09-09-04 PHOTOS: Babylon Cannonball

As part of my ongoing series of trips to intermediate LIRR terminals which happen to have interlocking towers last year during the Friday before Labour Day I took an excursion out to Babylon via the LIRR. Now due to the retirement of the M-1's there wasn't much I could do FROM the train, but when I did get to Babylon I was treated to a plethora of LIRR MU and diesel trainsets as well as an authentic PRR-style interlocking. Later after riding around on the V train I returned to Jamaica Station to catch the last run of the Cannonball for the 2009 summer season. To my surprise I spent about 15 minutes at the HALL end of the station completely unmolested by LIRR employees or police for taking pictures.

This time I can let me pictures do the talking so I might as well cut to the action. The complete set in chronological order can be found at:

http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/Railpics/09-09-04_BABYLON_CANNONBALL/-Thumbnails.html

To begin I caught a ride to Hamilton station to catch a morning NJT express train into the city. While waiting I was surprised by a southbound 5-car Keystone train with Metroliner 9638 on the tail.

I also caught this Northbound in push mode.



Catching a train of M-7's on a Babylon Express run I was forced to make use of the *sigh* side window for my signal shots. Here is the re-signaled westbound gantry for the new WOOD interlocking. Even the 37 automatics were converted to color light, although the eastbound PL automatics were retained. Compare with two years prior. At least they aren't Darth Vaders.

JAY tower is still doing it's thing, at least for the time being.

Leaving the Jamaica station complex my train passed M-7 #7071 passing under the Meathouse signal gantry.

New signal masts were up on the Hempstead Branch at VALLEY with the cutover to the new interlocking still about 2 months away.

I was getting desperate as we reached Freeport. I went out the door to get a shot of PORT interlocking.

 

Arriving at Babylon, the tower of the same name was located just past the east end of the platform.

The signal on Track 2 was displaying a Medium Clear on the PRR tyle pedestal signal for the diesel shittle to Speonk.

Behind me on the platform I caught a Babylon Full House with M-7's trainsets on tracks 1 and 3 lead by numbers 7796 and 7258 and the diesel shuttle on track #2 lead by DE30 #402.

Closeup of #7796 with Subtalker Spider Pig standing on the platform doing whatever a Spider Pig does.