Amtrak Chargers

1.14.2024 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK's latest locomotive model. The Siemens ALC is represented on the #20 Crescent by locomotive #310, placed behind the lead engine AMTK #136. The Crescent would leave on time this morning heading to it final destination of NYP.

1.26.2024 Afton, VA. AMTK 320 leading the eastbound Cardinal #5025 through Afton as it passes a westbound empty CSX coal train. I heard over the scanner there was to be a meet at Afton. The Cardinal entered the passing track before I could get up to the signal to photograph it there. Though the State of Virginia owns this stretch of the former C&O Mountain Subdivision and it is operated by Buckingham Branch RR, CSX retains trackage rights from Richmond to Clifton Forge. Running empties up and over the mountain lessens the traffic on the James River line. The 5025 is running 23 minutes late.It's westbound counterpart AMTK #5126, is also being led this day by a new Siemens locomotive, AMTK 332.

1.26.2024 Afton, VA. AMTK 320 leading the eastbound Cardinal #5025 through Afton as it passes a westbound empty CSX coal train. I heard over the scanner there was to be a meet at Afton. The Cardinal entered the passing track before I could get up to the signal to photograph it there. Though the State of Virginia owns this stretch of the former C&O Mountain Subdivision and it is operated by Buckingham Branch RR, CSX retains trackage rights from Richmond to Clifton Forge. Running empties up and over the mountain lessens the traffic on the James River line. The 5025 is running 23 minutes late.It's westbound counterpart AMTK #5126, is also being led this day by a new Siemens locomotive, AMTK 332.

1.26.2024 Charlottesville. VA. AMTK 332 leading the westbound Cardinal #5126 past signa 184.6l that is labeled correctly. Though we are not at North Mountain proper, wethis section of track from Charlotesville is part of the NOrth Mountain Division. The consist just departed Charlottesville Union Station. These new Siemans locomotives are showing up more frequently on the Cardinal. I was to discover an hour later that on the eastbound counterpart there was Siemens locomotive #320 in the lead.

1.26.2024 Charlottesville. VA. AMTK #332 leading the westbound Cardinal past signal 184.6. on the former C&O Mountain Subdivision. 2024 Gulf Coast Chapter NRHS Annual Photography Contest: BEST IN SHOW Winner.

2.16.2024 AMRK 324 on the head-end of the eastbound Cardinal, descending the Blue Ridge Grade toward its next station stop at Charlottesville. To the right is the now sealed portal of the C&O Greenwood Tunnel, completed in the mid 1850s, but abandoned during C&O's ROW re-alignment and infrastructure upgrade project to the Mountain Subdivision in 1947-48.

2.21.2024. At the eastern limits of Charlottesville where MP 180 is located, AMTK 331 leads the westbound Cardinal past signal 180.0 on its way for its stop at Charlottesville Union Station a few miles ahead.

2.25.2024 Greenwood, VA. AMTK 174 leading the eastbound Cardinal coming down the Blue Ridge Grade on its way to have a meeting at Ivy with its late running westbound counterpart, train #51.

3.15.2024 Afton, VA. This is the approach to Afton - CP East Afton. Back in the C&O days there was a cantilevered signal mast in the right foreground and a much small dwarf signal. AMTK 320 is the power for today's westbound Cardinal making it's way way up the Blue Ridge Grade.

3.15.2024 Afton, VA. AMTK 342 on the point of the eastbound Cardinal is descending the Blue Ridge in a deep cut just past Afton.

3.17.2024 The trees are budding out in this late afternoon shot of AMTK 320 passing by the former C&O Depot in Crozet, VA on its way to Charlottesville. This Sunday run from Chicago marks the second consecutive trip that a new Charger locomotive leads the Cardinal in both directions. They are becoming more prominent on this CHI-NYC route.

3.29.2024 Afton, VA. Just east of Afton, AMTK #320 on the point of the westbound Cardinal making its way up the Blue Ridge Grade.In the lower right of the shot you can see the vestiges of the former siding that came off the passing track that led up the hill to the former freight station in Afton.

AMTK 341 leading the Cardinal past by an old farm supply warehouse on its westbound trek to Chicago.

5.10.2024 Mechums River, VA. AMTK 341 on the lead of the eastbound Cardinal as it passes an old farming supply warehouse. The 341 passed by here 2 days ago on ithe westbound Cardinal to Chicago. It was serviced and turned around in time for Thursday's 5:55 PM departure.

9.6.2024 Nechums River, VA. AMTK 310 crossing the Mechums River bridge west of Charlottesville as it makes its way to Chicago leading the #51 Cardinal.

12.8.2024 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK 326 leaving Charlottesville heading west on the point of the Cardinal. It is crossing the Emmet St. bridge and will continue to travel through the University of Virginia Grounds (campus) for another 1/2 mile.

1.11.25 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK 367 on the point of the southbound Northeast Regional train #151 as it approached Charlottesville Union Station.

1.11.25 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK 367 on the point of the southbound Northeast Regional train #151 leaning into the curve as it approached Charlottesville Union Station.

1.11.2025 Charlottesville, VA. Having just left Charlottesville Union Station, AMTK 364 leads the northbound Crescent, train #20, over the Preston Ave. bridge under a speed restriction of 25 mph. Two miles up the road it will pass under the signal bridge Rio where it can accelerated to 40 mph.

1.11.2025 Charlottesville, VA. Having just left Charlottesville Union Station, AMTK 364 leads the northbound Crescent, train #20, over the Preston Ave. bridge under a speed restriction of 25 mph. Two miles up the road it will pass under the signal bridge Rio where it can accelerated to 40 mph.

