Every year on the day before Thanksgiving I head out with Chuchubob for some pre-holiday railfanning along Amtrak's NEC. This year due to COVID not only was sharing a car and a meal not considered a good idea, but Amtrak's schedule had been drastically cut back due to the collapse in ridership. Not to be deterred Bob and I realized that there was nothing stopping us from taking separate cars to an outdoor NEC location to continue the tradition. North Philadelphia station was chosen due to R7 and R8 SEPTA trains filling in for missing Amtrak Regionals. Since Bob had a number of other things to do we split up early leaving me to continue on to Holmesburg Junction and then Croydon where I did some outdoor dining in view of the tracks. The photos from the entire day can be found here ( mirror ).
We began at the NJT RiverLINE's 36th St station in Camden where sibling units #3513 and #3512 passed eachother.
In Pavonia Yard NS AC44C6M #4035 was performing some flat switching.
Due to track work in Amtrak's LEHIGH interlocking, inbound R7 trains on Track #4 were getting Stop and Proceed signals. (Thack 3's signal wasn't even lit!). SEPTA Silverliner IV #317 was the first to navigate the work area.
NORTH PHILADELPHIA tower is still standing, but has been boarded up.
A northbound Acela Express trainset with power car #2034 was the first Amtrak train on the scene.
Followed by a northbound Regional with ACS-86 #646.
An inbound R7 equipment set led by SL-IV #125 was up next to do the Stop and Procedure.
SL-IV #174 was on the rear as it passed SL-IV #450 lading a northbound R7 train on track #1.
SL-IV #399 was on the rear as the R7 made its stop.
A southbound Amtrak Regional train with ACS-86 #618 leading was the last train I caught at North Philly station.
With a gap in Amtrak service I wandered over to the Reading Main Line where SEPTA Silverliner V #431 was heading south on the rear of an unknown train track #4. The uniform coloring of the destination signs makes it hard to figure out where trains are going at a glance.
Rear of NORTH PHILADELPHIA tower with the graffiti warehouse as a backdrop.
At Holmesburg Jct I caught a soutbound parade consisting of an Acela Express with power car #2019, Amtrak Pennsylvanian Train 43 with ACS-86 #633, and a southbound SEPTA R7 local with the same Silverliner IV #399 I spotted northbound at North Philadelphia. The long closed HOLMES tower served as a useful backdrop.
The only northbound train was a SEPTA R7 local including Silverliners V #819, #820 and #733.
Taking a lunch at the brewpub next to the Croydon SEPTA station, I missed this meeting of northbound and southbound R7 trains with #733 making its second appearance after a trip to Trenton.
After finishing up with my burger and drinks I hit up the Crooydon station platform where I caught a pair of Regionals, one in each direction. ACS-86 #645 was headed north and #636 was heading south. The trainsets did seem a bit longer than usual.
Well thanks for checking out my Covid era Amtrak Thanksgiving photos. Join me next time as I set out for a similarly diminished Thanksgiving Sunday at Odenton.
No comments:
Post a Comment