04-01-12 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Patchogue

In the early years of my rail enthusiasm I had a recurring issue of failing to document "close by" infrastructure at risk of closure and demolition. Not having a car was a big factor and Amtrak was surprisingly more expensive than it is today, but I would say that I just hadn't been "burned" by enough regret to motivate me to move heaven and Earth to see things before they vanished. The late PD tower in Patchogue, NY is the rare case where I did manage to get out and see something before it was gone and it did double duty by also providing a chance to gather head end videos from the soon-to-be-gone LIRR M1 MU cars.

The trip starts off like so many others from this era by catching NJT at Hamilton on the NEC. At the time my mom still worked on I-195 corridor and was able to facilitate day trips to NYC pretty much on demand with a drop off before work and a pickup after. Here we see a brand new NJT ALP-46 at the head of an Amtrak Clocker Philly to NYC commuter train. Amtrak was extremely short of serviceable electric locomotives at this point in history and because the majority of Clocker riders were NJT monthly passholders, NJT was able to help out by providing the locomotive power for the runs. This hybrid train would last until October 28, 2005 when Amtrak turned over the service to NJT running express trains from Trenton to NYC. 

For the Patchogue trip itself I had teamed up with one and possibly two friends. Here we see a new train of LIRR M7 cars with #7197 leading just west of Valley Stream on the Babylon Line.

Passing VALLEY tower a westbound train of M1 cars are shown coming off the Far Rockaway Branch.

The cold temperatures that day had caused a pull apart on one of the Babylon Branch viaducts. MoW crews were using the old rope trick method to expand the rail for a temporary joint to be applied. A westbound train of M7's, with #7137 leading, was waiting for the MoW team to get in the clear before proceeding over both the broken rail and flaming rope at low speed.

PRR style amber position light controlled by BABYLON tower with an Approach signal indication approaching Babylon station. Babylon would be the last stop for this MU train and my team of railfans would make an across the platform transfer onto the DM30 hauled Montauk Branch shuttle.

Passing Babylon Yard I managed to photograph two M3 MU's, #9801 and #99??.

Typically LIRR diesel runs not involving Penn Station are handled by the single mode DE30 varient, however out train had dual mode DM30 #517 leading.

The LIRR's outermost branches to Montauk and Greenport were run under manual block rules with the tower operator at PD hooping up paperwork in a method unchanged from the PRR era of the 1950's. Both the engineer and conductor would get a copy.

PD tower was renown for its obvious lean, which was caused by the removal of the mechanical interlocking machine when the local area was re-signaled with relay logic and unit lever panels. Due to the weight of a mechanical lever frame, the bulky lever frame support structure can become integral to maintaining the tower's general structural integrity.

25-05-31 PHOTOS: RUTHBY

In 1997 SEPTA worked with DART First State to extend R2 Regional Rail service from Wilmington to Newark, DE. The project had an additional infrastructure component that constructed a new infill station at Churchman's Crossing and extended the stub end "A" track 2 miles northward from DAVIS interlocking in Newark to the new RUTHBY interlocking near milepost 36.4. Although reasonably accessible, the location is obscure enough to discourage most casual railfans. As a result I undertook a mission to see what RUTHBY was about. 

The size and location of RUTHBY interlocking was dictated by the bridge over Old Ogletown Road being only three tracks wide and the existing Milepost 36.2 automatic signal location being just close enough for reuse with the new configuration. The northbound signal structure is modern style tubular aluminum cantilever governing tracks 1 and A. Here we see a southbound Regional train with ACS-86 #654 passing by the RUTHBY location on track #3.

RUTHBY's party piece is an 80mph high speed turnout that was intended to allow SEPTA trains to diverge out of the way of potential Amtrak traffic at near their top service speed. Compared to a more typical 45mph Amtrak turnout this has 3 M3 point machines instead of 2 and an additional 2 M3 machines driving the movable point diamond. Total length of the turnout is 600 feet.

Although the northbound signal is likely the first tubular aluminum signal structure employed by Amtrak on the NY to Washington NEC, it is also one of the last uses of US&S PL-3 position lights before the product was removed from the catalogue in the early 2000's. The 9N signal governing Track A supports the flashing Green | position for the "Cab Speed" cab signal, which in this case would be an 80mph code. The 9N lower head is a single / position for Medium Approach and the lunar white Stop and Proceed marker, which is also seen on the 1N signa. 

This photo overlook is located behind a sod and gravel supply outfit. In addition to the Regional I was able to catch both Amtrak Crescents due to the northbound Train 20 running late. Train 19 was behind ACS-86 #658 and Train 2 was behind #605.

25-05-24 PHOTOS: Holly Hill

One of my perennial signaling missions has been trips to tidewater Virginia to get photos of legacy Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac signals that has so far survived CSX re-signaling efforts. The ones that remain are far off the beaten path, requiring mile plus walk-ins.  For 2025 my target was the "Holly Hill" location which is two miles in the opposite direction from the "Rixley" location I visited in 2024. Both were actually served by the same state game land parking lot. After the signal outing I drove up to Fredericksburg for a retail shopping and brewery tour catching additional Amtrak and CSX trains along the way. You can find the full set of photos here.

