15-03-28 PHOTOS: Death and Taxes

Those of you who know me on Facebook are probably already aware of this, but mast March my father passed away from a long simmering condition. Over that month I was doing a good deal of driving to visit him in various hospitals and care centers. As a result I wound up with a number of random railfan photos that don't really come together into a unified theme apart from the external life event. So nothing I can do except to run with it! So just sit back, relax and if you are looking for the full set of photos you can find them here

We begin with a video of an Atlantic City bound ACL train running through the Haddonfield Trench with Comet V cab car #6063 and GP40PH-2B #4215.



On the second weekend in March I was attending the Harrisburg Horse Expo and used the oppurtunity to swing by STELL interlocking on the former PRR Enola Branch which was being re-signaled by NS. The stretch of Rule 251 ABS was being replaced by Rune 562 cab signal operation. Here the old eastbound PRR PL signal bridge is being replaced by a two track NS cantilever with the Rule 280a 'C' boards.

NS had already cut costs by scrapping the old catenary supports and removing the signaling entirely between Enola Yard and STELL.

The "New Bridge" over the Alloway Creek is an historic swing span drawbridge in Salem County, NJ. Built in 1905 by the New Jersey Bridge company, the New Bridge has been out of service for nearly 30 years and is threatened with demolition or removal.

The bridge has both finials and deteriorating street lamps. Alert Kevin Walsh!!

In Salem, NJ the old PRSL freight house still stands and is possibly used by whatever railroad crews have the contract to run freight on the county owned line between here and Sweedsboro.

Washington Terminal Alco RS-1 #59 is sitting in the now empty freight yard in Salem. For many years the unit was stored at the Mannington Mills facility to protect it from vandalism, but the isolated location only encouraged said actions.

One could mistake #59 for an "exploded" museum display showing hor locomotives work.

The Bridgeport movable bridge that carries the Conrail Penns Grove Secondary over the Racoon Creek in Bridgeport, NJ is normally left in the open position on weekends, but I guess March is off-season enough to leave it closed.

I was under the impression that the bridge was automated some time back, closing for approaching trains, but the sign on the bridge indicates otherwise. Either way the bridge was closed and no train ever showed up. The small dwarf signal was displaying clear signal for any train that might bother to appear in the future.

Similar signals had been installed for boats.



After my father died I noticed that the crematorium was immediately adjacent to HOLMES interlocking and the Holmesburg SEPTA station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. I felt it was appropriate to take the opportunity to go on one last father-son railfan outing. Here an outbound SEPTA R7 glides to a stop with SL-IV #140 in the lead.

New Amtrak ACS-86 #618 hauling ass eastbound through HOLMES.

Poor lighting and fast trains had me choosing to go with video for the Amtrak trains. While at Holmesburg I caught three ACS-86 hauled Amtrak trains passing by. The first was a southbound Regional hauled by the ill-fated #601. Next was a southbound LD train hauled by #607 with a Viewliner II baggage car on the rear and finally a northbound Regional hauled by #616. This was my first occasion to see a Viewliner II car.



I felt it was a good time to wrap things up when the inbound R7 train appeared around the bend and made its stop at Holmesburg Jct with SL-IV #163 on point.

Anyway thanks for reading. Sorry to bring personal stuff into the post, but like I said that's the best I can do for a theme this week.