Washington DC

[j.a.welsh]

In article <2358 at csd4.milw.wisc.edu>, dave at csd4.milw.wisc.edu (David A Rasmussen) writes:
  
> For the railnuts reading this, how much of Metrorail is above ground, and are
> any routes "relatively" scenic?

A fair amount is above ground, but in this newsgroup you have to define
scenic.  If trains are the scenery you want, Alexandria to the south
and Silver Springs to the north have what you came for (actually, there is a
Catholic college on the Silver Springs line, and from there to Sil. Spr.
there is good train watching from the platform).  Potomac Yard is beautiful
only to the railfan (anybody have a Pot Yard activity report?), but you get
a short but pretty view of DC from a bridge over the Potomac River just
before you plunge into a tunnel.  Visit Washington Union Terminal, it is
by every report a masterpiece of restoration, and pick up MARC timetables
while you are there.  If possible, ride MARC to Brunswick, MD, that should
be scenic enough for you (the Potomac River, mountains and tunnels).  If
you can ride to Baltimore, ride the B&O/Chessie/CSX route, that will
take you over the historic Thomas Viaduct.