1.11.2025 Charlottesville, VA. Having just left Charlottesville Union Station, AMTK 364 leads the northbound Crescent, train #20, over the Preston Ave. bridge under a speed restriction of 25 mph. Two miles up the road it will pass under the signal bridge Rio where it can accelerated to 40 mph.

1.11.2025 Charlottesville, VA. Having just left Charlottesville Union Station, AMTK 324 leads the northbound Northeast Regional #156, the morning train from Roanoke, over the Preston Ave. bridge under a speed restriction of 25 mph. Two miles up the road it will pass under the signal bridge at Rio where it can accelerated to 40 mph.

1.11.2025 Charlottesville, VA. Having just left Charlottesville Union Station, AMTK 324 leads the northbound Northeast Regional #156, the morning train from Roanoke, over the Preston Ave. bridge under a speed restriction of 25 mph. Two miles up the road it will pass under the signal bridge at Rio where it can accelerated to 40 mph.

2.9.2025 Charlottesville, VA AMTK 354 tagging along on the westbound Cardinal. The train is leaving Charlottesville Union Station and is crossing the diamond with Norfolk Southern's north-south mainline from Atlanta to Washington.

2.9.2025 Charlottesville, VA AMTK 354 tagging along on the westbound Cardinal. The train is leaving Charlottesville Union Station and is about to cross the diamond with Norfolk Southern's north-south mainline from Atlanta to Washington.

2.23.2025 CP East Ivy. AMTK 344 handling the #52 Cardinal on its way to Chicago.

2.28.2025 Alexandria, VA. AMTK 174 leading the NE Regional #85 heading toRichmond.

2.28.2025 Alexandria, VA. AMTK 174 leading the NE Regional #85 heading toRichmond.

2.28.2025 Alexandria, VA. Profile of AMTK 174. In the background is the The George Washington Masonic National Memorial. B/D 4/97, BN 49612.

2.28.2025 AMTK 361 on the lead of this northbound NE Regional about to enter the Alexandria passenger station.

3.12.2025 Keswick, VA. This photo of #366, on the point of the westbound Cardinal, was taken from the spot where the C&O's Keswick passenger depot once stood.

3.28.2025 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK 366 leading the westbound Cardinal from its last stop. Having departed 18 minutes late. This Cardinal is sporting a Superliner just behind the despond locomotive #821.. Must be a busy Friday.

4.2.2025 AMTK 362 Charger, with the eastbound Cardinal in tow, just left Charlottesville Union Station and has crossed through the Grounds of the University of Virginia.

4.23.2025 Millboro, VA. AMTK 362 heading east on the #50 Cardinal as it is passing through the 1893 era Millboro tunnel. The damage to the carbody on the conductor'd side is quite evident.

4/23/2025 Millboro, VA. Not a really good shot as the first shot of AMTK 371. Tucked in behind AMTK 362 having just passed through the Millboro tunnel eastbound on the Cardinal.

4.27.2025 AMTK 317 leading the westbound Cardinal for Chicago passes through the West Ivy CP.

4.27.2025 AMTK 317 leading the westbound Cardinal for Chicago passes through the West Ivy CP.

5.11.2025 Moher's Day. At the West Inn CO, eastbound Cardinal passes by the control signal for the main.

5.16.2025 Charlottesville, VA. AMTK 356 pulling into Charlottesville Union Station 20 minutes late pulling the westbound Cardinal. I would take this train all the way to Chicago. It arrived there 4 hours late after numerous delays including twice going into Emergency because of an air hose issue.

5.24.2025 Birmingham, AL. AMTK 324 leading the northbound Crescent into Birmingham arriving 48 minutes early creating an almost 1 hour stop.

6/14/2025 Charlottesville, VA. Amtrak #312 leading the Northeast Regional train #134 into the Charlottesville station.

6.20.2025 AMTK 325 leading the westbound Cardinal through West Ivy CP. Tacked on to the end go the consist but not for Cardinal passenger use id a very clean regional Business Class car.

7.2.2025 Mechums River. VA. On a bright, sunny day, coming off the Mechums River bridge going into the July 4th Holiday Weekend, AMTK Charger 354 makes its way westward to its final destination of Chicago.

8-8-2025 Crozet, VA. AMTK 365 taking the elevated curve at speed that leads into Crozet, at the base of the Blue Ridge grade, as it makes its way to the Shenandoah Valley. The 365, running 2 minutes late out of Charlottesville , leads the westbound Cardinal to Chicago on a warm summer afternoon.

8/10/2025 Ivy, VA. This Sunday afternoon Cardinal will be in Chicago tomorrow morning, carded at 10:00 AM. On this day, AMTK 305 leads the consist through Ivy, 6.5 miles west of Charlottesville.

9/28/2025 Ivy, VA. AMTK Charger #319 races by the East Ivy CP signal leading the westbound Cardinal. Several minutes prior it left Charlottesville on time.

10.22.2025 Afton, VA. AMTK 314, leading the westbound Cardinal, slowly making its way up the Blue Ridge Grade within sight of the crest at Afton. The train was shuttled off to the passing track to make way for the oncoming eastward Cardinal on the main, passing about a minite later. Both trains were running 45 minutes late.

10.31.2025 Afton, VA. On a bright Halloween afternoon, AMTK Charger #314 leading the westbound Cardinal up the grade of Afton Mountain toward the Blue Ridge Tunnel.

AMTK 336 leading the westbound Cardinal through Ivy, VA.