In the early 2000's PATCO started a general rebuilding project that would replace a lot of its original 1968 equipment such as ties, poles and rail. Just as this project was starting in 2002, I went out with my new digital camera to take a few photos of the pre-rebuild state of affairs. Also captured are some Broad Street and Atlantic City lines photos. Full galley can be found here.
Starting at the Haddonfield station, NJT GP40PH-2B #4215 trundles through the Atlantic City Line trench in route to Philadelphia. Nearly 20 years later the 2B's would continue to make up the primary source of ACL motive power.
At the other end of the trainset was Commarrow cab car #4166. Originally built as an Arrow I MU car in 1968, the unreliable Westinghouse propulsion equipment had them sidelined after only a few years. Rebuilt as Comet IB cab cars and coaches in the 1980's, they were ultimately displaced on NJT by MultiLevel cars with about half the remaining fleet being rebuil again for service on Amtrak San Joaquin trains in California.
PATCO, and the Broad Street Line it was once connected to, is distinctive in North American transit for retaining use of 3rd rail ramps at interlockings. As seen here at the left of the photo, 3rd rail ramps allow the third rail shoe on diverging movements to ramp on or off the unbroken straight route third rail. Removed on some systems like the NYC Subway due to being a shock hazard to track workers, PATCO has removed some, but not all of their ramps in the intervening years.
The stub end center track at the Ferry Ave station used to be used by occasional short turn peak period trains, however changes in commuting patterns eliminated this service as Ferry Ave turned into just another part of Camden between 1968 and 1980. Later the track was used to store a peak period trainset closer to Philadelphia, as seen here. The platform length of the pocket is only 4 cars long so two cars of the 6 car trainset hang off the end. Seen here is Vickers Canada car #255.
A SEPTA Broad St Line express trainset pulls past the 16L signal and into the tail tracks at WALNUT interlocking as part of a relay move at the Locust-Walnut Station. Until the 2010s it was possible to exit the Walnut-Locust station via stairway at the extreme southern end of the platform for a somewhat more direct connection with PATCO. Unfortunately a station renovation shortened the platform by about 2 carlengths, closed the exit and prevented access to the signal.