First to appear was a southbound CSX manifest freight with ES44AC #743 leading and AC4400 #541 in the trailing DPU position.

Next up was Amtrak Regional Train 194 with P42DC #44 leading, briefly illuminating the Holly Hill signals while still in the block.

25-05-09 PHOTOS: MARTA East-West

It's easy to forget that MARTA is a thing that exists.  The last large heavy rail system to be stood up in North America, MARTA takes after the DC Metro with a bit more transit mojo. For my first ever trip to downtown Atlanta I wasn't about to pass up riding as much of MARTA as I could and I prioritized the east-west Blue/Green line over two mornings with a final trip to the airport on a third day. You can find the full set of photos here.

Starting service in 1979, MARTA currently operates with three batches of railcars. The initial batch of 120 cars from Société Franco-Belge in 1979, a follow-up batch of 120 cars from actual Hitachi in 1982 and a final batch of 100 cars from Breda in 1999. Here Hitachi car #257 arrives at Peachtree Center on the Red/Yellow line. Note the exposed bedrock which makes the area above suitable for building skyscrapers.

The four color services runs on two main trunk lines, Red/Yellow going North-South and Blue/Green going East-West. The two trunks meet at the Five Points station, which I think is a legacy title from referring to an unbuilt 5th MARTA line that would have also served the station.

With new vehicles from Stadler already on order, I was eager to ride the most vulnerable Société Franco-Belge cars. I got my wish with #188 on a Green Line routing. The interior has a style very similar to the contemporary Budd UTV seen in Baltimore and Miami. Most notable is the deep cab area that creates a tunnel effect when halfed mid-train. 

Bankhead is the Green Line's only unique station with a two car platform that make it the limiting factor on Green Line operations. As one might suspect this was the remnant of a northwestern line that was never build with Bankhead itself opening in 1992 to make use of the junction and righto of way that was built in 1979. Today the Green Line provides supplementary service on the Blue Line between MLK and Bankhead. Here Franco-Belge married pair 188-187 is seen at the platform and reversing direction on the tail track.

The Blue Line's western terminus is the Hamilton E. Holmes Station, which is not named directly for the civil rights leader, but an adjacent arterial roadway named in honor of the civil rights leader after his death in 1995. Prior to that the station was named Hightower, I assume after the famed law enforcement officer. Here we see MARTA car, #699, adjacent to fellow Breda car #676 at the Hamilton E. Holmes Station platform in addition to the #699 departing eastbound.

Here is Hitatchi car #279 arriving at  Hamilton E. Holmes. You can still see that hint of 1970's styling that would vanish with the 1999 Breda order.

More MARTA action in the form of  Franco-Belge car #151 at Five Points and Hitachi car #219 at Peachtree.

The Hitachi cars, like #236 seen here, had a shallowed cab-end tunnel and a similar beige interior with explicitly 80's two tone plastic bucket seats.

The Avondale station was the East-West line's original 1979 terminus with the main tracks proceeding directly into the yard. When the line was extended to a park-n-ride on Atlanta's perimeter beltway the tracks has to be built on flyovers over the yard. Here we see the Breda trainset with #676 at the station platform with Franco-Belge car #147 on the yard lead with its ends open. Something may have been the matter with the #676 train as we crossed over the wrong railed to the Indian Creek terminal.

Opened in 1992 and seemingly refreshed somewhat recently, Indian Creek serves a function similar to the DC Metro's Greenbelt, a large Park-N-Ride with direct highway access. Here we see the gorgeous station concourse along with Hitachi car #286.

On my way back from Indian Creek I got this photo of part of the Avondale Yard. Avondale, GA is best known for being home to the first ever Waffle House restaurant.

As you may have noticed the car end views are all pretty reasonable. Here is a through-end photo of Hitachi car #265 near the Georgia State station.

The East-West line was built alongside the CSX Abbeville Sub with views of the now defunct Hulsey Intermodal Terminal. From the train I managed to catch CSX ET44AC #3265 and C40-10W #5435 with a manifest freight in the Hulsey Yard area.

Hitachi car #219 at Five Points and a Franco-Belge car from above at Peachtree.

Heading to the airport here is the cab and interior of  penultimate Breda car #701. If you thought that #699 should have been the ultimate car on a 100-car order, the numbering started at #601 and pair 655/666 was skipped due to the association with Satan. 

Hitachi car #276 arrived at the track opposite just before #701 departed.

Arguably the busiest airport in the world, the MARTA Hartsfield-Jackson Airport station features a staffed 4-bay ticket window to help travelers purchase a Breeze Card. Due to open payment and a general upgrade, the Breeze Card was to be phased out in 2026.

That concludes my first trip to downtown Atlanta. Next week I'll be heading back down to Tidewater Virginia, but I suspect I'll be returning to Atlanta again.