19-09-09 PHOTOS: Acela Express First Class

Using upgrade coupons I had been able to partake in Acela Express First Class service before, however a general shift to their 2 for 1 deals, the last time I had been able to do so was back in 2008 and in 2019 I figured it was time to plunk down a little extra dough for an upgradable AX trip on my way back from Boston in early September.  Instead of traveling directly back to Baltimore I made a stop in Philly to do some stuff for my mom before completing my journey on a Regional the following day.  You can find the full set of photos here (mirror).

We start out in Rockingham, NH where the old Boston and Main station is undergoing restoration.  New Hampshire Route 108 used to cross the B&M Western Route Main Line at grade, but this had been replaced by an overhead bridge.

A few miles to the south is the active station at Exeter, where Amtrak 40th Aniversary F40PH cab car #406 that I had encountered the day before, was still on duty and would be leading my Downeaster train back to Boston.

Due to line work, my weekend Downeaster train returned to Boston via the MBTA Reading line instead of the Lowell Line via the Wildcat Branch.  Here we see a town fair in downtown Reading MA with the old northbound platform sitting unused after a track reconfiguration.

Heading into North Station my train passed by the old Boston and Maine Tower A that is situated north of the twin bascule drawbridges over the Charles River.

 At North Station MBTA HSP46's #2008 and #2006 lay over next to classic F40PHM-2C #1034, which was rebuilt in 2003-4.

At the station end #406 was standing across from  MBTA Comet cab cars #1643, #1641 and #1625.

Doing the crosstown shuffle, I encountered MBTA Green Line Type 7 #3689 and  Red Line #01836 at Park St.

My Acela Express trainset for the trip to Philly was bookended by power cars #2026 and #2029.

A few tracks over was newly rebuilt MBTA F40PH-3C #1054.

 On the AX I ordered the Beef Bulgogi for dinner and a plethora of Stone IPAs (7%) and Dogfishead 90 Minute IPAs (9%), all finished up with a glass of Bailey's for desert.

Passing by the Providence yard I caught HSP46 #2012 waiting for the morning rush.

At New London the USCG Eagle was in port. Built in Nazi Germany in 1936, it was taken as reparations after the Greater War.  

 Power car #2029 and NJT ALP-46 #4664 at Penn Station during halftime.

The Race St Engine Terminal had enough different engine types to win a game of Amtrak BINGO in one round.  Here we see ACS-86 #649 along with some GP38-3H's, P42DC's and GP15D's. 

SEPTA Silverliner IV #413 at Market East.

Rebuilt PATCO cars  outbound at the Haddonfield Station.  On my return trip an operator had to back up after overshooting the platform.

Amtrak ACS-86 #640 arrives at 30th St Station just after a northbound Regional headed by ACS-86 #636 came to a squeaky stop on the adjacent track.

A rail defect between Baltimore and BWI took Track #3 out of service, forcing my Regional onto Track #2.  Unfortunately the dispatcher seemed to have forgotten that BWI only had platforms serving the side tracks #1 and #3.  A northbound MARC Penn Line train that was due into BWI at the same time forced my Regional to platform at the low level duckboards and discharge passengers across track #3, which resulted in a long walk down the platform before having to walk up and over the tracks on the overpass.

Amtrak ACS-86 #640 at BWI track #2 with the Northbound MARC local on track #1.

That's all for now.  Next week I head back to Harrisburg looking for endangered NS EMD locomotives.