22-12-27 PHOTOS: SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip XXII

The SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip is an annual curated transit experience covering the entirety of the SEPTA rail transit network. Part of the curation is to provide variety both within the same type and between different types and although SEPTA had just opened its long delayed R3 Wawa extension in 2022 MWT XXII would have to defer on visiting the new station since MWT XXI had already covered most of the route when visiting the old Elwyn terminal for the first (and last) time. Therefore MWT XXII focused on completing the Route 66 trackless trolley line all the way to the City Line loop before a walking transfer to the R7 Torresdale stop. The morning consisted of an R1 Airport run, returning via Eastwick and the Rt 36 trolley.

Unfortunately my phone bricked two days after the event, taking about half the trip photos with it including most of the underground material. Fortunately I had enough regular camera content to put together a reasonable post.

Starting off at Market East, the outbound R1 Airport took me on what turned out to be my last run through SEPTA's ARSENAL interlocking in its post-NECIP configuration before passing northbound Amtrak Silver Meteor Train 98 led by ACS-68 #650 at PHIL.

Our R1 train had a student engineer on board who was having some issues with the overly sensitive PTC system that continued to hinder performance. I was able to catch a little of the system in operation returning from the Airport, but refer to my related signaling blog post for a more in-depth analysis.



Eastwick was built as an infill station on the R1 Airport in 1997 and allows for a walking connection to the Route 36 trolley's western terminus. Currently mid-day R1 trains send to pass here as we can see with out inbound train with Silverliner V #706 and an outbound train with Silverliner V #869. Regrettably #869 is not lettered "PENNSYLVANIA".

The walk to the Eastwick Loop down Mario Lanza Blvd took us by a feral cat colony that is probably causing a lot of ecological harm.

Arriving at the Eastwick we found K-car trolleys #9074 and #9001, with #9048 soon arriving, but since one apparently can't board at the loop we messed a headway herding the entire group over to the passenger shelter.

We used the headway time to take a group photo of the morning trip attendees before #9019 showed up, passed #9001 and #9048 on the inside loop then ran light back to Elmwood depot leaving us to ultimately depart on #9001.

22-12-21 PHOTOS: Patuxent

On along the NEC between Odenton and Bowie State is an ~8 mile stretch of track that runs parallel to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, a surprisingly large track of undeveloped land in the I-95 corridor that was created in 1936 as a way to partly bank land adjacent to Fort Meade for either expansion or maneuvers. Either way the Patuxent tract provides the NEC with an oddly rural character in what is otherwise a highly developed area. The NEC itself roughly serves as the eastern boundary for the tract and as it contains a couple of accessible signal locations I set out on a holiday season mission to get some weekday photos ( mirror ) at each of them.

The Milepost 116 intermediate is located about 2.5 miles south of Odenton off Patuxent Rd. Upon my arrival I caught a southbound MARC local with cab car #7762 and MP36PH-3C #13.

There is a small parcel of private land west of the right of way accessed by this adorable little underpass.

While there I was surprised by MARC GP40PH-2A work/rescue locomotive #4145 running lite towards Baltimore. This was recently purchased from NJT.

The milepost 116 intermediate signals were installed during the 1980's NEC Improvement Project that installed all 3 main tracks to Rule 261 bi-directional operation.

Immediately to the south of the signal location is the only curve re-alignment carried out during the NECIP, likely due to the Federal ownership of the land needed to be taken. Even then only tracks 2 and 3 were re-aligned with track #1, used almost solely by local MARC trains, on the original alignment. I was told that this change allowed enough time to be saved by Metroliner service trains to reliable schedule them under three hours (ie 2h 59m).

The milepost 118 intermediate signal location is adjacent to state owned land accessible from the Bowie State MARC station via an old farm road. The path is visible below next to an isolated stretch of renewed overhead catenary and connects with the Bowie State University trail system via an NEC underpass at the Patuxent River bridge.

The next schedule southbound MARC local had Bombardier split level equipment and Mp36PH-3C #28.

22-12-17 PHOTOS: Salida

Once again I managed to find the time to explore the defunct DRG&W Tennessee Pass Line while on one of my annual trips to Colorado. I had previously visited the area in April of 2021, but as is often the case, I overlooked a couple of accessible signal locations so it came down to finding a mechanism to get my friends to drive the 5 hour round trip from our base in Evergreen. The solution came by surreptitiously arranging a "brewery tour" around the tourist/artist community of Salida, Colorado that just happened to align with the aforementioned missed railroad locations. Unfortunately out of service rail lines don't tend to feature many train movements, however I was able to pop by the Peoria RTD station to pad out the content that can be seen here ( mirror ).

