18-08-11 PHOTOS: PHOENIX

My emergency trips to document classic signaling wasn't restricted to the former Pennsylvania Railroad territory. The former Reading Railroad main line, already re-signaled by Conrail in the 1980's, was facing another round of replacement that would eliminate the Rule 251 ABS operation along with the remaining small target searchlight signals. The route between Philadelphia and Reading actually doesn't have many interlockings as traditional Rule 251 lines tend to prefer non-interlocked hand throw crossovers as a way to reduce costs back when digital logic not cheap. Last August I made time to visit CP-PHOENIX across the river from Norristown, PA. Also included are some MFL and Route 100 photos, which can all be found here or on Google.

CP-PHOENIX, as configured by the Reading and later Conrail, stretched the length of the Black Rock Tunnel that cuts off a long bend in the Schuylkill River. Originally a two-track tunnel, Black Rock was single tracked by the Reading with a turnout at both ends to allow higher cars. A similar process was carried out at the Flat Rock tunnel closer towards Philadelphia. The west side had its signals replaced around 2005, but the east side still featured Conrail vintage signals up through it's replacement in 2018. Behind the westbound signals one can see the old PRR Schuylkill Branch bridge, now used as a rail trail.

To the east of the French Creek bridge is the old Phoenixville Station. Back in the Reading heyday the Main Line here was actually 4 tracks, shrinking down to two for the tunnel. Out of sight behind the trees is the new CP-PHOENIX that will replace the existing long double Y interlocking with a pair of shorter interlockings bracketing a 2 mile long section of single track. 

The new interlocking on the west side of the tunnel will be CP-CROMBY, seen here with the new masts in place. The old Track #2, that used to run all the way to the mouth of the tunnel, will be converted into a storage siding with a hand operated switch at the east end. I suspect that part of the reason for the change is the general inaccessibility of the old CP-PHOENIX's west end by MoW vehicles as the switch was situated in the middle of a bridge over the Schuylkill River.

CP-CROMBY is named for the old PECO Cromby Generating station, a coal fired power plant that closed in 2011 and saw deliveries accomplished via a hand operated switch off track #2 and a hand throw crossover.

The Reading is described as a Coal Age Empire, having a dominant position in the market for Anthracite Coal , which was widely used for home heating both in the United States and Europe. This allowed the Reading to construct an impressive physical plant for a railroad with an end-to-end length of only 200 miles and that only served one major market. Much of the route between Philadelphia and Reading consisted of 4 or more main line tracks, and even the parts that were still two track, like this bridge over Mingo Creek, had room for expansion to four.



The 301W automatic signal protecting the hand throw crossover would be another casualty of the re-signaling project.

Cutting to CP-NORRIS I caught NS SD70ACU #7262 leading a merchandise freight into Abrahms Yard where local traffic would be set out or picked up. 

In a major stroke of luck, the second unit was former Conrail SD80MAC #7202. With only about 30 units producted, these 5000hp monsters actually proved more successful than their planned 6000hp replacements due to the failure of EMD's new "1010H" engine. #7202 was actually built as an SD90MAC, but given a 4300hp 710G engine, upgradable to the 1010H once the kinks were worked out. (Psst, they never were.) 

The NS freight train stretched out through CP-NORRIS as the crew lines hand throw switches at the east end of the yard. Compare to how the interlocking appeared in the 1930's.

Shifting over to SEPTA I caught some single tracking going on between 15th St and 5th St.



Here is a front window view of the "express" run between 15th St and 30th St westbound.



Up on the Market St elevated portion of the line we find MFL car #1137 at 52nd St.


A six car trainset navigating the loop track at 69th St.

Route 100 N-5 cars #147 and #154 at 69th St.

And finally #154 again, this time departing Kings Mannor.

Tune in next week as we head down to the Aberdeen and Baltimore, MD areas for Amtrak and transit action.