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Sunday, November 30, 2014

14-11-30 PHOTOS: Halethorpe Holiday

While the day before Thanksgiving 2014 brought cold wet and snow, the Sunday after brought sunshine, extra trains and NJT Arrow III trainsets venturing well south of Trenton. Previously I had looked to a field adjacent to the NEC at the end of Runway 10, but recently Airport police have started kicking people out of that area so I needed to find a new location. The obvious choice was the new MARC Halethorpe station that now features long high level platforms, signals at one end and weekend commuter train service.

You can check out the full set of photos here.

I was on station from about 2:30 PM to 5PM in order to catch both NJT trainsets. A group of young railfans was also on hand to check out the action. First up is some sort of southbound Regional hauled by ACS-86 #611.



A 100mph PSR "scab board" was hanging in the catenary for a curve south of the station.





WINANS interlocking is in service on tracks 1 and 'A' and marks the southern end of the 4-track section between here and BRIDGE. Previously most MARC trains would stay in track 1 and platform across track 'A', which was mostly used by local freight and some MARC locals. With high level platforms this move is now impractical and all stopping trains must negotiate the 45mph diverging move at WINANS and the associated 2 mile speed penalty approaching it. The smart thing would have been to install an 80mph turnout, but as you know there's never enough $$ to do things right the first time.



Passing northbound Acela train #2248 with power cars #2023 and #2025.






Southbound Regional with AEM-7 #921 on track 3.


Southbound MARC local #487 with bi-level cab car #7854. MARC service on Sundays is on a 2 hour headway.


ACS-86 #606 with southbound Norfolk Regional #157.


Holiday Extra #1057 showed up only about 20-30 minutes late with NJT Arrow III #1462 leading. Unfortunately I blew the subsequent meet with a northbound MARC local.

 MARC MP36PH-3C #23 and cab car #7855 on either end of northbound MARC local #486.



Southbound AX #2251 approaching with #2017 on track 3.


Followed shortly by northbound AX #2266 passing by on track 1 with #2016 on the rear.



I believe this was one of the northbound Regional extras blasting towards New York with AEM-7 #942 on track #2, where it bypassed the BWI Airport Rail Station located about 2 miles to the south.


AEM-7 #927 with southbound Regional Train 99 on Track 3.


Second bite at the apple with NJT #1454 on Holiday extra #1099. This train was running significantly late and I was worried I would have to leave before it arrived.


Remarkably the second Arrow extra met the next northbound MARC local, but again due to the low light and extreme zoom I had trouble getting the photo :-(


MARC 25...28...7854...hmmm, deja vu.




Last train of the afternoon was southbound Acela #2217 with #2027 in the lead.


If you were wondering why I didn't seem to be taking videos, I was! Here is a short Montage of various trains passing through Halethorpe.

Included in this video are:

Southbound MARC local #487 with cab car #7854 and MP36PH-3Cs #28 and #25.
Northbound Amtrak Lynchburg Regional #156 with AEM-7 #924.
Northbound Amtrak Holiday Extra #1056 with MARC HHP-8 #4913..
Southbound Acela Express #2215 with power cars #2017 and #2036. Note how the train slams on the brakes for the Approach block signal (and the BWI station stop). You can see the smoke.
Northbound Regional #132 with ACS-86 #616
Northbound MARC local #488 with MP36PH-3Cs #25 and #28.
Northbound Acela Express #2258 with power cars #2004 and #2018.



I also had my GoPro with me which allowed me to shoot both video and still at the same time. I was still learning how to use it, so pardon the muted sound and the camera continually getting blown over.

Included in this video are:

Northbound Acela Express #2248 with power cars #2022 and #2025
Southbound Acela Express #2251 with power cars #2013 and #2012
MARC local #487 with cab car #7854 and MP36PH-3Cs #28 and #25.
Southbound Amtrak Norfolk Regional #157 with ACS-86 #606.
Southbound Amtrak Holiday Extra #1057 with Arrow III #1462.
Northbound MARC local #486 with MP36PH-3Cs #23
Northbound Acela Express #2256 with power cars #2038 and #2016
Northbound Regional Extra #1134 with AEM-7 #946
Southbound Newport News Regional #99 with AEM-7 #927
Southbound Amtrak Holiday Extra #1099 with Arrow III #1454.
Southbound Acela Express #2217 with power cars #2027 and #2033



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