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.

Departing Eastwick I set up a GoPro on the rear window to document the entire Route 36 inbound ride in two parts, Eastwick to the 40th St Portal and the 40th St Portal to Juniper St loop station. Note the run starting on a separated right of way down the middle of Island Ave.





After lunch at Reading Terminal Market the trip proceeded via Market-Frankford Line to the Frankford terminal where another group of transit enthusiasts joined up for the Route 66 trip out to City Line Loop. Unfortunately all those photos were lost when my phone bricked except for this afternoon group shot courtesy of Fred G.

We pick back up at City Line loop with trackless trolleys #818 and #803.

Following the route of the Walk Around Philly hiking trail the group traversed to the Torresdale Regional Rail station for a scheduled NEC photo shoot. Of course luck would have us arrive during a lull in NEC traffic, but we did luck out with CSX GP40-2 #6240 in Conrail SAO service returning from dropping cars on the Eddington Industrial Track by wrong railing on track #1 to HOLMES interlocking.

As our departure time approached there was a flurry of Amtrak-tivity with southbound Acela Express with power cars #2037 and #2006, Amtrak ACS-86 #608 at the head of a Southbound Regional, Axela power cars #2002 and #2002 powering a northbound AX trainset and a Southbound Keystone led by Metroliner cab car #9649.

Due to a slight delay with our inbound R7, I also managed to capture the outbound SEPTA R7 Trenton local led by Silverliner IV #312 making its Torresdale stop get overtakenby northbound Amtrak Regional Train #84 led by ACS-86 #634. As the outbound R7 departs it meets its inbound counterpart led by Silverliner IV #402 that would ultimately take the group to North Philadelphia.

At North Philadelphia we arrived just in time to bag Amtrak southbound Crescent Train 19 en-route to New Orleans with ACS-86 #612.

At this point we descended into the Broad Street Subway where another scene is missing due to my bricked phone. The trip traveled first to Fern Rock then all the way to Patison before returning to City Hall and transferring to the Market Frankford to catch the sunset from the 46th St elevated stop.

The final run of the day involved M-4 car #1014 returning everyone downtown to their departure points of choice.

That wraps up the 2022 SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip. Despite my loss of photos we all had a fantastic time and I hope to see many of you again in 2023!