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.

04-03-18 CLASSIC PHOTOS : ACMU Trip

In the early 2000's, I was just as attuned to endangered rolling stock as I am today, possibly moreso as I had recently missed out on a number of retirements and some of the equipment reached back to the days of Private Railroads running passenger services. As I was still not yet part of the fantrip scene my goal was to ride vintage equipment in service, but in the case of the New York Central era ACMU cars running on Metro North this was somewhat difficult as they only ran during the peak periods typically on White Plains locals. With their retirement approaching and my opportunities for NYC trips somewhat limited, I latched on to a report of a single reverse peak ACMU run that departed GCT around 7:30 am and ran to North White Plains express as a revenue deadhead. Deciding that the unique run would be worth the early wake up, I set out on what would be my one and only ride on an ACMU. Photos from this trip which also includes an NYC Subway excursion to Coney Island, can be found here ( mirror ).

The first thing that surprised me was how shabby the cars' interiors were. Although the ACMU's were built between 1962 and 1965 and had seats similar to the SEPTA Silverliners II and III, they showed their age more than their PRR contemporaries. 

The wide vestibule doors and Penn Central style lettering were a nice touch. Originally numbered in the NY Central 4600 and 4700 series, they were changed to the 1100 series to better match Metro North's other equipment.

It was snowing that morning so there was no need for the Air Conditioning system that the cars were eventually named for

Because personal responsibility was still a thing back in 2004, passage between cars was exposed to the elements and the manual side doors were left open for the entire run.

MO tower was still in active use as an MoW/CnS base.



Unlike most of the ACMU's Metropolitan contemporaries, the AAR-based coupler was never converted into a WABCo N-type (cup and spear).

Unknown 1100 series ACMU on the back end of my train at North White Plains because Metro North doesn't put numbers on the front of its vehicles. Also not present were the FRA mandated crossing lights which limited the ACMU operation to the grade crossing free territory between Grand Central and North White Plains or Croton Harmon.

04-03-14 CLASSIC PHOTOS: RiverLINE Opening Day

In 2004 the NJ Transit RiverLINE represented a new concept in regional light rail and using transit to spur growth. Running between Camden and Trenton, the line promised 15-30 minute headways and a far cheaper/faster alternative to connect with NJ Transit corridor trains at Trenton than heading across the river to catch the SEPTA R7. A Sunday was chosen to inaugurate service with the first trains departing their respective termini at the normally scheduled time around 6am so I was able to bring my father along for the ride. The full set of photos ( mirror ) include content from both ends of the line as well as photos taken out the front of the vehicles.

Although our trip started at the Camden E-Center station I am not exactly sure how we *reached* said station from the PATCO connection at Broadway. I suspect that either the pull-out move from the yard was picking up passengers, but we may have just walked or just driven (unlikely). Because smart phones with their advanced low light camera functionality was still a decade away here is a somewhat soft photo of #3511 waiting the first revenue departure northbound.

Due to the high inside light to outside light ratio on the northbound trip the next photo I took was of #3511 shortly after its arrival in Trenton.

With the 30 minute headways there was no reason not to head down to the Trenton Station platform for some heavy rail action. Amtrak's FAIR interlocking had recently been outfitted with drop-in LED signal modules, one of the earliest examples on Amtrak.

SEPTA Silverliner IV #429 is seen here ready to depart track #5. Although the R7 local provided a slightly faster trip to Philly, the price of $7-8 was far higher than the RiverLINE's #1.35.

Getting back to the RiverLINE station we find #3514 along with #3511 with #3514 being the next to depart. The opening day balloons were a nice touch.

