07-06-04 PHOTOS: South Jersey Circle

ay back in June I was able to convince Chuchubob into meeting me at 30th St station and then driving me around all over South Jersey. In return he got my usual creativity, navigating skills and general good luck. The stops on the tour were Woodbury where we caught some freight action and then to Paulsboro to see the recently automated Paulsboro movable bridge and then onto the SMS Yard in Pureland, NJ and from there we headed across the Commodore Barry Bridge to Marcus Hook, PA where we hung out at the SEPTA Station before moving onto the nearby HOOK Tower for some additional pictures. Finally, we went back to New Jersey for some photos at the Conrail Paulsboro yard.

We were lucky in that we caught a freight train doing some switching at CP-WOODBURY and then at Marcus Hook we saw another freight go through the station on its way to the industrial track off of HOOK interlocking. Of course we saw a great deal of Baldwins at the SMS yard, but you don't need any luck for that. The weather was pretty crummy, but it was the only day I was going to have off from work for railfanning so I couldn't be picky.

You can find all these wonderful pics at:

http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/Railpics/07-06-04_SOUTH_JERSEY_CIRCLE/_Thumbnails.html

And for all of your lazy bums here are some samples.

Amtrak 911 from the 30th St Parking carhole showing the roof components.

CSX freight on the hi-line with C44-10W #5471 in the lead.

This was a first for me. Actually seeing a signal displayed at CP-WOODBURY, in this case a Restricting indication down onto the Penns Grove Secondary, which is DCS territory.

NS GP40-2 #3022 taking the signal at CP-WOODBURY

#3022 looking the other way.

SMS ( Switching Management Service) Baldwin AS-616 #554 in Reading colors switching cars at Pureland.

SMS Baldwin DS4-4-750 #103 has yet to have its paintwork restored.

 The SMS Baldwin boneyard. Heh, and to think some people only have car parts strewn about their yard.

You need a crankshaft for a VO diesel?  No problem!

NS freight lead by C40-9W #9395 up from Edgemoor Yard passes the Marcus Hook station. It is coasting to a STOP at HOOK interlocking so the SEPTA local on 4 track can cross over in front of it.

4N signal at HOOK displaying MEDIUM CLEAR for the SEPTA local.

Unfortunately, Amtrak was in the process of replacing the pneumatic switch machines with electric M3's :-( Here is a mostly gutted CP valve unit.

The NEC between Philly and Wilmington is perhaps the only place to see 1920's pattern PRR position light gantry with this offset head mounting. Note the 1N signal is displaying RESTRICTING for the freight.

SEPTA local crossing over in front of HOOK tower with Reading SL-IV car #132.

Conrail painted C40-8W #8415 is coupled byhind #9395 as it enters HOOK interlocking.

Freight rolling by and into the industrial siding. 9N pot signal in the foreground. Note the old pneumatic air line which has since been removed.

SD50 #8667 behind SD40-2 #8813 head up a freight train on the Penns Grove Secondary at Paulsboro yard.

The full view of the Conrail painted SD50 #8667.

The unique A-Frame bridge at Paulsboro.  Daring from the early 20th century this bridge  over the Mantua Creek features a swing span that is supported while in transit by an A-frame truss and cable system.  Previously the bridge had been operated by crews using a system of ground levers and pipelines that unlocked the bridge and lowered mechanical smashboard signals, but it was automated around 2001 and can be closed by crews using tones from their handsets.

Closeup of the mechanisms. 

 Here is a video of the original procedure.