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Where is the Ivy City Facility in relation to Washington Union Station? Is it walking distance? Im gonna be in DC with some time to kill and wanted to take a look around. This is my first time in the NEC and I'm looking forward to seeing the different equipment. Thanks.
Posts: 115 | From: Buffalo, NY | Registered: Aug 2002
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Ivy City is next to and on the north side of New York Avenue to the east of the NY Ave overpass over the approach to Union Station. There is a WMATA station now at this location. Have not been there since long before it was built, so I can not tell you much about the current situation.
You used to be able to walk along the north side of New York Avenue and look across the mains. Forget going inside the place. Given the current paranoia you will likely be questioned if you spend time at the fence. You can see some things out the window of the WMATA trains between New York Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue. Southbound, the WMATA main is between their repair shop and the WUS coach yard.
The area is not the best to be wandering around in.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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George has suggested getting looks into Ivy City from the red line of the Washington Metro and that's a good start. You can get a good look at the car staging and cleaning areas between the Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue stations......and if you stay on the platform areas you can go back and forth on metro without having to pay a new fare each time. Be discreet though.......these are paranoid times.
ALSO, try the MARC commuter trains between Union Station and New Carrollton. These will at least ride you by the locomotive staging areas at Ivy City. During rush hour you could even try a Camden Line MARC train to Baltimore on the old B&O main.......gets you a track or two closer to the engine facilities but there is little in the way of mid-day service on the Camden line.
I would not recommend trying to walk there from Union Station. The neighborhoods surrounding Ivy City aren't too great and someone on foot who looks like a tourist with an expensive camera would be a tempting target. If the thugs don't get you, the Amtrak police will!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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With a car you could do some decent trainspotting from New York Ave between the overpass and the Bladensburg Road intersection. I believe there's even a parking lot right next to the tracks.
Posts: 76 | Registered: Jul 2005
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The DC police used to vicious (when I worked there 30+ years ago) on out of state cars parked overtime or illegal, and it takes most of a day and quite a bit of cash to retrieve a towed car, so be very careful about where you park, ant that is just the legal hazard. There is also the local predator element to be wary of.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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