The RiverLINE utilizes the former PRR Bordentown Branch that used to host the famous Nelly Bly New York to Atlantic City express train. An active route for carload freight, NJT had to go out of its way to maintain all the old connectivity like this crossover that would allow freights to access the soon-to-be-defunct industrial track that ran through downtown Trenton along the Delaware and Raritan canal

04-02-29 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Baltimore Belt Freight

In early 2004 I was living in Baltimore City just a half block from the Baltimore Belt Line, famous for its role in main line railroad electrification in the 1890's, which provided me with a convenient opportunity to photograph CSX freight action on its North-South service lane between Florida and New York. Although my interest flagged over the years, back in 2004 I was still willing to leave the scanner on in my apartment and then rush out the door when I heard indication of an approaching train movement. While at the time I didn't have much appreciation for the freight power that was passing by, little did I know that it would only get more dull as the years went on and I had actually photographed some interesting power. You can view the full gallery here ( mirror ).

First up is CSX C44-9W #9035. This was one of 53 C44-9W's delivered to CSX in 1993/94 and actually served as something of a transition between the GE -8 and -9 offerings as these were equipped with the wavy C40-8 trucks. 

Trailing #9035 was SD40-2 #8445, also in the now rare YN2 paint scheme.

Eastbound trains would need to give it their all to ascend the grade up from the Baltimore waterfront to the level of the inland plateau. This is evidenced by the diesel exhaust smoke pouring from the Charles St tunnel after passage of the head end power.

Here we have a light engine move with AC4400 #524 drifting westbound through the cut between Charles and Saint Paul Streets. Not sure if these were returning from a helper job, but such movements were not that uncommon. In 2014 the 1890's stone retaining wall at the left of this photo would collapse after 4 straight days of rain undermined its structural integrity.

Here Conrail SD60I #8763 leads a westbound train down the grade. A Conrail exclusive, these late model SD60's would eventually be retired by CSX and NS in the 2010's.

Emerging from a cloud of its own exhaust smoke, brand new CSX SD70MAC #4727 leads an eastbound train up the grade. #4727 was part of a final batch of 130 tier 1 rated SD70MACs that were purchased in the 2004 time frame. They could be told apart from early SD70MACs via the use of flared radiators that allowed for the intercooler to have a separate cooling loop. Behind #4727 we can see the cab of AC4400 #521.

Back in the 2000's lease units seemed to be much more popular with HLCX SD40-2 #6524 running behind #521.

04-02-21 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Baltimore Light Rail

Way back in 2004 I was still in school and the long winter break afforded me the opportunity to take some time to explore the Baltimore Light Rail system with former Subchat member Dan Lawrence. We rode the full system that day with extra stops at Westport and Bailey's Wye, with additional photos at Baltimore Penn Station. The full set of photos can be found here.

Starting at Baltimore Penn Station we have MARC AEM-7 #4900 sitting on track #5. Before the dilivery of the HHP-8's later that year, MARC had been using a small fleet of 4 AEM-7's purchased in the 1986 to haul a number of heaver peak period express trainsets. The fleet always seemed to have availability problems and after the HHP-8's arrived they seemed to disappear entirely and after a proposed rebuild went nowhere in the mid-2010's they were treated to a stealth retirement.

On the other side of the coin is Amtrak's ultimate AEM-7 #953, the last of seven additional AEM-7's ordered in 1987 to supplement its original order of 47 units. None of this second batch were rebuilt into AEM-7ACs and would generally be shifted over to Keystones and other short trains due to their lower continuous horsepower and tractive effort ratings. 

An interesting quirk of Baltimore Penn Station is the turnout between the #7 and 'F' tracks, midway down the Track 6/7 platform as part of CHARLES interlocking. This places a pair of cantilevered PRR pedestal type signals adjacent to the platform as well. Due to the presence of an interlocked exit signal at the mouth of the B&P tunnels and an intermediate pedestal signal on track #7, the 7S signal on the cantilever will often display Approach Slow after a departed train.

 Skipping ahead a few days to the light rail trip here we find LRV #5043 at the Cromwell terminal at the southern end of the line. Today the Cromwell terminal is double track along with the entire rest of the line.

