17-10-21 PHOTOS: HIP HARRIS

The Harrisburg Terminal area of the former Pennsylvania Railroad is currently anchored by the former Conrail Pittsburgh Line crossing the Rockville Bridge and two wye junctions on either side of it. On the east the wye is composed of CP-ROCKVILLE and CP-WYE and forms the junction with the Buffalo Line to the north. On the other side the wye is formed by CP-MARY, CP-BANKS and CP-HIP and forms the junction with the Enola Branch to the south.

As I have previously taken photos at CP-ROCKVILLE and CP-BANKS, I decided to give CP-HIP and it's related photo points a try. In addition I paid a visit to HARRIS tower and the former Conrail CP-HARRIS that closed said tower back around 1992. As one might expect this set contains a lot of freight action along with the usual fare of signals and interlocking photos.

We begin with NS ES44AC #8169 and SD80MAC #7211 crossing the Rockville Bridge with an empty coal train. I have been quite fortunate with encountering the 25 former Conrail SD80MAC's, having previously spotted one on the NS Buffalo Line just a few week prior to this. They are passing the eastbound mast signals for CP-ROCKVILLE including two modern pattern PRR Position Lights that were installed when the interlocking was reconfigured around the year 2000. They will soon be replaced due to a general re-signaling project.

Here we see the pair passing the westbound mast signal for CP-MARY. Previously the wye track from CP-HIP ran across the bridge to CP-ROCKVILLE, however after some wind related derailments into the river, the track was cut short and pushed into track #1 before the crossing.

Reading Blue Mountain and Northern anthracite coal cars heading into Enola Yard over the Mary flyover.

A conductor rides a covered hopper while an NS Road-Slug set composed of GP40-2 #3006 and former Geep road slug #747.

NS C44-9W #9618 sits on the D running track north of Enola Yard with a loaded coal train while an eastbound manifest train crosses over on the Pittsburgh Line.

Manifest train led by NS ES44AC #8037 passes under the eastbound signal bridge at CP-HARRIS. Created in 1992 to avoid have Conrail trains being signaled through an Amtrak interlocking , CP-HARRIS made use of small target searchlight signals and, in this case, a cost saving alternate to a modern style signal bridge. Before this all movements through HARRIS interlocking had been at slow speed, governed by dwarf signals. This ad-hoc structure will be replaced by a purpose built signal bridge in the pending re-signaling project.

NS C44-9W #9322 and a train of douplestacks taking a diverging route through CP-HARRIS as seen from the state street bridge.

17-10-14 PHOTOS: River Line Autumn Express

For the last few years Amtrak has been looking to cash in on the popular fall tourist train market with rare mileage excursions in October or November. Typically these have been with the more amenable Norfolk Southern, but in 2017 they somehow got CSX to approve a run up the West Shore Line, aka the River Line between Weehawken, NJ and Selkirk, NY. Also included was a circuitous run through Conrail SAA territory from CP-NK, across the Upper Bay lift bridge then over the National Docks and Northern branches to join up with the CSX River Line.

The return route was via the Amtrak Hudson Line on the east shore of the Hudson River, returning to Penn Station after a photo runby at Rhinecliff. Unlike 2016 I was unfortunately limited to side window shots as there were engines on both ends of the train this time due to a number of direction changes without an available wye. You can still see the entire photo set here.

The train was bracketed by Amtrak heritage engines #145 (Phase 3) and #156 (Phase 1) with Veterans painted electric ACS-86 #642 located behind #145 and ahead of conference Metroliner #9800. I positioned myself in the car next to #156, Metroliner cab car #9641. Here we see #156 as it awaits departure at Penn Station.

Here is the LVRR (not Conrail Lehigh Line) bridge with a COFC train passing over it at Amtrak's Hunter interlocking. The Autumn Express took the NJT Raritan Valley Line connection up to CP-NK where it would reverse direction to head eastward on the Lehigh Line.

The Lehigh Line terminates at CP-PIKE (Junction with the Chemical Coast Secondary) in the middle of the Oak Island intermodal yard. I caught CSX ES44AC #3024 hiding out under the NJ Turnpike overpass.

Nearby a rare 3600hp CSX SD50 (#8522) was hanging out on an industrial track.

View of the train snaking back along the National Docks Branch Jersey City viaduct as railfan watch on from the NJ Turnpike Extension.

 

Ex-SCL GP38-2 #2543 with ET44AH #3394 hanging out at the CSX North Bergen terminal.

Also in the yard was a second CSX ET44AH, #3371, and SD40-3 #4017.

Crossing the NY State Thruway just north of the state line.

Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant seen from across the Hudson.

Obligatory shot of the Bear Mountain Bridge.

The Newburgh-Beacon bridge.

Crossing Rondout Creek in Kingston, NY.

