04-08-01 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Train 29 to Martinsburg

In the summer of 2004 I undertook a follow-up visit to a friend in Pennsylvania's Cumberland Valley. I didn't have a car at the time so I arranged a pickup from the Martinsburg Amtrak Station after booking a ticket on Capitol Limited Train #30. I didn't take a lot of photos that day, but the ones I did are still interesting so here they are ( mirror ).

In 2004 MARC's AEM-7's were still in regular operation. I caught #4901 on the 'F' track at Baltimore Penn Station nost to tail with K-Kab Kar #7849. 

MARC's new HHP-8's were shouldering more of the peak period express trainset burden. I caught #4915 on track #5. The unit is still in service as of 2025.

The CSX Business Train was in Washington Union Station for some reason. Visible is former Atlantic Coast Line observation car "Florida" and a former Conrail (nee-New York Central) office car #994010 "John T. Collinson".

Pulling in we passed AEM-7 #953 and yard goats #562 (SW1001) and #541 (SW150).

At Brunswick, MD, some of the old MARC equipment was still in storage including RDC's and long distance passenger cars converted to commuter use. The ex-Metra Pullman gallery cars were actually still in service!

WB tower was also still in service. Today it had been preserved about 100 yards away. 

In Martinsburg, the former B&O shoppe complex and roundhouse was ramping up as a historic site, but the new station platform and overpass had yet to be built. Power for that day's Train #29 was P42DC's #85 and #70.

Like I said that's all I have from this trip. Make sure you check out my experience catching a train from Martinsburg to DC earlier in 2004.

04-07-04 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Independance Day NEC

Back in 2004 the NEC was a lot more interesting than it has become so it wasn't hard to be able to fill a full set of photos with just what I was able to take on the Amtrak trip to/from my northeast destination. Having coach access to the rear facing window also helped a lot. This set of photos was taken over the July 4th holiday and includes a New Haven power change for what I assume is Amtrak's Train 56 Vermonter. The full set of photos can be found here ( mirror ).

Starting off in Baltimore, the MARC HHP-8's were still pretty new and, despite prevailing trends, examples like #4912 here would still be in service far after the Amtrak fleet was put in storage.

Bi-level Kab Kars like #7849 would also remain a MARC mainstay even after the delivery of newer Bombardier split-level stock.

Passing through Philadelphia, SHORE tower still looks to be in reasonably good condition with the wooden staircase still intact. SHORE would continued to see neglect and suffered a fire in 2021.

FAIR tower in Trenton had recently had a passenger friendly sign added to it.

For the NEC's last two active main line towers, UNION would close in 2009 followed by DOCK in 2017.

Speaking of DOCK, I also captured some of the interesting components that make electrification work across the drawspan of it's 3-track movable bridge.

At Manhattan Transfer we find the since sold-on NJT GP40FH-2 #4144 coupled to a Comarrow coach in the Hudson yard likely part of a Raritan Valley Line trainset.