12-05-03 PHOTOS: Temple University Rush Hour

If you were to subscribe to a certain railfan's e-mail feed you might think the SEPTA system consisted of exactly two stations, 30th St and Temple University. Well I'm always one to try anything once so as I had never actually been to Temple University Station before I contacted Chuchubob and he agreed to accompany me there on the Friday afternoon before the last official Farewell to the Silverliner II/III trip. The premise of this set of photos us fairly simple. I went out to Temple University at about 4pm and stayed there until 6pm with the idea that in such a span of time all of the remaining Silverliener II and III cars would at some point pass by.

Of course were lots of other equipment heading through there including SL-IV's, SL-V's and the Bomber sets. These and some photos of the signal bridge at the north end of the station can all be found here.

In addition to photos I took some video to, but since there isn't much special about any one particular Silverliner IV pulling into the Temple station I arranged all of the dull ones into this nifty montage.


We begin with a three car SL-IV train inbound with #352 on point.

Another three car train with 157, 158 and single unit 409.

R7 train with #338 in the lead.

If you take your picture at just the right time you can catch some of the MP 2.4 automatic signals displaying a rare double green clear during the switch between Approach Medium and Clear. 

So you don't have to go out there yourself I grabbed some video of this phenomena.


The SL-V's were also out in force such as this 4 car example with one married pair and two singles including #716.

Finally, about 30 minutes in, the first train of Silverliner II's appeared, but it was a mixed set of 3 II's and 2 IV's with 9013 in the lead. The reason for this strange mashup can be surmised by the fact that the second SL-II has its pan dropped and was running dead. SEPTA could not afford the loss of even this one unit due to its car shortage and thus attacked a IV pair to provide some extra pushing power.

All three of the II's were Readings with 9009 and 9006 joining 9013. 0009 was the one with its pan dropped.

A short while later the first of the Bomber sets showed up with the AEM-7 that seems to be stalking me, #2303.

Here we see a pair of SL-IV's headed in opposite directions with #401 and #395. #395 is sporting the ultra rare Claymont, DE destination signs. 

Here we see a 5-car SL-V train with #708.

Inbound Bomber set with #2307.

Finally what would prove to be the headline act for that day a 6-car express train of old cars pulls in on track #4. It just narrowly misses being the famed "six pack of Budd" due to the inclusion of Silverliner III #235, however with 9001 in the lead, followed by 235 and then PRR car #266 it was clear that after this trainset got back after its express run to Newark those three cars would be split off for the following day's Farewell Charter and that was exactly what happened.


The Ultimate Silverliner II, #9010 was also in this trainset along with the Ultimate Silverliner III #235.

#266 was between them so it was not going to be a prequel to the June 29th, 2012 last run.

#9001 was representing up front signed as a Newark double express!!

Completing the set were #216 and #Ox100 seen here in this video of the train departing.


#0x100 heading down the Reading viaduct.

Of course the parade of replacements weren't about to let up. Here we have another 5 car SL-V train with #824.

The new old and the new new. SL-IV #113 next to SL-V #827.

#2304 with an outbound bomber set. Is it just me or do all of the SEPTA AEM-7's have mismatched number boards.

Longest MU train of the evening was this 7 car set of SL-IV's with #446.

That was soon followed by the shorted MU train. this 2 car set with #448.

Longest SL-V train was this 6-car set with #838.

At the height of the rush hour things began to get a little congested on the Reading viaduct as seen by this video of trains following eachother permissively.


What should be the last Penn Central SL-IV car delivered departs on track #4 with an R7 train to Trenton.

This came in close proximity to the first Reading SL-IV married part with #101 arriving with an R7 train to Chestnut Hill East.

As it was getting late and also pretty clear that there would be no more SL-II or SL-III trains I got this photo of Bomber cab car #2402.

Last photo of the day is of an inbound 4-car train with SL-IV #396.

And in the last video of the day we see a SEPTA BSS express train relaying at Walnut-Locust with SEPTA devil car #666.


Well hope that was enjoyable because unlike some other people when I get out to Temple University its actually noteworthy ;-) Anyway, next week tune in for the Farewell II the Silverliner II Charter II.