14-05-10 PHOTOS: National Train Day 2014

I always try to get out and do something for national Train Day, usually because its a great way to earn bonus Amtrak Guest Rewards points. More often than not I usually find myself having to scurry through the top level displays as I wait for my non-excursion Amtrak train to take me somewhere like Pittsburgh or Georgia. Well since I had nothing else planned this year I decided to just head over to Amtrak's 30th St station and check out all the equipment on display on the lower level combined with a quick AGR trip to Downingtown via Amtrak's Keystone service. Accompanying me on this adventure was Sub Chat's very own Chuchubob.

You can find the full set of photos here

We begin with a photo tour of the Penn Coach Yards via the adjacent parking garage. Sir Not Appearing in This Equipment Display was private car Clipper Creek.

Amtrak AEM-7 #939 sits next to GP15 #575 at the Race Street Engine Terminal.

Heritage P32-8WH #512 and P42DC #33 were on hand for power change duties. 

Here is a quick video of SEPTA R5 and R7 trains departing simultaneously from the upper level of 30th St Station.



A rather dingy looking Amtrak AEM-7 #929 pushes past Chuchubob at Downingtown.

If I had had more time I would have walked down to get some better photos of DOWNS interlocking. Note the limited speed triangle on the 70L signal. DOWNS is remote controlled by a classic CTC console at THORN tower.

On the way out to Downingtown I took some video out the front of the leading Metroliner Cab Car. The first is running express between Villanova and Paoli and the second running from Paoli to Exton.






Outbound SEPTA local with Silverliner IV #289 on the rear as it passes the location of the old Downingtown MoW yard, which is now a superfund site.

AEM-7 #938 arriving with an eastbound Keystone at Downingtown.

This year for NTD Amtrak filled up tracks 1 and 2 at 30th St with all manner of "cool" equipment. First among these was Bennett Levin's PRR E8 #5809.

It sat across from Amtrak ACS-86 #606 with its horrendous LED headlights. Come on FRA, headlights shouldn't look like Restricting signals.

B-cab interior of NJT ALP-46 #4648

16 cyl CAT road diesel inside the ALP-45 that was on display. When I asked the NJT person if having a unit with 4 times as many turbo chargers and twice the number of cylinders would decrease reliability he said not to worry because there was a detailed preventative maintenance schedule. I asked what happened if NJT didn't have the money for preventative maintenance. He said that would be bad.

Theatre space in Amtrak's new theatre Viewliner #10004. If Amtrak becomes strapped for cash they should just sell rides in this thing!

Work area in geometry car #10002, the Corridor Clipper.

Amtrak had even made use of this legacy manual train information display on track #1.

Earlier that same weekend I had gone out to take some PATCO photos in a forested park adjacent to the right of way in Haddonfield. I caught this 6 car westbound train of single units waiting for a signal at the crossover and pocket track east of town. This was a deadhead move following a revenue train.

It was later passed by an eastbound NJT ACL train with C-V #6082 and GP40PH-2B #4217.



Shortly thereafter I encountered this ball of Northern Water Snakes hanging out near a small stream.

As I was taking photos of the snakes a number of PATCO trains passed by along with a westbound NJT ACL train with P40DC #4802.


Well that's pretty much it for National Train Day. Stay tuned for a video supplement showing PATCO's wrong rail procedure in the face of a cab signal problem.