06-06-01 PHOTOS: Memorial Day NEC

Over Memorial Day 2006 I took a trip up to Connecticut and managed to photograph some of the new signaling and interlocking changes on the NEC while returning back down south .

These include the new GREENS FARMS high speed 4-track crossover in the New Haven Line b/t Norwalk and Bridgeport. The recently completed tweaks to SHELL interlocking (5+ years in the making). The new crossover on the Amtrak Hellgate line right before SHELL and finally the new signaling gantries on the NEC between ZOO and NORTH PHILADELPHIA.

I also got some sweet pics of the Hallgate bridge complete with CSX freight train as well as Sunnyside yard and F interlocking pics.

You can see the whole set at:

http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/Railpics/06-06-01_MEMORIAL_DAY_06/-Thumbnails.html

The signals (if you can call them that) have been turned on at the restored GREENS FARMS interlocking. There used to be a crossover here until it was eliminated by Metro-North, but the large gap between crossovers at South Norwalk and Bridgeport created operational problems and the railroad restored it with 80mph high speed turnouts for all routes.

Here is perhaps the best photo I have of an Amtrak train taking the "Straight Shot" at SHELL.  This route will be eliminated when westbound Amtrak trains are crossed over east of the New Rochelle station and then make the diverging move from the former eastbound express train. 

View in the opposite direction of the twin movable point diamonds that will be eventually reduced to one.

New crossover on the Hellgate Line going in at the new MANOR interlocking. Who says position lights are dead! From the installed indications on the signal, these turnouts will be rated for 45mph.

Nice shot of automatic 68 on the Hellgate line complete with the Hellgate bridge and CSX freight train with SD40-2 #8846 providing power.  The westbound signals use the reduced dimension US&S style position light where the lamps are compressed together. 

 Twin 4-track signal bridges at HAROLD.

 Lots of equipment in Sunnyside on this mid-weekday.  Of course those MHC's aren't going anywhere.

Time was getting on in the afternoon and trains were lining up in the hole for the evening rush.  Playing against type un-rebuilt AEM-7 #935 has been assigned an LD train instead.

 New 4-track signal gantry on the NEC in North Philly waits to go into service.  This will complete the NORTH PHILADELPHIA interlocking re-signaling project.

It will replace replace the old all Amber PRR bridge a few hundred yards away. This old bridge was the approach signal for the old NORTH PHILADELPHIA interlocking which only had high signals on the two eastbound tracks requiring reverse direction trains to slow to 15mph for all movements.

 In the other direction this gantry replaces two single intermediate signals located on overpasses. One is located right behind the new gantry and was already colourized so the #2 track signal could be placed directly in service. The other "876" signal, on #1 track, is PRR Amber and is the last remnant of the connection to the ZOO siding (now Trenton Line), which was an extended part of ZOO interlocking (levers 228-230).