03-11-26 CLASSIC PHOTOS: MORRIS and RiverLINE Testing

Morrisville, PA is a great place to catch action on the NEC. Best known for the stone arch Delaware River bridge, it also boasts MORRIS interlocking complete with all the PRR accoutrements such as overhead catenary, position light signals, a flying junction and an interlocking tower. The right of way cuts straight through town with many good sight lines from public locations so back in 2003 I teamed up with Chuchubob to stop by Morrisville and some additional points of interest in New Jersey as part of our traditional pre-Thanksgiving NEC outing. If you are interested in the full set of photos you can find them here.

MORRIS tower, in built in 1941, replacing an earlier structure that controlled a 4-track full crossover and junction with the Trenton Cut-Off that allowed east-west through freights to bypass the congested Philadelphia terminal area. The tower contained a 47-lever US&S Model 14 interlocking machine. After being closed in the late 1980's, it now serves as a S&C crew base.

In 2003 a few of the late model AEM-7's were still wearing their Phase III paint, line #950 shown here passing through MORRIS interlocking. Ordered in the late 80's along with SEPTA's units to supplement the fleet and replace losses from the Chase, MD wreck, the newest AEM-7's were never rebuilt and thus were ultimately the first to be retired. 

SEPTA Silverliner IV #288 passes through MORRIS interlocking without stopping at the long since defunct Morrisville Station that used to stand at this point. This R7 train had originated from Trenton just a few minutes before.

AEM-7AC #940 is in the Phase V paint as it rumbles through MORRIS interlocking just moments from a station stop at Trenton.

Before NJT built its Morrisville Yard, the only traffic on this side of the Delaware River Bridge was Amtrak, SEPTA R7 trains and the occasional Atlantic City Line deadhead movements. Here an outbound R7 bracketed by SL-IV's #350 and #299 passes through MORRIS on track #1.

Hippo HHP-8's like #650 here were still new to the scene in 2003. Unfortunately they would be retired less than 15 years later in the interests of fleet uniformity.

Track workers were aout and aboot as MORRIS interlocking had its turnouts replaced with the panel variety using movable point frogs. Here AEM-7AC #918 passes by the watchman.

The NJT RiverLINE! had not yet opened, but was in the midst of system testing. Here LRV #3513A passes by a grade crossing south of Riverton.

Of course when you're driving with Chuchubob one can't help but stop by Cove Rd. We got there just in time to catch #3520A heading south towards Camden.

NJT RiverLINE! LRV's #3501A and #3516A at the maintenance depot at Pavonia. 

Only 4 years after the split, Conrail painted units were still plentiful. Here at Pavonia Yard we see the Conrail Shared Assets concept in action as a pair of ex-CR SD45-2 locomotives, one renumbered NS #1700, the other CSX #8973, work at the north end of a train. These units were purchased by the Erie Lackawana with 5000 gallon coast-to-coast fuel tanks that enabled them to run intermodal trains between Chicago and New York without stopping. 

Here we can see Pavonia's budget hump operation. Installed by the Penn Central, the budget GRS "Speed Frate" system was replaced by a flat remote control switching operation around 2012.

Locomotives sitting north of the hump bowl. This area of Pavonia Yard has been significantly reconfigured as part of the move to flat switching.

Well that's it for this installment of Classic Photos. Next week I'll back to the future with a trip to Boston.