03-05-23 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Amtrak and SEPTA Memorial Day

Today's installment of Classic Photos are from some SEPTA and Amtrak activity in May/June of 2003 around the time of my college graduation. The Amtrak photos are from a pretty standard NEC run between Connecticut and Philadelphia and the SEPTA photos involves my first visit to Norristown Elm St. You can find the two sets of photos here ( mirror ) and here (mirror ).

First up at Meriden, CT is Amtrak P40DC Phase IV heritage unit P40DC #827 at the Meriden, CT Amtrak station. The station had recently been upgraded with new concrete and a platform awning. These upgrades would be short lives as the station would be rebuilt with high level platforms around 2018 for the Hartford Line commuter rail. 

Fun fact, the Cedar Hill yard in New Haven is the location of Amtrak's major continuously welded rail facility where 78 foot lengths are electrically butt welded together into quarter mile or longer segments.

New Haven's new State Street Station had recently opened to serve workers in the Yale area.

Changing trains at New Haven I found HHP-8 #658 at the head of my southbound Regional.

Metro North Caboose and catenary inspection coach at Stamford.

The Penn Central sign was still affixed to the New Haven Railroad's SS3 OAK tower at the Oak Point yard in the Bronx.

At 30th St station Amtrak MoW orange painted GP9 #770 in was being used to shift road railers for Amtrak's express cargo services that would end in 2005.

03-05-23 CLASSIC PHOTOS: NEC Norristown

In 2003 I had finished with one stage of schooling and was looking at relocating to Baltimore, MD. Part of this involved one remaining trip down the NEC from Connecticut to New Jersey followed by a summer of casual railfanning. These sets of classic photos cover the NEC trip ( mirror ) and a subsequent visit ( mirror ) to Norristown, Elm St on SEPTA's R6.

Starting off from Meriden, CT my Springfield Shuttle train was being hauled by Amtrak Phase IV Heritage P40DC #827.

After passing Amtrak's Cedar Hill rail welding facility I got this shot of the old New Haven RR coaling tower along with a gray Amtrak GP38 MoW unit. Also note the rather impressive amount of lumber.

The new New Haven State Street station had recently opened for business.

Amtrak HHP-8 #658 at New Haven station.

I'm not sure if they are still in service now, but at the time Metro North's wire repair or wire inspection train made use of old Budd coaches. In this case one such coach is attached to caboose #406.

New Haven tower SS3 OAK in the Broax was still sporting its PC Green station signs. These would soon be stolen.

Photo of NJT's Meadowlands Maintenance Complex from the NEC with 4 ALP-46's and 1 ALP-44 visible.

At 30th St Amtrak GP7 #770 in MOW orange was hanging out in the Penn Coach Yard coupled to some roadrailers likely headed west on the Pennsylvanian or Three Rivers. A pair of new Acela Express sets can be seen in the background probably undergoing acceptance testing.