get this photo. It was 41 degrees F (5 C), and it felt like it got colder the longer I waited. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's schedule is kind of dumb. If tickets sell out, you can't view the times of departure. I thought it left at 12:30, but it actually left at 1:30. So I got there around 11:30 and had to wait a long time.

Train fans started showing up around noon. There were a few dozen in this area. I asked where some were from. Richmond, Virginia; Buffalo, New York; Philadelphia. All made multiple-hour drives just to see this engine. I was just out for a daily photo. Apparently it's a big deal.

It's the largest operating steam engine east of the Mississippi River (that's the divider between east and west in the U.S.). It made its first public excursion yesterday, but since today is Saturday, more people were able to see it.

I am going to take more photos of it on weekends. It's fun to shoot, and there are plenty of different places to photograph it.

It was an impressive sight. It's loud, big, and the whistle is powerful. A couple of more photos are in extras.