In June of 2003 I was offered a position in a graduate program in Baltimore, MD and as part of the process I was invited to meet with the program and tour the facilities. They also offered to cover the cost of travel and had no problem funding a round trip between Philly and Baltimore via Amtrak. This would be my first time traveling between those two city pairs, something I would repeat hundreds of times in the ensuing years. Because the novelty had yet to wear off I took an above average number of photos on this trip, enough to dedicate an entire post towards. You can find the full gallery here ( mirror ).
First up were a number of towers that I had yet to see on a monthly basis and were also significantly less deteriorated than they would be 20 years later. Although BRILL and BELL would both be standing in 2022, BELL would develop gaping holes in its roof and be fitted with a "do not enter" fence.
It was the end of another era as Amtrak's hand-me-down MoW equipment was starting to head off property. Here GP7 #775 and CF-7 #585 are parked at the Wilmington shoppes, already marked for Larry's Truck and Electric.
Conrail painted units were not yet that uncommon with GP38-2 #5301 and GP40-2 #3030 coupled at Bayview yard along with former Southern high hood GP30-2 #5246.
MARC GP40WH-2 #55 and GP39H-2 #71 hanging out at Baltimore Penn Station. Ironically it would be the more "modern" wide cab GP40WH-2's that would be retired first.
Power for my southbound Regional was a new looking Amtrak AEM-7AC #928.
A long distance train was on the adjacent track hauled by HHP-8 #657. Note that the roof shroud has been removed showing off the K5LA air horn.
Mid-day MARC trains were still the domain of MARC's single level fleet. Here a set on the stub track #5 is fronted by cab car #7757.
Mission accomplished, I returned to Baltimore Penn Station to find a new MARC trainset with cab car #7755 on track 5.
MARC GP40WH-2 #57 was on the front of another trainset sitting on low level track #3. Amtrak would eventually close the low level platform except for trainset storage reducing the number of through tracks to 3 along with the single stub track.
MARC GP40WH-2 #57 was powering the trainset on track #5.
At the end of the platform I caught newly delivered MARC HHP-8 #4915 hanging out by itself. The 6 MARC HHP-8's would become the last active examples of their type after Amtrak retired their 20 in 2015.
Amtrak Acela Express power car #2014 posing next to MARC GP40WH-2 #57. AX power car #2019 was on the rear of the set.
While waiting for my Regional, Conrail GP38-2 #5030 that I had previously seen at Bayview made an appearance running freight through Baltimore Penn Station on track #2. Much of the remaining freight traffic through the station was en-route to a large transloading facility off the old Northern Central line behind the Baltimore Light Rail shoppes. The facility would ultimately be closed and relocated to a location with less overhead.
I guess I was at Baltimore Penn for some time because I was there for a southbound AX arrival with power car #2039 leading.
My northbound Regional came with a real treat in the form of Phase III heritage AEM-7 #949, seen here next to MARC #57. This is probably the best match between an Amtrak locomotive and a paint scheme with the possible exception of the Phase 2/3 Metroliners.
Finishing up with another tower, here is DAVIS in Newark, Delaware.
I hope you all enjoyed that. It was a treat rediscovering all of the things that aren't around anymore. Although use of Baltimore Penn would become quite routine for me, this first visit definitely offered something special.
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