After the Covid induced SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip XX walking tour of downtown Philly rail sights, SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip XXI would represent a return to normal, albeit one still impacted by the ongoing cuts to weekday SEPTA service levels. The headline trip of MWT XXI was taking the R3 all the way to Elwyn in its final year of it being the terminus of the Media / West Chester Line as the new Wawa station neared completion. The rest of the trip included a slow meander back to Center City via the Routes 101, 100, R5 and 10. Attendance was robust and you can view the entire gallery of photos here ( mirror ).
For me the day started at the Woodcrest PATCO station with rebuilt car #1002. With PATCO express service showing no signs of making a comeback there is no longer any need to travel out to Lindenwold to secure a frontish seat window.
Although technically the MWT starts at Market East, it doesn't have to begin with an outbound Regional Rail ride, although that's often how it works out in practice as it tends to make the itinerary a bit easier to schedule. Here is Silverliner IV #362 on the 8:50 R1 Airport run ahead of our outbound R3 Elwyn.
After wrong railing in from Media for reasons unknown, the trip reached Elwyn with SEPTA Silverliner IV #300 leading.
In 1986 SEPTA R3 service was cut back from West Chester due to declining ridership on the slow, single track line past Elwyn. Elwyn has no other importance except for being the place where the switch was that allowed trains to turn back. The Mid-Winter Trip had never bothered to visit Elwyn because of the convenient Route 101 connection in Media.
The layover in Elwyn was only about 20 minutes so we were soon back at the Media station, ready to walk the 3 or so blocks to the SEPTA Route 101 trolley terminus.
Our suburban trolley into 69th Street that day would be K-car #126.
Meeting K-car #109 on the passing siding just east of the Media street running. The spring switches have been recently interlocked as part of an ongoing re-signaling project.
Not all my trips are epic cross country journeys. In August 2021 I needed to attend to come family business in South Jersey before meeting up with someone for an event in Valley Forge. The easiest pickup point was Radnor, just a mile or so from the Blue Route and so I booked a ticket on Amtrak up to Philly followed the next day by a PATCO / Market Frankford / Route 100 combination from Haddonfield to Radnor. The photos can all be found here ( mirror ).
Starting things off at BWI with Amtrak ACS-86 #638 leading a Regional.
Pulling into Philly and passing SEPTA Silverliner IV #179 at Arsenal.
Making a dash to make the SEPTA connection downtown on the upper level, I did stop briefly to take a photo of NJT Atlantic City Line Comet V cab car #6018 that was hanging out on the other side of the platform instead of the more usual Track 1/2.
Would you look at that, I caught the same inbound Maryland Division SEPTA train my Regional passed at ARSENAL.
Skipping ahead to the next day my trip to Radnor begins at the Haddonfield PATCO station where I was surprised by an extremely rare double trainset equipment move, likely for the following week's Atlantic City Air Show. The leading trainset had Comet V cab car #6051 and GP40PH-2B #4206 while the trailing trainset had Comet V cab car #6063 and GP40PH-2B #4202. This style of movement is used because of the lack of extra crews for the Atlantic City Line given its distance from the bulk of NJT operations in the north.
My train to Philly eventually showed up led by rebuild car #1093.
Once on the MFL I decided to take video from 11th Street all the way to the terminus at 69th St. A service disruption on the normal outbound 69th St platform required the signal to be canceled, time run and a new route aligned onto track 2 on the normally inbound island platform.
Despite shooting video I was able to use my phone to get some still pictures including M-4 cars #1186 and #1094.
As the SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip approaches its XXth year, the number of unvisited segments of Philadelphia's expansive rail network has continued to dwindle. In 2018 the MWT finally made it to both Thorndale and Newark, DE. Before that it had managed to cover the Airport, RiverLINE and West Trenton. For 2019 the choices for "virgin" MWT territory had swindled to Atlantic City, Elwyn and Norristown Elm St. For whatever reason, Elm St seemed to make the most sense so I bundled that together with a trip out to Warminster and a Route 102-R3 connection at Clifton-Alden to fill out the day. You can find the whole set of photos here ( mirror ).
With the PATCO cars fully rebuilt, I didn't have much need to go and catch "the good stuff", however express runs were always better than non-express runs so I once again headed out to Lindenwold to snag a semi-railfan window on one of the express trains that departed around 8am. The first train in happened a Philly-bound NJT Atlantic City Line train arriving on the lower level with GP40PH-2B #4209.
#4209 departed exactly at the same time as a westbound PATCO train and because the PATCO had to cross over, the NJT was able to get out to an early lead. Although the PATCO train had two station stops, the 30mph speed restriction east of Haddonfield and forced 45mph cab signal before that would make the race competitive before the lines split at Vernon.
