Friday, August 13, 2010

10-08-13 PHOTOS: Along the Waterfronts

Well that's the best title I could think of for a compilation of random photos taken in August of 2010. Yes I will visit at least two waterfronts in this series, but there's not much more binding things together. Also, because there are not enough train photos available I'll sprinkle in some gems of Baltimore's outer harbor. That's right, outer harbour. Think bigger and much more industrial.

You can see the entire potpourri of photos right here, but if you don't feel like looking at some thumbnails strap yourself in and feel the burn of large photos downloading!!

We begin driving along the NEC on I-495 in Delaware. I was probably heading home for the West Jersey NRHS Chapter Picnic. A friend had decided to drive me so my hands were free to shoot from the side of the car and was lucky enough to capture Acela Express power car #2013 as it blasted southbound.


Not far south I got a great picture of BELL tower.


And the old PRR freight flyover...made obsolete by the replacement of the center freight tracks with express passenger tracks.


Since the picnic no longer includes any rail related action we now cut to Haddonfield, NJ where I was waiting for a PATCO train when NJT Geep #4212 showed up in the trench with a Philly bound Atlantic City train. It was actually pretty common to catch ACL trains here given my schedule so instead of stills I went for video.



And zoomed in for a shot of its C-IV cab car #5023.


Then much to my surprise another ACL train showed up about 5 minutes later. It was sequentially lead by NJT Geep #4211 and this time I decided to go for some some stills.


And the trainset had Conet IV cab car #5031 on the rear.


Later that week I was in Washington, DC for a conference and the MARC MP36PH-3Cs were just starting to become commonplace. Here is #14 waiting to lead a train outbound.



HHP-8s are assigned to the longest and heaviest commuter trains such as the 5:20 express pictured here with K TOWER in the background.


Many of the older GP40WH-2s were still in service like #67 shown here. That red nose beats the pants off the blue and orange MARC stripe. 


Up at Baltimore Penn Station K-Cab Car #7750 was sitting on the 'F' track waiting the next morning rush.


Moving to the second waterfront we find Baltimore's Key Bridge. This is the outermost of the 3 crossings of Baltimore Harbor. It is a 4 land bridge popular with trucks containing Hazmats that are banned from the two tunnels. The bridge is the longest continuous truss type bridge in North America with a main span of 1200 feet.


Directly in front of the bridge is Fort Carroll which was built on a 3.4 acre island and opened in 1850. Eventually closed it was refitted and rearmed in time for the Spanish American War and re-rearmed for WW1, closing completely in 1920. It has been left to the birds since 1923.


Backing up Fort Carroll to the south was Fort Armistead wwhich saw a similar history, but has since been converted into a public boat ramp. The concrete works have been left as a park, free for the public to wander. The fort contained 4 batteries with a pair of 3 inch pedestal guns, a single 12 inch disappearing gun, three 8 inch disappearing guns and a pair of pedestal 4.7 inch guns.

Here is the center 8 inch position of Battery McFarland. The walls have been attracting various forms of street art.


The 8 inch positions looking from the opposite direction.


The 4.7 inch position of Battery Irons have been mostly reclaimed by nature.


Close by Fort Armistead is the CSX Curtis Bay yard. In the yard that day were a pair of SD40's. 8143...


...and 8090.


BTW if you ever want to know how to get to Brooklyn never ask a CSX employee because they will send you to BROOKLYN interlocking on the Curtis Bay Branch. At the end of the branch the old BX tower still stands...although it is a handyman's dream.


Enjoy. Next week tune in for a brief trip to Point of Rocks.

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