In normal years I reserve a few hours on the Sunday after Thanksgiving to watch some of the Amtrak extra trains being run on the Northeast Corridor. However in 2020 with the Covid pandemic drastically curtailing holiday travel, there was little of any extra service to be had and even if there was it would be indistinguishable from a normal year's regular service. Still, I didn't want to break my tradition, so instead of heading to a popular spot where trains were to focus, I chose a location with some infrastructure and signaling that could fill in the gaps. Specifically this was the Odenton, MD MARC station and adjacent GROVE interlocking. Also in this set ( mirror ) are some Philly area PATCO and SEPTA photos/videos.
Situated as the first stop south of the BWI Airport Rail Station, Odenton has grown into a massive park and ride facility with a lot of high density transit orientated development. It's two large high level platform can accommodate full length MARC trains unlike Bowie State and Seabrook to the south.
Located behind the platform on the northbound side is the old ODENTON interlocking tower that controlled some crossovers and a connection to an industrial track. This would be closed in the early 1980's when ODENTON interlocking was replaced by GROVE interlocking about a mile to the north.
The first train to appear was an southbound Amtrak Acela Express trainset with power cars #2032 and #2034. Looking north we can see the Maryland Route 175 bridge.
This was followed by ACS-86 #653 with some kind of Regional.
The station building was constructed in the 1950's and has what I assume to be reproduction PRR keystones.
Using a gap in activity to head down to GROVE interlocking, GROVE is a 3 track full crossover that was the location of the NEC's first high speed turnout to allow northbound Amtrak trains on track #2 out of DC to make the stop at BWI on track #1 without having a large time penalty. Before the advent of the Cab Speed 80 cab signal, diverging routes over the HST at GROVE were protected by directional arrows on track #2. Today the center track #2 had a barricade up north of the interlocking so all southbound traffic was using track #3.
MARC was running a two hourly service with a mixed trainset with MP36PH-3C's #18 and #13 having the honors and Kawasaki Kab Kar #7853 on the end.
After the MARC train I was able to catch an example of an Amtrak train taking the 80mph high speed turnout with ACS-86 #614 and a northbound Regional.
For symmetry I was able to also catch a southbound Regional with the penultimate ACS-86, #669.
Jumping back up to Philly a week or two after Thanksgiving, I started by journey to 30th St Station to catch a Southbound Regional at the Haddonfield PATCO station where I caught rebuild car #1021 and #1026.
I patched together some video from the first car showing how the PATCo cab signals and ATO system respond to crossover events between at Westmont and Ferry Ave. After crossing back over to the westbound track at Ferry, the cab signal began to bob between Clear and Approach. I was later informed this is a known defect caused by an accelerating train dropping a track occupancy relay due to traction current draw.
A Maryland Division route was lined up on the ersatz PRR pedestal signals at BROAD interlocking and soon enough SEPTA Silverliner IV #347 trundled up the Suburban Ramp towards 30th St Station as twilight fell.
At 30th St station an Amtrak Keystone service trainset was departing with a strange dual mode setup involving P42DC diesel #118 pushing behind electric ACS-86 #604. This was likely a yard move with Keystones not running to NY Penn due to COVID, or a Harrisburg protect diesel swap. After departing on Track #7, my southbound Regional Train #87 pulled into track #5 with ACS-86 #646 in the lead.
The Amtrak trip was in darkness and uneventful so here is a photo of ACS-86 #646 at the BWI Airport Rail Station.
While waiting for my ride, in an odd reversal of roles, a MARC commuter train blasted through BWI Station at speed only to be followed by an Amtrak ACELA express, coasting to a station stop. Time was a little after 7pm.
For those of you who like the animal photos, here is one of a Pileated Woodpecker that hung around my property in the fall.
That's all for now, next time I explore the new station progress at that other Newark along with CSX action around Brunswick, MD.
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