The distance between a terminal crossover and the end of a platform is a major factor in terminal capacity so if you were ever wondering why PATCO put WEST LINDEN interlocking so far away from the platform its because it was added well after the line opened in 1969. Prior to that trains used the EAST LINDEN crossover directly to the east of the platform. If PATCO ever needed an extreme amount of TPH, both crossovers could be utilized to prevent delays. Here PATCO car #1035 clears the interlocking en route to terminal track #1.
Arriving trains typically alternate between tracks 1 and 2 at Lindenwold
with #1103 headed into track #2. The left hand placement of the
operator is a legacy of the line's OPTO system that uses 100% island
platforms.
#1077 signed for an express run on Lindenwold track #2.
Golden Hour PATCO rebuilds #1087 on track #1 at Lindenwold.
Skipping ahead to Philly, SEPTA Silverliner V #840 at Market East.
En-route to Warminster we pass one of the last arriving Bombardier
push-pull sets at the Reading Viaduct's MP 2.2 signal with SEPTA ACS-86
#907 in the lead.
Racing SEPTA #856 and a train of Silverliners V towards the 16th St Jct.
JENKIN tower at Jenkintown.
The morning group at Warminster. Not pictured was long time participant
Phil N, who was in the hospital recovering from an infection.
SEPTA Silverliners IV #340 and #429 at the Warminster station platform.
Using government assistance, the Reading extended its Hatboro line to a
new Park N Ride in 1974.
My emergency trips to document classic signaling wasn't restricted to the former Pennsylvania Railroad territory. The former Reading Railroad main line, already re-signaled by Conrail in the 1980's, was facing another round of replacement that would eliminate the Rule 251 ABS operation along with the remaining small target searchlight signals. The route between Philadelphia and Reading actually doesn't have many interlockings as traditional Rule 251 lines tend to prefer non-interlocked hand throw crossovers as a way to reduce costs back when digital logic not cheap. Last August I made time to visit CP-PHOENIX across the river from Norristown, PA. Also included are some MFL and Route 100 photos, which can all be found here or on Google.
CP-PHOENIX, as configured by the Reading and later Conrail, stretched the length of the Black Rock Tunnel that cuts off a long bend in the Schuylkill River. Originally a two-track tunnel, Black Rock was single tracked by the Reading with a turnout at both ends to allow higher cars. A similar process was carried out at the Flat Rock tunnel closer towards Philadelphia. The west side had its signals replaced around 2005, but the east side still featured Conrail vintage signals up through it's replacement in 2018. Behind the westbound signals one can see the old PRR Schuylkill Branch bridge, now used as a rail trail.
To the east of the French Creek bridge
is the old Phoenixville Station. Back in the Reading heyday the Main
Line here was actually 4 tracks, shrinking down to two for the tunnel.
Out of sight behind the trees is the new CP-PHOENIX that will replace
the existing long double Y interlocking with a pair of shorter
interlockings bracketing a 2 mile long section of single track.
The new interlocking on the west side of the tunnel will be CP-CROMBY, seen here with the new masts in place. The old Track #2, that used to run all the way to the mouth of the tunnel, will be converted into a storage siding with a hand operated switch at the east end. I suspect that part of the reason for the change is the general inaccessibility of the old CP-PHOENIX's west end by MoW vehicles as the switch was situated in the middle of a bridge over the Schuylkill River.
CP-CROMBY is named for the old PECO Cromby Generating station, a coal
fired power plant that closed in 2011 and saw deliveries accomplished
via a hand operated switch off track #2 and a hand throw crossover.
The Reading is described as a Coal Age Empire, having a
dominant position in the market for Anthracite Coal , which was widely
used for home heating both in the United States and Europe. This allowed
the Reading to construct an impressive physical plant for a railroad
with an end-to-end length of only 200 miles and that only served one
major market. Much of the route between Philadelphia and Reading
consisted of 4 or more main line tracks, and even the parts that were
still two track, like this bridge over Mingo Creek, had room for
expansion to four.
The 301W automatic signal protecting the hand throw crossover would be another casualty of the re-signaling project.
Cutting to CP-NORRIS I caught NS SD70ACU #7262 leading a merchandise
freight into Abrahms Yard where local traffic would be set out or picked
up.
In a major stroke of luck, the second unit was former Conrail SD80MAC
#7202. With only about 30 units producted, these 5000hp monsters
actually proved more successful than their planned 6000hp replacements
due to the failure of EMD's new "1010H" engine. #7202 was actually
built as an SD90MAC, but given a 4300hp 710G engine, upgradable to the
1010H once the kinks were worked out. (Psst, they never were.)
Aw yes, it's that most wonderful time of the year, mid-winter, and that means it is once again time for the SEPTA Mid-Winter trip, now in it's 17th year! Despite being run for almost two decades there are always new places to go on the SEPTA system. This year we would return to Cynwyd, but this time using the new 52nd St connector, instead of the now out of service Valley Flyiver. We would also for the first time take an R5 trip to Thorndale, via Paoli, returning to 69th St with a transfer to the Route 100 at Villanova. To finish things out the group returned through Center City via the MFL, catching a Rt 15 PCC back to the Broad Street Subway at Girard and then proceeding to the North Philadelphia Amtrak station via Fern Rock.
