04-05-30 CLASSIC PHOTOS: NEC Trips

In May 2004 I was still making regular trips between Baltimore and the New Haven, CT area although the content opportunities were getting a bit repetitive I kept up with the photos and assembled a couple of trips into this single set that covers action at the MNRR New Haven terminal and various goings on along the NEC. You can find the full set of photos here ( mirror ).

In 2004 New Haven and the NEC in general still had a lot going for it, but it would soon enter a its terminal decline as more of the Heritage equipment started to vanish. Speaking of heritage, one of my southbound Regional trains was being hauled by Amtrak AEM-7 #950 in a Phase III heritage paint scheme, seen here pulling into platform 1 at New Haven. 

#950 and the other heritage painted AEM-7's would soon be repainted in the standard Phase V livery just like #941 on the adjacent track #2.

I had been delivered to New Haven on a two car Springfield shuttle train powered by still new P42DC #38.

Speaking of shuttles, a Metro North shuttle trainset was on one of the station tracks with F10's #410 and #411 for power.

Heritage painted units were actually quite the rage back then, just as they are now. CDoT for example had opted for an almost completely heritage painted fleet adopting the New Haven Railroad McGuiness scheme for the Shore Line East GP40-2H's like #6696 shown here. This would unfortunately be replaced by scheme sponsored by Coke Zero when the Hartford commuter rail line opened in 2018.

Not limiting themselves to their electric fleet, here are three Phase IV heritage painted diesels sitting in the new motor storage yard that Amtrak used for trains proceeding on the Inlands Route to Springfield and, in the case of a single daily round trip, Boston. This remaining Inland Route regional would be cut in 2005 during the first Acela Express crisis when cracks in the brake assemblies sidelined the entire AX fleet for a few weeks. The units shown here are P42's DC #104 and #107 in addition to P40DC #824. The 800 series P40's would also be sidelined in the 2005-6 budget crunch with 15 returning thanks to 2008 stimulus funds and others sold on to SLE and NJT.

Amtrak MP15 switchers #539 and #534 were also in the storage yard, possibly for Springfield Line or NEC MoW work.

04-05-15 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Baltimore Stuff

Here's another set of photos from my time living near the Baltimore Belt Line where I also had easy access to Penn Station. I was still in school at the time so arguably I had more free time to do rail stuff, but with more limited transport options I had a limited variety of activities to do so I ended up not taking as much advantage as  I could. The full set of photos can be found here ( mirror ).

We start off with a bang CSX AC6000 #663 leading a manifest freight with a train of  New York City garbage towards The South. At the time since all GE units looked the same and I didn't often look up locomotive class when posting photos on message boards, I didn't realize is wasn't a more "typical" -8 or -9 type loco until I re-processed the photos almost 20 years later. The retaining wall behind the locomotives would collapse after 4 days of heavy rainfall in 2014 and be rebuilt to a similar appearance. Note the special BC2 paint scheme with blue outlined CSX lettering and dual lightning bolts around the number.

Here we see CSX SD40-2 #8081 emerging from the Huntington Ave tunnel with a blast of diesel exhaust smoke. The Baltimore Belt Line features a stiff grade as it works its way up from sea level and around the north side of the city before turning east towards Philly. In 1896 the B&O installed DC third rail electrified helper operation that was in use through the 1950's to pull steam locomotives up the grade with a minimum of coal smoke. 

Behind #8081 was BN SD40-2 #8168. This was the twilight of when SD-40-2's were still regularly assigned to road freights. Also note CSX GP38-2 #2507 with a YN1 scheme.

To get these Belt Line photos I would leave my scanner on and when I heard either the defect detector for westbound trains or the HUNTINGTON AVE signal call for eastbound trains I would run out of my apartment and down to the tracks a half block away. I would usually get tired of this and give up, but this day I persisted and was treated to a second AC6000 in the guise of #674. This was hitched to SD40-2 #8105 ahead of a manifest freight. The ultimate problem with the 6000hp engine concept is that it didn't have enough power to go out alone, but would over power trains if sent out in pairs. However if combined with a weaker engine like the SD40-2, if the AC6000 failed the train would then be hopelessly stalled. The industry eventually settled on two 4400hp class locomotives. 

Down at Penn Station the new MARC HHP-8's had entered revenue service with #4914 seen here.

On the other hand, the GP40WH-2's were in their final years of service. Here #62 is on the "F" storage track right up against Kab Kar #7853.

The ARM-7AC's were also back from their rebuilds with #935 and #942 seen here.

On the NEC north of Wilmington, BELL tower was looking a lot better than it does today..

I'll leave things off with a third Belt Line AC6000/SD40-2 combo, this time with #654.

Yeah the photo sets sure were smaller back in the day.