With travel options becoming more limited in the Spring of 2020, I compensated by making to more locations on Amtrak's NEC along the I-95 corridor where I make periodic trips home to help my mom in New Jersey. Two of these locations are the once and future passenger rail stop in Elkton, MD and DAVIS interlocking and tower in Newark, DE. Photos can be found here ( mirror ) and here ( mirror).
Located between the end of SEPTA service in Newark, DE and the end of MARC service in Perryville, MD, the Elkton passenger station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor was first closed in the 1960's, only to be briefly re-opened between 1978 and 1983 to serve Amtrak's Chesapeake commuter service between Philadelphia and Washington. The station is intact, but otherwise in limbo as plans to connect MARC and SEPTA slowly take shape. This outcome is increasingly likely as the Newark, DE train station is expanded into a terminal that could support trainsets from either direction.
The under-track walkway has been sealed up and would likely be replaced by some sort of super expensive overpass with elevators.
Both the passenger and freight stations are still used by Amtrak MofW crews.
The Elkton station is directly adjacent to the Milepost 44.9 intermediate signal, which, given the position of the milepost, should probably be 45.0. For some reason the northbound track #1 signal was on a new mount with an LED upgrade.
I had really bad luck with trains that day, being out of position for both that came by. One of the two was Train 20, the northbound Crescent, pulled by Amtrak ACS-86 #626.
Taking a brief intermission before moving to DAVIS, here is MARC
MP36PH-3C #11 and cab car #8059 heading westbound at Garrett Park, MD
with a Brunswick Line train.
Located in Newark, Delaware, DAVIS is your typical PRR style Tower-Interlocking-Substation combination, however more recently it has seen the addition of a Norfolk Southern controlled entrance signal to the newly signaled Reybold Brach under the moniker CP-DIVIS, complete with Conrail style blue station sign. The single mast signal is located adjacent to Amtrak's 8S dwarf signal.
DAVIS tower was built in 1945 and closed prior to 1992. It is in very good condition and serves as a base for local signal maintenance crews. DAVIS interlocking is a 4-track full crossover with a connection to what used to be the DelMarVa secondary.
Here we see the section 15 12kv bus arrangement at Davis Substation. Transformer 2H converts 138kv distribution current to 12kv traction current, both at 25hz. This is then fed through the 2L bus breaker to the 12kv bus that in turn feeds four section breakers, one for each main track.
Chapel St in Newark, DE was one of the six NEC grade crossings that were eliminated in the early 1980's NEC Improvement Projects.
On the southbound signal bridge, the leftmost signal (9S) replaced a dwarf signal at the same location in the late 1990's when 'A' track was extended north several miles to the new RUTHBY interlocking to support SEPTA service to Newark.
Across the tracks, the old DAVIS yard now stores Amtrak MofW equipment.
About 65 miles south of Newark, I hiked out to the Milepost 105 intermediate signals just north of the BWI Airport Rail Station.
Almost nothing was running due to COVID, but I did happen to catch a southbound MARC train pushed by SC44 #84.
I'll end things up with some photos of a fluffy deer and a fluffy red shouldered hawk that both live near my house.
Next week tune in for some MBTA Orange Line action.
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