A few stops to the North, this B&P CPL distant signal stands next to a former glassmaking factory adjacent to the Westport light rail station. The (APP) plate indicates the signal is a distant for CARROLL on the otherwise unsignaled South Baltimore Industrial track. Equipped onto to display a fixed yellow \ Approach indication, the signal did not appear to have any ability to light up. Remarkably, the glassworks was demolished only a few years later while the old CPL mast remains standing in 2022, nearly a decade after the other CPLs in the area were removed.

At BAILEYS WYE a duo of brand new CSX SD70MAC's, #4745 and #4739, pas by at the head of a southbound intermodal train. Soon EMD would be divested by General Motors and would switch over to its new cost reduced "ugly" cab with the rollout of the SD70ACe and SD70M-2. In 2022 CSX is slowly converting its fleet of SD70MAC's to something akin to an SD70ACC.

The northern extreme of the light rail system at Hunt Valley with LRV #5041. At the time the Hunt Valley shopping center was a desolate wasteland with a large empty parking lot between the light rail station and a raft of closed buildings. Today the area has been redeveloped with a large variety of trendy shopping and eating locations filling much of the former car habitat.

One additional thing that isn't there anymore, the gauntlet track on track #2 at New Carrollton station that would allow freight trains to better clear the high level platform. The decline in NEC freight traffic from the early 1980's rendered the gauntlet unnecessary as freight trains could just use track #1 that had no platform at all. The New Carrollton gauntlet was removed shortly thereafter.

I also wanted to give a shout out to Dan Lawrence (left) who was nice enough to travel with me that day and who devoted countless hours helping out at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. He unfortunately began to suffer from cognitive issues and passed away several years ago. His knowledge and dedication will be missed.

 

04-01-21 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Martinsburg Trip

Back in 2004 I was living in Baltimore without a car and was looking to visit a friend in the Chambersburg, PA area. The closest railheads were in Frederick, MD, served by a new MARC commuter service, and Martinsburg, WV, served on the weekends by Amtrak. So I put together a little trip wherein I would take MARC outbound from Baltimore to Frederick, (something MARC would actually sell you a ticket for) and then catch Amtrak's Capitol Limited back on Sunday from Martinsburg. Of course this allowed me to get photos in both directions that you can view here, along with some guest photos of NA cabin I happened to include , but more on that later.

Here we see MARC GP39H-2 #74 at Washington, DC. As of 2017, these 2300hp M-K rebuilds continue on in MARC service on typically shorter B&O division runs.

Golden Hour at Union Station with MARC Kab Car #7758 and K-Tower in the background.

At the time, the mainstay of the MARC fleet were 19 GP40WH-2's re-manufactured by M-K in 1993. Here #61 sits under the parking deck at Union Station with the front porch door open. Today only #68 remains in service, the fleet having been replaced by MP36PH-3C's.

My train to Frederick was led by Kab Car #7747, seen here at the terminal after sunset.

Martinsburg was once home to a major B&O shoppe complex. Today the shoppes are being converted into a historic attraction that features an 1850's vintage covered roundhouse.

NA Tower (Cabin?) had only been closed by CSX within the last year. Prior to 2000, almost the entire B&O main line was still managed by a series of 8 manned interlocking towers, but by 2004 only 3 remained. NA had been closed later than the two immediately to the west as CSX wanted the State of West Virginia to foot part of the bill for the CTC upgrade between Martinsburg and Brunswick to support the extended MARC service.

As of 2017 NA cabin still stands, although it is in increasingly rough shape. The rail heritage site across the tracks actually hosts the preserved 'R' tower from Cherry Run, WV.

Steam rises from the rails as the electric point heaters do their job to fend off a mild early spring snow event.

Still new CSX SD70MAC #4706 rolls through Martinsburg ahead of Amtrak Train 30. 

Amtrak P42DC #49 arriving on Track 1 with the eastbound Train 30.