Departing Amtrak's BWI Airport Rail Station Airport I spotted Southwest's New Mexico heritage unit at the new terminal A.

Salida, Colorado was the northeastern interchange point for the Denver, Rio Grande and Western's narrow gauge network. Until the 1960's, what was mostly mineral traffic would be transferred off narrow gauge, steam powered freight trains to the DRGW's Tennessee Pass main line at a yard located at the base of Tenderfoot Hill in Salida.

After the termination of narrow gauge ops, the yard at Salida continued to serve local industry including this limestone processing facility that was build adjacent to the east end of the yard.

After Union Pacific engineered an underhanded merger to gain control of the Southern Pacific and DRGW in the mid-1990's, it immediately shut down the Tennessee Pass route connecting Pueblo and Salt Lake City as it was surplus to requirements. However as the Union Pacific did not want to expose itself to competition it has held the line out of service ever since as opposed to selling or abandoning it. This has had the effect of preserving the 1960's vintage CTC signaling system such as this mast with hooded GRS Type D signals at EE SALIDA.

The proximity to town has resulted in the equipment at EE SALIDA being more exposed to infrastructure explorers, but there was been surprisingly little wanton destruction and all the glass lenses were intact.

Manipulating the rear doors on the signal made it possible to simulate a Clear main track signal indication in the eastbound direction.

View of the rusting Salida Yard looking westbound with Mt Princeton off in the distance.

The Sawatch Range overlooks the Tennessee Pass Line valley to the west.

Although I had already visited the west end of Salida yard in 2021, I took a moment to check back in and found the same old GRS model 5D switch machine amongst some higher weeds.

Unfortunately because of the booming local real estate market an enterprising vagrant had dumped out the contents of the relay hut and taken up residence.

Elevation Brewing Co off US 50 west of town was built right on the old DRGW narrow gauge RoW which now serves as a cycling path.

22-12-05 VIDEOS: Elmhurst

This is a followup video post related to my Metra trip to Elmhurst for nab an inbound UP-West Line morning express run. In addition to the run itself I also have a few additional Metra videos taken at the Elmhurst station.

The first video shows METRA F40PH-3 #127 departing Elmhurst at the head of an inbound UP West Line morning express train. This was the first day of a new schedule with 10 additional inbound trains and this specific new train was running about 5 minutes late as the crews and dispatchers has not quite gotten the new service down pat. For a brief moment my friend and I were worried that this was somehow our intended inbound express train, but we stood firm and were ultimately correct in our assessment.



The second video comes after we had crossed over to the outbound platform when another bonus inbound local METRA UP-West line train powered by F40PH-3 #147 pulled into the station.



While this train was performing its work at the platform, UP GP15AC #728 towing a lone Metra gallery car rolled by on the center train and challenged #147 to a bit of a race and despite the shop move's rolling start the loaded Metra commuter train managed to out accelerate the little yard engine that could and take the Clear signal at PARK interlocking first.



Alright, time for the main attraction. Here is video from the front of an inbound morning METRA express train from Elmhurst to Oak Park. Because of the new schedule the dispatcher appears to forget about our train approaching PROVO JCT, but they remember before our train has to come to a complete stop.



The second part of the trip covers from Oak Park to the former Chicago Northwestern Terminal. A restricted speed crossiver, as opposed to the usual 40mph movement, at KEDZIE adds some additional time, but the trip is otherwise without delay. Included in the video the morning conga line of deadhead commuter trains traveling back to the Western Ave and California Ave yard. Also at the 5:50 mark we catch up with UP #Y728 and the shop move waiting at KEDZIE for us to pass.



Well I hope you liked all the photos and video. Up next is a trip back out west to see some more sights on the Tennessee Pass Line.

22-12-05 PHOTOS: Elmhurst

The subject for my 2022 Metra express run video would be the Union Pacific (ex-CNW) west line inbound from the Elmhurst station that seems to mark a service zone boundary. This line runs out of the old CNW terminal which I reached after transferring from an inbound Metra Milwaukee District train and includes the CNW Geneva District to a point past Proviso yard. For the sake of simplicity I will be splitting the still photos and videos into two separate posts. The full set of photos can be found here ( mirror ).