17-10-06 PHOTOS: HOME

CP-HOME is located in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh (not to be confused bot Homewood, PA of strike fame) and is the last Main Line interlocking before the Pittsburgh Terminal complex about 4 miles to the west. It is the junction of the old Brilliant Branch, which served as a north side counterpart to the Port Perry Branch which turns off to the south at CP-WING *LINK*. Both of these branches were intended to diver freight traffic around the congested downtown passenger terminal and associated slow speed trackage. Today only the Port Perry bypass is still used by NS, the Brilliant Branch having been first abandoned before being reactivated by the Allegheny Valley Railroad. CP-HOME's other claim to fame is being the location of Pittsburgh's turning wye and every evening after Amtrak Train 43, the Pennsylvanian arrives, it reverses from the downtown station all the way to CP-HOME, then forward onto the Brilliant Branch then back over the west, non-interlocked leg of the way to re-join the main line and shove all the way back to the downtown station to be ready for the next day's departure.

Also included in this set are some photos of downtown Pittsburgh and of the often photographed MP 321 signal in Greensburg, PA.

The Pittsburgh Terminal corridor stretching from CP-WING through the Fort Wayne Bridge was rebuilt by Conrail around 1980 to eliminate redundant and slow speed trackage as well as manned interlocking towers. The 4 track right of way was turned into a compact 2 track bi-directional line with space left over that was eventually used to built the East Pittsburgh Busway in the 1990's. As a result we see things like this pedestrian overpass at Lang Ave also supporting a pair of PRR Position Light signals.

In addition to a crossover, CP-HOME featured an interlocked connection to a small freight yard on the south side and the Brilliant Branch on the north.While the interlocking looks fairly straightforward today, in the PRR era there was a 4 track crossover, a flying junction from the west, another 4 track plant on the Brilliant Branch and a 5th pocket track running to a seperate "west end" interlocking plant.

CP-HOME also remained a pneumatic interlocking after it's Conrail rebuild because back then it made sense to save money on hardware.

Three track bridge over Kelly Ave on the old Brilliant Branch. Today this is used for the daily Train 43 wye move and a couple of AVR local freights.

The north end of the wye is interlocked. Trains from the east remain within interlocking limits, while the west leg is an un-signaled track re-connecting with the main via a hand operated switch. The "Begin Block" sign indicates the start of DCS territory.

The north end of the interlocking has it's own pneumatic air plant, pumping up an ancient riveted air reservoir all to power the single #9 switch which is possibly thrown just once or twice per day.

The north end air infrastructure features a near historical relic in the form of an "engine tap". These devices, marked on the interlocking sheets, were installed to allow locomotives to supply a pneumatic interlocking plant with compressed air via a standard air brake hose connection. This was an occasional occurrence back in the days of unreliable power and air compressors and the PRR wanted to be ready for it.

Back on the main line, a westbound manifest freight led by NS C44-9W #9328 with two SD60E's, #6738 and #6742 behind, coasted through the interlocking.

On the rear of the train was a sequential pair of SD40E helpers consisting of #6332 and #6331. As trains have made better use of dynamic braking, many helpers are no longer cut off at the top of the slope in Galitzin, instead riding the rear all the way to Pittsburgh. Previously there was a helper base at Pittsburgh station, but today the trains stop past one of the area interlockings, CP-TRAFF, CP-WING or CP-HOME and then have the helper disconnect and head back to Altoona.

Here we see the helpers having just uncoupled from a long string of empty tank cars for their lite run home.

The same helpers passing by and taking the Medium Clear signal at CP-HOME to cross over to the normally eastbound track #1.

17-10-01 PHOTOS: ACL to NYC

For the second year running I was roped into attending the New York City Medieval Festival at Fort Tyron Park in upper Manhattan. Basically it takes place in the park around The Cloisters, accessible by subway at the 190th St station on the (A). Because there wasn't any room for me to stay over at my friend's brother's cramped co-op apartment in Hudson Heights, I spent the night with family in South Jersey and then made the 3 seat ride via public transportation. This would include using the Atlantic City Line to get from Cherry Hill to 30th St Station before catching an Amtrak train to Penn Station and finally the (A) to 190th St.

You can see the whole gallery of photos here.

We begin with Amtrak ACS-86 #608 sitting next to MARC MP36PH-3C #32 at Baltimore Penn Station.

On the adjacent Track 7 Amtrak Train 79, the southbound Carolinian, was making its stop with Viewliner II baggage car #61013 on the rear.

Both these trains (Amtrak Trains 79 (Southbound Carolinian with ACS-86 #625) and 152 (Northbound Regional)) has just arrived simultaneously on tracks 7 and 6.


At the Haddonfield PATCO station I caught rebuilt single car #1102 with the old single leaf door plugged over.

A Medium Clear signal was displaying at NORTH RACE for a northbound Atlantic City Train pulled by NJT GP40PH-2B #4203.

Crossing the Delair Bridge I got some photos of the disused PECo Richmond Generating Station, which also used to supply a majority of the 25hz power for the NEC.

Passing in front of ZOO tower en route to the lower level of 30th St Station.

Jumping ahead to New York City, here we see R46 #6126 on the A Train at 168th St Station.

Another R46, #5958, at 181St St.

Video of the train of R46 cars departing 181st St station northward.


The 866 signal at 181st St interlocking first showing Approach Medium and them Clear.