25-08-22 PHOTOS: MANTUA and PARK

Back in 2024 I paid a visit to the Columbia Ave overpass over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in Northwest Philadelphia. When later processing the events of the trip I realized that the location as adjacent to some Conrail era signaling accessible via the Fairmont Park disc golf course. When I was back in the area in the summer of 2025 I set out to rectify this oversight as well as getting some additional photos of traffic on the old Connecting Railway.

Reaching the 33rd St overpass that overlooked Amtrak's MANTUA required me to revisit the Columbia Ave location I visited in 2024.  While there I managed to catch the "sequential" classic Acela set with power cars #2013 and #2012.

Amtrak's MANTUA interlocking used to be part of ZOO tower's territory up until the late 1990's. Today it is most notable for being where SEPTA and Amtrak traffic have to switch places for the former to head to 30th St Station's upper level while the latter descends to the lower. To partly remedy this conflict center track #3, formerly used by the PRR for freight, was given a "straight" shot to the "River Line" track to 30th St lower level while the SEPTA trains on outer track #4 are left to navigate a 30mph diverging move. In the videos below we see the 4W signal at MANTUA at first displaying Medium Approach and later Medium Clear to a pair of single unit Silverliners V, including #708, from Chestnut Hill West

Next along was a southbound Regional train with ACS-86 #657.

Next up was a northbound Regional with ACS-86s #636 and #626 running top and tail. 

Running behind the Regional was an outbound SEPTA R7 Trenton train. 

I was then surprised by the appearance of an Amtrak Next Gen Acela trainset with power cars #2133 and #2124. They were in the final stages of testing before entering service later in the month with simulated revenue trips running to a real, but unlisted schedule. 

CP-PARK on the former Conrail Trenton Line has seen some modifications since the CSX takeover in 1999, however the east end still sports Conrail mast signals and the blue station sign. 

After my visit to Fairmount Park I walked from Center City up to Triple Bottom Brewing, based in the old Reading Spring Garden Station office building. Along the way I passed by the Philly Fire Department's Chinatown location and under the Reading Viaduct.

Caricature of a SEPTA M-4 train in the nearby Love City Brewing. 

While riding PATCO back from the city I got some good photos of the lead pair of PATCO rebuild cars #1101 and #1102. Made from two former single unit cars the result is best described as a same sex married pair. The PATCO single units also featured a single leaf door behind the operator as part of a failed concept for overnight fare collection. During the rebuild process this doorway was fared over with a sheet of stainless steel. There are 24 ex-single units compared with 96 cars built as pairs.

Non-ex-single unit rebuild car #1056 also at Haddonfield. 

I'll wrap things up with another trip to the Dorsey MARC station this time catching eastbound Train 856 with MP36PH-3C #11 and Multilevel cab car #8053.

I'll close out with my catch of Acela Next Gen trainset #20 on the first day of Next Gen service, Aug 28th, 2025. Set #20 is equipped with power cars #2135 and #2130 and was the first to enter revenue service departing Boston South Station at 5:55am. Here it is returning to Boston as Train 2170 having  departed Washington Union Station at 2:50pm and passing the Halethorpe MARC station a hair before 3:20pm. 

I'll see you next time as I head up to New York City for a beautiful afternoon getting signal photos on the Amtrak Hellgate Line.