04-05-15 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Baltimore Stuff

Here's another set of photos from my time living near the Baltimore Belt Line where I also had easy access to Penn Station. I was still in school at the time so arguably I had more free time to do rail stuff, but with more limited transport options I had a limited variety of activities to do so I ended up not taking as much advantage as  I could. The full set of photos can be found here ( mirror ).

We start off with a bang CSX AC6000 #663 leading a manifest freight with a train of  New York City garbage towards The South. At the time since all GE units looked the same and I didn't often look up locomotive class when posting photos on message boards, I didn't realize is wasn't a more "typical" -8 or -9 type loco until I re-processed the photos almost 20 years later. The retaining wall behind the locomotives would collapse after 4 days of heavy rainfall in 2014 and be rebuilt to a similar appearance. Note the special BC2 paint scheme with blue outlined CSX lettering and dual lightning bolts around the number.

Here we see CSX SD40-2 #8081 emerging from the Huntington Ave tunnel with a blast of diesel exhaust smoke. The Baltimore Belt Line features a stiff grade as it works its way up from sea level and around the north side of the city before turning east towards Philly. In 1896 the B&O installed DC third rail electrified helper operation that was in use through the 1950's to pull steam locomotives up the grade with a minimum of coal smoke. 

Behind #8081 was BN SD40-2 #8168. This was the twilight of when SD-40-2's were still regularly assigned to road freights. Also note CSX GP38-2 #2507 with a YN1 scheme.

To get these Belt Line photos I would leave my scanner on and when I heard either the defect detector for westbound trains or the HUNTINGTON AVE signal call for eastbound trains I would run out of my apartment and down to the tracks a half block away. I would usually get tired of this and give up, but this day I persisted and was treated to a second AC6000 in the guise of #674. This was hitched to SD40-2 #8105 ahead of a manifest freight. The ultimate problem with the 6000hp engine concept is that it didn't have enough power to go out alone, but would over power trains if sent out in pairs. However if combined with a weaker engine like the SD40-2, if the AC6000 failed the train would then be hopelessly stalled. The industry eventually settled on two 4400hp class locomotives. 

Down at Penn Station the new MARC HHP-8's had entered revenue service with #4914 seen here.

On the other hand, the GP40WH-2's were in their final years of service. Here #62 is on the "F" storage track right up against Kab Kar #7853.

The ARM-7AC's were also back from their rebuilds with #935 and #942 seen here.

On the NEC north of Wilmington, BELL tower was looking a lot better than it does today..

I'll leave things off with a third Belt Line AC6000/SD40-2 combo, this time with #654.

Yeah the photo sets sure were smaller back in the day.