Shenandoah Valley Limited 2023

I knew in my gut when we walked up next to her and she was cold that there would be no steam on the point that Saturday. Alas, now matter how "modern" her design, these fire-lit locomotives are still vintage machines and therefore always susceptible to issues. We would later learn: a broken staybolt. Having planned this outing for months, and having driven 10 hours to be in Goshen on a crisp fall Saturday morning, the disappointment was real for our HawkinsRails trio. But we bounced. Alas, a bad day in this hobby is still far better than another day in the office or the classroom! Buckingham Branch quickly brought a third unit down from the Staunton shops, and that day's Shenandoah Valley Limited was ready to roll in good time. BB's units are some of the sharpest shortline power in the region, looking great against the backdrop of leafy fall in western Virginia. Blue skies and no rain meant we enjoyed a fantastic day of chasing, even without the Queen under steam. The old C&O main is fairly accessible in that area, although BB track speeds can make it a challenge to keep up in certain sections. You better be ready when your vehicle rolls up on the next crossing. Still, we enjoyed the chase, twice out from and back to Goshen and the "Victoria" siding. Ella did a fantastic job with our video, and we met some great railfans out on the line. Always good to see fathers ands kids out there doing this thing we all love. Long live the Buckingham Branch.