18-05-25 PHOTOS: AR UN

The high point of a mountain railroad has historically been a very busy place often with sidings and loop tracks that enable helpers to uncouple on the fly and then head back down the mountain to help another train ascend. At the PRR's high point, she summit tunnels at Gallitzin, PA, 2173 feet above sea level, is typically where all the photos are taken, however the real guts of the operation are about a half mile to the west where the dual interlockings of AR and UN are located. Connected by a loop track dating from the days of steam and manually controlled from an interlocking tower until 1994, the AR-UN complex still seems a bit frozen in time, with position lights and pneumatic point machines, although both are now slated for replacement.

I was able to visit the AR-UN complex as part of a Memorial Day road trip to Clarion, PA. The trip also involved a stop at CP-GRAY and the automatic signals at Tipton, completing my documentation efforts started back in the previous December, at those two locations. Also included in this 800 photo set are some summertime photos of the Tunnel-Bridge-Tunnel complex on the former L&MS Western Pennsylvania Main Line at Clarion.

AR (Allegheny Ridge) tower is located along the current eastbound Track #1 about a half a mile west of the New Portage tunnel that was originally built for the Pennsylvania canal system. Currently only the center track #2 is signaled for bi-directional operation, but the full mast signal being installed indicates that Rule 261 will be coming to all three tracks. The 4 main tracks west of CP-AR narrow to a single track via an equilateral switch so that doublestacks and other dimensional loads can fit through the tunnel. Up into the Conrail era this route would accommodate two tracks through the tunnel.

The World War 2 vintage AR tower actually consolidated the work of 4 previous towers into one modern brick structure. In addition to AR interlocking it also handled UN interlockings covering tracks 2 and 3 (formerly tracks 3 and 4) on the other side of the loop, SF interlocking east of the tunnels at the junction of the Muleshoe Curve route and BF interlocking, providing crossovers further east of SF. AR tower was built with a flat roof, but was retrofitted with an angled roof in the Conrail era to prevent leaks. The outbuilding used to house the compressor plant for the pneumatic switches and currently supports 100hz signal power generation. The tower was closed in 1994 along with MG, MO and SO as part of a Conrail re-signaling effort.

The eastbound signal bridge governs traffic on Tracks 0, 1 and 2 along with a dump siding. Although there are 3 designated main tracks, 0 is in essence a siding that runs just 2 miles between CP-MO and CP-AR. This incarnation of Track #2 also only runs between CP-MO and CP-AR and forces what are normally tracks 2 and 3 to number++ between CP-UN and CP-MO. A clear signal is being displayed for the next eastbound train on main track #1. Also note that the signals for both tracks #1 and #2 can display a Clear indication over the equilateral turnout. The new 4-track signal bridge won't change much, except the low speed turnouts off 0 and the dump siding will have high color light signals that can both display Slow Clear. 

AR tower as seen from the west with the #1 switch in the foreground.

Rear view of AR tower showing the old compressor house and a vintage pole line pole that has been left standing.

Possibly as a wartime economy measure, AR tower was fitted with 2 smaller US&S Model 14 interlocking machines, instead of one large one. The near machine, #2, worked SF and BF interlockings while machine #1 handled AR and UN.

The Model 14's were largely intact and open for inspection, just like the big on at the HARRIS tower museum. Unfortunately their condition was much more rusty :-\

18-05-05 PHOTOS: Baltimore Swansong

Since 2003 I have been living part time in Baltimore City about a half block away from the CSX Baltimore Terminal Sub, aka B&O Baltimore Belt Line, aka the site of the first main line railroad electrification in the world, aka the place where the street collapsed in 2014. When I first arrived in the area I always had my scanner on and upon hearing approaching trains activate the MP 92.0 detector or call the eastbound signal at HUNTINGDON AVE i would sprint to the wall overlooking the track and get my photos.

Like the Blues Brothers said, the trains came so frequently that eventually I just stopped noticing them and although I would still keep an ear out for an approaching movement, I became a must more passive watcher (especially after my local B&O CPL was removed in 2012). However as I neared my data of departure I started a push to once again "fan my local" and that is pretty much what this photo set contains. The content was captured at the cut between North Charles and St Paul Sts, right at the westbound dwarf signal for the HUNTINGDON AVE interlocking.

You can find the full set of photos here and I'll be placing all of the video clips at the bottom of the post without regard to the order they were taken in relation to the still photos.

First I want to share a little something about the Charles Cut. It has been suffering chronic drainage problems that multiple scoop and cleans and even the complete rebuild after the 2014 collapse have failed to resolve. At this point CSX seems to have given up. Track speed is only 35mph and few trains even move that fast.

First off we see CSX ES44AC #809 and AC4400 #214 exiting and entering the tunnels with a train of autoracks.

Next up we have a westbound train descending the grade with AC4400's #203 and #468 on point. Behind them is a remote control set with SD40-3 #6537 and GP38-2 #2531 that may have been helping or was just in tow.

In the consist were some of the most pristine RailBox (TBOX) box cars I have ever seen.

At some point I caught a rail train hauled by a pair of elderly C40-8W's, including #7731. The silent passing of GE -8W's has caught me by surprise. On one hand I should probably be out more to document any sort of historic engine. On the other hand I've always hated GE's and they pretty much look like the newer ones. At least #7731 here was still in it's older school CSX paint scheme.

The two old -8's were pulling a welded rail train that clearly didn't need hotshot power.

Now we're getting into some proper history. FRA regulations specify a maximum age of 40 years for freight cars, with waivers extending that a bit in some cases. However MoW stock is exempt, so while the Chessie cat has vanished from the main lines via repaints and attrition, it survives on the engineering trains.

Some more detail shots of the rail laying equipment.