In 2025 a friend in southern New Hampshire I had stayed with during the HART tower trip back in October 2024 informed me that they would be soon be moving back to Ohio. Although I had largely completed by Connecticut Valley signal documentation project there were still a few odds and ends I wanted to check on so I found a free weekend with cheap Acela runs. Unfortunately, my friend was presented with a surprise gift of tickets to see Ringo Star's All Star Band at Carnegie Hall on the night where I would arrive via Amtrak's Valley Flyer to Greenfield, MA. Well, no problem, instead of transferring to the Flyer, I could just backtrack from New Haven to where my friend would be parked at Stamford, killing the remaining time at a brewery in South Norwalk. Here is a set of photos from what turned out to be a surprisingly successful Plan B.
Somehow I managed to get a reasonably priced seat on the 330pm Acela out of BWI which arrived with a classic set and power cars #2027 and #2033.
Using an upgrade to first class I was able to two meals on my trip to New Haven, crab meat enchiladas and a cheese plate.
I managed to make a very short connection to the next westbound Metro-North local with M8 MU #9729 leading. The previous eastbound MNRR NHL train was on the adjacent track with M8 #9365 on the rear.
I arrived at South Norwalk well after dark. I had been to the station a couple times before to visit the nearby preserved SS44 interlocking tower, but never inside the actual station building.
After having to walk about twice the distance to the brewery due to a "can't get there from here" problem, I stayed until last call before walking back to the station. Given the darkness the best I could do was a video montage where I managed to catch every type of train that passes through the station, MNRR M8 MUs, Danbury diesel shuttle, Amtrak ACS-86 hauled Regional and Acela Express trainset.
My MNRR train to Stamford was lead by M8 #9135. This pulled in next to the Stamford local's leading M8 #9413. The train of M8's on the central storage track included #9295.
Fast forwarding to the next day, the former B&M East Deerfield Yard had completed its transition from former Guilford painted locomotives to G&W painted Berkshire and Eastern. One former CN unit as well as a leased GATX cow-calf pair were also in evidence.
NS is still running freight on the former B&M line to Mechanicville, NY. A triplet of road power was on hand with SD60E #6971 ahead of C40-10W #7693 and SD70ACe #1146.
Later that day I managed to catch northbound Vermonter train #56 making its stop at Bellows Falls with 50th Anniversary heritage P42DC #45.
My return plans remained unaltered and I got a ride to Springfield to connect with a Springfield Line shuttle train. The packing deck provided a view of the new bus terminal that replaced the former Union Station express baggage facility and, unfortunately, the old Boston and Albany interlocking tower.
I even managed to catch the arrival of northbound Springfield shuttle train #460 with P42DC #107 and Metroliner cab car #9632.
Train #460 platformed on low level track #8 while my noon-departing southbound train #463 was on high level track #4 with P42DC #127 and cab car #9645. I suspect high level track #6 was being held open for the northbound Vermonter.
Train #460 seen here at New Haven track #1 allowing passengers to make a same track connection to a Southbound Regional train #160 with ACS-86 #610.
Of course there was a lot of Metro North M8's hanging about including an arrival from Grand Central bookended by #9316 and #9423 and #9135 hanging out of track #6.
While my Springfield "trainset" went to the yard, a new one pulled in on track #4 with P42DC #113 and cab car #9647 for the upcoming Train #464.
Of course I would be departing on the following Acela Train #2255 with Power Car #2015 leading. Originally announced for track #1 a change to track #3 allowed me to catch the switch throw and display of the 3W signal at SS75.
Work on the replacement SS45 WALK movable bridge was under way at South Norwalk. This has created a long term bottleneck with two tracks out of service east of the movable bridge to remediate low clearance road bridges.
Of course I did another first class upgrade, scoring the single "Joe Biden Seat" 15A. Unfortunately I was once again bedeviled by the plant based meat balls that had been on every menu since the fall of 2024.
Here we have power car #2015 at New York Penn Station.
I'll wrap things up with this video of southbound MARC commuter train making a stop at the BWI Airport Rail Station with Kawasaki cab car #7848 leading and SC44 #86 providing power.
Next time I'll be back with some DC area stuff followed by a selection of surviving Delaware Lackawanna interlocking towers.
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.
