The eastbound milepost 96 automatic signals are in advance of ROY interlocking in Royalton, PA. When the western end of Amtrak's Harrisburg Line was re-signaled around 2005 it went with a largely cab signal only system, however wayside signals were retained in advance of each interlocking to provide route information and as a backup in case of cab signal failure. Located across from the Harrisburg International Airport, the signals are surprisingly accessible and I probably should have visited before 2018 when a similar position light distant signal on the NS Royalton Branch was removed.
Unfortunately I only managed to catch a single passing Amtrak train in the form of a westbound Keystone with ACS-86 #964.
Of course being so close to Middletown, PA necessitated a stop by the Middletown and Hummelstown RR yard where Alco T-6 #1016 was in a position for a photograph. One of only 57 built, the Alco T-6 was a derivative of the more popular 1000hp 251B equipped S-6 switcher, with higher speeds for transfer service.
At HARRIS tower the movements on the adjacent NS Harrisburg Line were passing by at a frequent clip. First up was a westbound coal train led by Ac44C6m #4233 and follwed by C40-10W's #7705 and #7674.
Next up was a local freight move with GP38-2 #5631
This was followed by an eastbound manifest freight with AC44C6M #4166 and C44-9W #9648.
After that was another eastbound NS manifest led by AC44C6M #4342 and C40-10W #7558.
In the age of distributed power one must always be on their toes as the train passes least one might miss something special like M-K-T heritage unit #1988.
As noon approached so did eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian Train 42 with P42DC #94.
After Train 42 passed, one of the Keystone sets with Metroliner Cab Car #9633 and ACS-86 #629.
Back on NS it was a third straight eastbound with AC44C6M #4248 and C44-9W #9886 leading.
Make that four in a row as AC44C6M #4862 and, the first EMD road power of the day, SD70ACe #1087, passed by.
A westbound finally appeared to break the streak with SD70ACC #1819 and C44-9W #9662 ahead of an intermodal.
Not all movements are trains as an NS hi-rail truck passed by westbound on Harrisburg Line #1 track before being talked past the signal at CP-HARRIS.
The time sure flies when one is having fun as before I knew it westbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian Train #43 departed Harrisburg behind P42DC #118.
The next westbound manifest freight had the well seasoned AC44C6M #4848 leading, aged C44-9W #9698 behind and a nearly new AC44C6M #4607 in the three slot.
As a bonus ET44AC #3650 was helping out at the rear as distributed power.
The next manifest freight in the wave of westbounds had ES44AC #8835 leading AC44C6M #4249.
The final NS freight I would catch that day was another westbound manifest with recently outshopped AC44C6M #4640 up front head of late model C44-9W #9962 and ET44AC #3603.
That's it for this set, next time I'll be out on the NEC along the Mason-Dixon line.
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