All in all it was great weather (if not a little brisk) and we had a pretty good turnout.
We begin with a somewhat truncated video from a rebuilt PATCO car of the express run between Westmont and Ferry Ave. The lack of railfan window and conservative use of the horn really diminished the experience.
Unlike most years this MWT did not kick off from Market East, but instead started at Suburban because Cynwyd trains all originate and terminate there. After descending the rarely used track 6/7 stairway, we find single unit SEPTA SL-IV #300 waiting on the platform.
The "new" 52nd St connection actually makes use of an old PRR right of way that connected the Belmont freight yard to the old PRR Schuylkill Valley branch. It also makes use of the existing PAXON interlocking, which was built in 1994 for the Overbrook shoppes project. The connection eliminates the use of the 10mph Valley Flyover bridge that used to carry main track #4 over the old freight yards, but was rendered largely redundant by the same Overbrook shoppes project.
The reason it then took 15 years to simplify the layout was SEPTA's desire to simply close the short 3 station branch line, something that would not be politically possible after a major capital improvement.
After leaving Amtrak territory we enter SEPTA at the rebuilt JEFF interlocking that replaced an automatic controlled point.
Although not open yet, the Wynnefield Ave station was receiving a new high level platform. This is a puzzling choice for the perpetually cash strapped SEPTA that could have probably spent the money elsewhere.
Entering the Cynwyd station on a Restricting signal indication at the new CP-CYN controlled point. This replaces and old PRR position light automatic signal displaying Approach.
Unlike past trips where the train would lay over with doors open at the Cynwyd platform, the crew of SEPTA SL-IV #300 decided to pull into the layup track and make prospective passengers wait out in the cold.
Official group photo for SEPTA Mid-Winter Trip XVII! Gotta take it early before half the attendees bail out ;-)
Front or back, it's still just #300 at Cynwyd.
After riding #300 back to 30th St, we passed a lone passenger boarding for the short hop to Suburban.
Heading back out on the PRR Main Line, this time in a Silverliner V with better photo opportunities! Here we are passing through ZOO interlocking.
This was another SEPTA Mid-Winter milestone year with the event now in its XVth iteration. The focus this year was on the R3 West Chester/Trenton and the Rts 101/102 Suburban trolleys. Due to issues with using the day pass to West Trenton, the trip started with an R3 run out to Neshaminy where one could quickly catch the return train. Instead of proceeding back to Center City we next alighted at Fern Rock for the traditional Broad Street Line express run to 30th St (via the MFL) in order to catch another R3 out to Media. From there it was time for lunch followed by a cross county Rt 101/102 trip utilizing a transfer at Drexel Hill Jct. After a walking transfer, the planned photo shoot at the Sharon Hill R2 station was a bit underwhelming, but this was made up for by a few minutes at Temple University.
Attendance was about 15 persons of all ages and I want to thank everyone for coming. All of my photos for the event can be found right here.
The trip started off well enough with me not botching the inbound PATCO express run video. Last year my GoPro was a new purchase and I still didn't have the hang of its minimalist interface and various quirks. This year I've finally managed to get a handle on the little beastie.
We begin the official part of the trip on the Reading Viaduct with SEPTA AEM-7 #2303 returning as a deadhead through downtown, possibly en-route to Frazier for maintenance. I had previously seen this trainset at Market East discharging its revenue passengers in time for work. Note the mismatched numberboards.
Another returning deadhead set of SL-IV's with #388 in the lead near North Broad.
Not every trainset would need to be reshuffled. As usual there was a conga line of trains waiting to get into Roberts Yard at HUNT interlocking.
SEPTA SL-IV #164 processing over the double slip switches at HUNT.
SL-IV #102 at Wayne Jct.
Freight action on the Trenton Line representing three of the big four
American railroads headed up by CSX ES44AC #3173 teamed with a BNSF GE
and NS EMD towing a unit crude oil train. This train has just come off
the New York Short Line and will descend the grade down to CP-NICE where
it will then head to South Jersey via CP-PARK.
AEM-7 #2305 sitting on the third track at Fern Rock waiting its afternoon call to action. Behind it is the only operating ALP-44 #2308 attached to its trainset.
The spike of railfans alighting from SL-V #869 at Neshaminy.
SL-V #702 pulling away from the Neshaminy station. This was the site of
the old NESH interlocking where the New York Short Line freight bypass
that previously departed the passenger route at Newtown Jct, rejoins.
Throughout the Reading era the line between here and Yardley consisted
of 4 tracks to accomidate the combined passenger and freight traffic.
Before 1994 the SEPTA and Conrail tracks were seperated to Woodbourne
and just this past summer they were seperated all the way to West
Trenton.
Group photo time! Those who attended from the start of the trip got the best sunlight.
