Railfanning in Miami - Thursday April 13, 2017

MIAMI RAILFANNING

The week was going well at usual when I got invited to go railfanning...in Miami. This event was organized by Christian Espina that a group of us railfans can enjoy in Dade County as Broward & Dade had spring break (Palm Beach had theirs two weeks prior). A day before the event, Dave "ECH" Shelley ( FLA. EAST COAST RWY ENGINEER - 45 YEARS) had invited us for breakfast and a tour of FEC's Hialeah Yard, the southern end of the railroad. A maybe turned in to a HECK YES that evening as I prepared for the following day. Six times I had woken up throughout my sleep...not knowing why...I'm only guessing it was becuase of all the excitement that was soon to come hours ahead. 5:30AM...I woke up again...but this time, I STAYED UP and got ready. 6:20AM, I leave the house prepared, walking a mile to the bus stop. Already, I have the whole plan set out in my mind, calculated from the night before: Take the ROUTE 3 BUS @ 6:47AM (MILITARY TRAIL) to Lantana Road, then take the ROUTE 71 BUS (7:20AM)(LAWRENCE RD, GATEWAY BLVD) then catch the 7:52AM SouthBound TriRail to MetroRail Transter Station (79th Street) in Hialeah. Everything went like clockwork. I spotted a double header TriRail with a GP49 on lead with a BL36PH on Track 2 heading north...but as that train was departing (P610), Amtrak was coming in HOT with two engines and a single autorack. The train ride went well (except when TriRail bounces over switches and crossovers...which were extremely rough) I made it down to the station as Christian Espina and Thomas Heckman (driving) picked me up to pick up two other railfans, Roly and Jorden in who I call Bruno Mars lol