After arriving at Union Station a grabbed this photo of gallery cab car #8564 with F40PH-3 #124.

The CNW station was still pretty empty and I made my way to the waiting outbound UP-West Line train on terminal track #3.

Moving through the Metra CNW terminal fuel pad, located on track #1 just past the steam heat plant, while an inbound train moves through the LAKE ST interlocking plant.

Despite the general collapse in Metra ridership, that inbound train was pretty long with the other end spread across CLINTON ST interlocking with F40PH-2 #161 being the only power on the rear.

At Wester Ave (TOWER A-2) a UP district train led by F40PH-3 #145 and a Milwaukee District train led by F59PHI #91 are heading back to their respective yards to lay over between peak periods.

To make the most efficient use of the at-grade crossing, east and westbound UP-West line trains are scheduled to pass at TOWER A-2. To this end the 26R signal was displaying a Clear signal indication for UP-West eastbound track #3 and like clockwork an inbound Metra train appeared with F40PH-2 #173 on the rear.

A short distance later Union Pacific AC4400 #7930 was holding short of KEDZIE interlocking to follow my westbound Metra trains. West of this point the Geneva Sub is a major Union Pacific freight route with trains not bound for Provo Yard being routed southward at KEDZIE to the Global II intermodal facility. KEDZIE tower was closed in the mid-1990's, but the Metra station is still open.

Metra F40PH-2 #156 running like from the California Ave storage yard to the former CNW 40th St enginehouse for fuel and other maintenance. The former CNW commuter services are currently run under contract by Union Pacific, however UP is looking to turn the service completely over to Metra.

CTA 5000-series Green Line train with car #5191 leading at Oak Park. In 1958 the CTA Lake Branch was extended to Harlem Ave to facilitate the closure of several CNW stations.

Metra F40PH-3 #131 making an inbound station stop at Oak Park. Although the reasons are disputed, the CNW was one of the few North American railroads to adopt left-hand running similar to that found in Europe.

Passing the CTA Harlem Yard we find an old Boeing 2400 series train in work service.

Between VALE and 25TH AVE interlockings a short 2-track bottleneck was recently eliminated and we find Metra F59PHI #92 pushing inbound on the new track #1.

22-12-01 PHOTOS: Buddy Cap

I've been in a position to arrange winter season trips to Chicago and although I am often forced to fly, I sometimes manage to sneak in a Capitol Limited run here and there. 2022 would be my first time back on Train 30 since 2019 and although technically the trip was fine, it did remind me why I am somewhat ambivalent about taking the train to Chicago in the winter. Although the long distance train trip itself didn't offer much in the way of exciting railfan content ( mirror ), I did manage to get down to the Roosevelt Ave railfan skyway after my arrival in Chicago.

After stocking up on snacks in the Metropolitan Lounge, I headed out to board Train 29 on track 15. Of course the weather was cold and wet, which, combined with the short days, made the 405pm departure extra dreary. The one bright spot was the presence of MARC HHP-8 #4910 on the adjacent track #16.

Amtrak ACS-86 #614 and MARC MP36PH-3C #10 were also at the heads of their respective trains on nearby tracks. Part of the reason this trip was possible was that I had made a new Amtrak LD travel friend after a previous one had sworn off using the westbound Capitol Limited in winter.

Amtrak was continuing the process of discouraging travel on the Capitol Limited with limited capacity and amenities, however they had been nice enough to add an extra coach and sleeper to the consist raising the total number of cars to 5. P42DC #78 was the sole engine for the trip.

Looking down Washington Union Station track #15 past K TOWER.

About 30 miles from Union Station, rear facing video from Capitol Limited Train 29 as it diverges through the junction with the CSX Old Main Line at Point-of-Rocks. The video quality was impacted by the low ambient light and dirt on the outside of the window.



About 5 miles further west here is another rear facing video from Train 29 as it passes the CSX Brunswick Yard and MARC Brunswick Station on Metropolitan Sub Track #1 between EAST BRUNSWICK and WEVERTON interlockings.



Smoke stop at Cumberland, MD.

P42DC #78 after an on-time arrival at Pittsburgh with the next day's Pennsylvanian Train 42 on one of the stub tracks.

Train 42 was headed up by a rather shabby P42DC #106 while Train 29 had Superliner coach #34020 on the rear.