21-03-21 PHOTOS: BROWN Berlin

Rebuilt in 1934 to help join the former PRR and Reading networks in South Jersey after the PRSL merger, BROWN interlocking was located at the crossing of the former Reading owned Atlantic City Railroad and the PRR owned West Jersey and Seashore Railroad main lines in Camden, NJ. Controlled by BROWN tower until the 1980's, the interlocking was drastically simplified under Conrail, although the PRR style position light signals remained until 2002. Even with Conrail signals in place, increases in South Jersey freight traffic brought about a second re-building with new signals and a new interlocked connection to the former Reading Bulson St yard around 2018.

The area can be generously described as rough, but it is an interesting location when one is lucky enough to catch a train, which I was not. Unfortunately the southbound PRR signal bridge was removed about 15 years ago, but the footings can be seen behind the southbound mast signals.

The Berlin, NJ train station was built for the PRR controlled Camden and Atlantic in 1856 and served as a stop on later PRSL and NJDoT train services to Atlantic City until 1983. Today the station building houses a historical society.

When When NJT restored Atlantic City Line service, the old Berlin station stop was moved to a large Park-and-Ride facility about a mile south of town in the town of Atco. Unfortunately the expected Park-n-Ride traffic never emerged and lightly used trains, like this southbound with Comet V cab car #6050 and GP40PH-2B #4215, now pass by the Berlin station without stopping.

Originally a high speed double track main line, the the NJT ACL was restored as a single track line with a number of short, 1 mile passing sidings. The Lucas siding is one of two between Winslow Jct and Lindenwold and show off the very rural nature of the line despite being only about 15 miles from Center City Philadelphia.

Despite NJT's best efforts to discourage such actions, use of the railroad right of way for personal wheeled transport is pretty common.

With protracted Covid headways I had plenty of time to set up for and catch the next northbound train with NJT GP40PH-2B #4209 and Comet V cab car #6008

PATCO was in the process of completing its solar power canopy over the Lindenwold Station parking lot. While these canopies will provide the cars with shade, they are not water tight.

Back in Maryland, I managed to catch the afternoon meet of east and westbound MARC Camden Line trains at the site of the old Elkridge train station. MARC NP36PH-3C #32 and single level cab car #7759 were on the eastbound train with MARC NP36PH-3C #27 and an 8000 series cab car were on the westbound.

Finally, Marafox returned for a third straight year to raise a litter of kits under my shed.

Well I hope you found that interesting. Next time I'll be back with another trip up the Hudson Valley.