17-12-29 PHOTOS: Middle Division Cleanup

In June of 2017 I embarked on another of my PRR Middle Division signal documentation sweeps and visited about as many signal locations as I could cram into daylight hours. However both on that trip and some others I later realized that I had missed some locations that were easily accessible or I had screwed up important photos due to an errant camera setting. Whatever the cause when a friend expressed interest in attending a New Year's gathering in Clarion, PA I jumped at the chance of being able to pick up some of these missed photo opportunities on the way out. All in all I would be able to pick up previously ruined photos at CP-HAWSTONE, document automatic signals at MP 167, MP 174 and MP 225 and lastly get a few shots of CP-GRAY in the snow.

 Also included in this set are photos taken of the old Lakeshore and Michigan Southern Northwestern Pennsylvania Branch, which was started in the 1920's, but never lived up to expectations despite a massive outlay in infrastructure. You can see both sets of photos here and here.

We begin with Amtrak P42DC #125 leading Train 44, the eastbound Pennsylvanian, past the Milepost 167 automatic signals located between CP-LONG and CP-LEWIS.

Because of the early departure from Pittsburgh and the high speed of the PRR Main Line, the Pennsylvanian is a surprisingly early train reaching Harrisburg before noon, so I am frequently surprise when out on the main line to have it just sort of show up xD

The 3-track Milepost 225 automatic signal bridge located at Tipton, PA is a very popular railfan location due to the sweeping curve and easy access from a major highway. There are almost always railfans on hand and today was no exception.

Here we see a westbound NS intermodal train with lead unit C44-9W #9374 that appears to have had some front end work done.

The trailing unit was C44-10W #7649 with an EMD SD70AC in in the middle.

A short while later NS C44-9W #9643 leads UP ES44AC #5281 under the signals with another westbound intermodal train.

Just as the end of the stack train passed, an eastbound coal train appeared on the controlled siding with classic cab SD70 #2576 in front, rolling towards a stop at CP-GRAY.

A short while after the coal train passed, an eastbound doublestack intermodal with NS SD60E #6962 and UP ES44AC #5623 appeared to overtake the coal train.

Coal was rolling in both directions...kind of. Here a westbound train of empty hopper cars passes the Tipton crossing with NS C44-9W's #9399 and #9604.

At that point I relocated to CP-GRAY where a Clear signal on the westbound track 2 PRR position light mast foretold the approach of another westbound intermodal train with a new ET44AC #3648 in the lead and C44-9W #9385 and SD70ACe #1093 following.

Following that was an eastbound coal train with C44-9W #9827 leading and a second new ET44AC #3649 in the second position.

Before I left yet another westbound doublestack intermodal train arrived with C44-9W's #9827 and #8986.

Getting to CP-GRAY requires one to drive past the Tyrone Amtrak station, served by trains 43 and 44.

Jumping to Clarion, the Northeast Pennsylvania Branch of the L&MS was built to the highest standards, riding the bubble of the roaring 20's in a bid to access the coal fields of Northwestern PA to bring the raw materials to the industrial centers of the midwest more efficiently than the established routes that meandered along curving Allegheny rivers. Like many of the early 20th Century "cut off" routes, the NW PA branch cut through mountains and bridged the valleys. The town of Clarion hosted an interesting Tunnel-Bridge-Tunnel combination where the line crossed the Clarion river. Ultimately the double track route was only completed as a single track secondary line due to the onset of the great depression, ultimately abandoned by Conrail in the early 1980's.

 Here we see the eastern tunnel of the complex in all of it's winter glory. Note the quality of the lining and the clearance provided for a double track line. The eastern portal has suffered a general collapse of it's facing structure (not sure if this was intentional or not), but the western portal is still intact.

Most of the former rail line is now a state administered rail trail, however the Clarion viaduct is not officially open for public use. Although impossible to keep secure in such a remote location, boards laid down for vehicles to drive on the former rail bed are usually removed and there was a semi-gap in the ties at the mid-point that I was not willing to cross in the snow.

The steel truss viaduct, built around 1928, runs about 100 or so feet above the Clarion River, which is in a typical Allegheny gourge.

You can actually see the point where the money ran out and work on the second track was stopped. The beams of the second track were only laid on about 1/3 of the structure.

The viaduct was slated for demolition and scrapping and two bridges approaching the main span met this fate. However the Clarion River viaduct was so inaccessible to heavy equipment it was left standing.

After visiting Clarion I had some additional opportunities for photos on the NS Conemaugh Line at CP-LEECH and CP-SHARP. CP-LEECH still has it's Penn Central era position light signals and was part of the original PRR experiment with using cab signals without fixed wayside signals.

CP-SHARP was re-signaled around 2010, with the Penn Central signals and pneumatic point machines being replaced at that time. However NS has decided to extend the Conemaugh Line cab signaling from CP-KISKI through CP-PENN and is re-re-signaling CP-SHARP as seen here.

Ultimately replacement of existing signals has little to do with their age and everything to do with being able to test a new signaling arrangement in parallel to save on expensive signal engineer hours and track down time.

Next week tune in again for some more classic photos from my trip to Syracuse in 2005!