03-06-23 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Penn-Jersey Tunnels

The boom bust history of railroading in the Northeast United States has left a plethora of abandoned or disused infrastructure that was built on the wealth generated by industrialization and anthracite coal and then decimated by the decline of both. Early in my rail enthusiasm I was very much into this infrastructure of yesteryear as that was the focus of many of the available books and websites. During the summer of 2003 I had the opportunity to visit a couple of historic tunnel locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and took some photos that can be found here ( mirror ) and here ( mirror ). Twenty years later these photos not only capture the distant past, but also how much has changed since then.

North Jersey was much more on my radar in the late 90's and early 2000's due to the frequency of youth oriented activity trips to the Delaware Water Gap region for winter or summer outdoor activities. The two primary North-South routes, NJ Route  31 and US Route 206, intersected with all of the fallen flag main lines, some of which, like the former Central RR of New Jersey main line, retained NJT commuter commuter service. Here is a photo of the station in High Bridge, NJ that serves as the terminus of the Raritan Valley Line that had been cut back from Phillipsburg in 1986.

Situated on the approach to New Jersey's drainage divide, the CNJ main line traverses an impressive earthen fill through which the Raritan river and an adjacent road bore through in side-by-side tunnels. NJT's ARCH interlocking, located directly above the runnels at the end of the commuter line, is likely named for these structures.

A short distance to the west, the Lehigh Valley Railroad passes through the same line of hills via the 3000+ foot long Pattenburg Tunnel. In 2003 the tunnel had recently been single tracked for double stack clearance purposes with the entire length falling within the limits of the new interlocking, CP-64.

The interlocking was new enough that the CorTen steel of the relay huts had not yet fully weathered. On the east side of the tunnel, CP-64 was occupied the former location of the LVRR's BELLEWOOD tower that had enabled passenger services to a nearby amusement park. The property was later converted into a quarry that itself was then abandoned.

The "New" Pattenburg Tunnel replaced an older bore in 1927. The remains of the previous 2-track configuration could still be seen. I would visit this location again in the winter of 2020.

Here is the western portal of the LVRR Pattenburg Tunnel. Interstate 78 passes over the railroad on the ridgeline.

A little ways to the northwest is the Manunka Chunk tunnel, located on what used to be the original DL&W Main Line between Washington, NJ and Shateford, PA known as the Lackawanna Old Road. The curvy route to the Scranton coal fields via the Delaware Water Gap was ultimately replaced by the more famous Lackawanna Cutoff, serving as a backup route until 1970 when it was completely abandoned. The twin bore Manunka Chunk tunnel allows the Old Road to transition between the Peaquest River valley and the Delaware River Valley.

Lined with rubble type rock, the Manunka Chunk tunnels have seen significant deterioration over the decades and are completely flooded in parts, making traversing them difficult without wading. Still, the rails are still present in at least one of the bores.

03-06-13 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Boston Acela Trip

In June 2003 I set out on a rather complex Amtrak journey from my base in South Jersey that would take me back to central Connecticut to wrap up some loose ends from my college days before continuing on to Boston via New Haven to participate in a transit planning conference organized to benefit students in San Juan, PR who would be helping to manage their new Urban Train rapid transit line. After that I would return from Boston using an Acela Express, transferring at New York to NJT for a ride to my pickup point at Hamilton, NJ. You can find the full set of photos here ( mirror ).

We begin on the way to 30th St Station via the NJT Atlantic City Line. Here is the former main line double slip switch on track #1 in SHORE interlocking where the Delair Bridge Branch meets the NEC. Once fairly common at main line junctions along the old PRR Main Line, this was the last one and was replaced by less maintenance intensive turnouts a few years later. SHORE tower, which was built to support the new Delair Bridge in 1896, still stands.

Another casualty of "progress" was the 1911 vintage F interlocking tower in Sunnyside, NY. Although having been closed since the mid-80's when HAROLD was re-built, the structure was completely demolished around 2005.

At New Haven I spotted a seemingly rehabbed M2 #8746 Coupled to a somewhat dingy #8413.

A Metro North EMU train led by an 8800 series M2 sitting on the New Haven Station through track.

I was traveling on Amtrak Vermonter train 56 which still comes with a power change at New Haven. For whatever reason the diesels were not in place so I was ab le to catch Phase IV heritage P42DC #102 trundle past MNRR M2 #8412.

Amtrak P42DC #102 backing in from the helper pocket to couple up to Amfleet #24834.

My Vermonter may have been running late because at Meriden we had to board passengers across the main track via the small holdout platform all while a southbound Springfield Shuttle held short of the station. Note the 1980's vintage US&S H-5 searchlight signals that were installed as part of the 1980's Springfield Line CTC and single tracking project. The siding track signal is displaying Approach Medium for a return to the single track at QUARRY interlocking. The searchlights would be replaced by color light LED target type signals within 2 years.

The Vermonter had previously been run with a Metroliner cab car to support the change in direction at Palmer, MA when transferring to the New England Central RR. However due to equipment availability and a surplus of new P42DC locomotives, it had become standard to run the Vermonter with two engines. Here a second Phase IV heritage unit, #106, brings up the rear before the Springfield Shuttle led by Metroliner Cab Car #9640 pulls into the station.

After completing my tasks in Connecticut, I found myself back at Meriden where a seemingly overstaffed signal crew was working and welding bond wires.

03-06-05 CLASSIC PHOTOS: Amtrak Baltimore Trip

In June of 2003 I was offered a position in a graduate program in Baltimore, MD and as part of the process I was invited to meet with the program and tour the facilities. They also offered to cover the cost of travel and had no problem funding a round trip between Philly and Baltimore via Amtrak. This would be my first time traveling between those two city pairs, something I would repeat hundreds of times in the ensuing years. Because the novelty had yet to wear off I took an above average number of photos on this trip, enough to dedicate an entire post towards. You can find the full gallery here ( mirror ).

First up were a number of towers that I had yet to see on a monthly basis and were also significantly less deteriorated than they would be 20 years later. Although BRILL and BELL would both be standing in 2022, BELL would develop gaping holes in its roof and be fitted with a "do not enter" fence.

It was the end of another era as Amtrak's hand-me-down MoW equipment was starting to head off property. Here GP7 #775 and CF-7 #585 are parked at the Wilmington shoppes, already marked for Larry's Truck and Electric.

Conrail painted units were not yet that uncommon with GP38-2 #5301 and GP40-2 #3030 coupled at Bayview yard along with former Southern high hood GP30-2 #5246.

MARC GP40WH-2 #55 and GP39H-2 #71 hanging out at Baltimore Penn Station. Ironically it would be the more "modern" wide cab GP40WH-2's that would be retired first.

Power for my southbound Regional was a new looking Amtrak AEM-7AC #928.

A long distance train was on the adjacent track hauled by HHP-8 #657. Note that the roof shroud has been removed showing off the K5LA air horn.

Mid-day MARC trains were still the domain of MARC's single level fleet. Here a set on the stub track #5 is fronted by cab car #7757.

Mission accomplished, I returned to Baltimore Penn Station to find a new MARC trainset with cab car #7755 on track 5.

MARC GP40WH-2 #57 was on the front of another trainset sitting on low level track #3. Amtrak would eventually close the low level platform except for trainset storage reducing the number of through tracks to 3 along with the single stub track.