They say its easy to overlook the familiar. Despite living south of Baltimore for many years now I had never visited the MARC Camden Linestation in Laurel, MD, except while riding the service in passing. Well in the fall of 2025 I set out to not only capture most of a rush hour at Laurel, but also walk west to the nearby signal location and then east to the famed Laurel Racetrack station, where the service consists entirely of three weekday afternoon flag stops, all in the DC bound direction. The photos from this adventure can all be found here.
The Laurel depot building was constructed in 1884 and was rebuilt after a serious fire in 1992. More recently the platforms were rebuilt with long duration plastic lumber. Today it is open during the morning and afternoon peak times for waiting passengers and also houses a ticket vending machine.
A deadhead equipment move kicked off the afternoon rush with cab car #8047 and MP36PH-3C #22.
As Penn Station Access ramps up on Amtrak's Hellgate Line between Sunnyside, Queens and New Rochelle Rochelle, it has started to put pressure on the Amber PRR Position Light signals that were installed in the 1980's to replace New Haven era semaphores. Some research indicated that some of the once nd future Hellgate Line signal locations were accessible for photography so I scheduled a NYC day trip to visit those at Mileposts 09 and 11 as well as Amtrak's new LEGGETT interlocking. As a bonus I got some photos of the old Bronx River movable bridge which is adjacent to a new linear park.
As usual the trip started at BWI with ACS-86 #613 ahead of whatever Amtrak Regional had reasonable prices. I then stayed overnight with family in South Jersey to get a jump on the next day's NYC activities.
Since I was unable to secure low cost Amtrak travel to NYC I decided to rely on NJT's RiverLINE making a PATCO connection at the Walter "Ayn" Rand Transportation Center.
There seemed to be a lot of NS road power lined up at Conrail's Pavonia Yard
A CSX road freight was crewed and ready to go with CM44AC #7247 leading.
NJT RiverLINE DMU #3510 at the Trenton buffer stops.
Getting to the southmost platform at the Trenton Amtrak/NJT station, an inbound SEPTA R7 was on the South High track with Silverliner V #809 leading. It departed shortly before my NJT arrived.
Back in 2024 I paid a visit to the Columbia Ave overpass over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in Northwest Philadelphia. When later processing the events of the trip I realized that the location as adjacent to some Conrail era signaling accessible via the Fairmont Park disc golf course. When I was back in the area in the summer of 2025 I set out to rectify this oversight as well as getting some additional photos of traffic on the old Connecting Railway.
Reaching the 33rd St overpass that overlooked Amtrak's MANTUA required me to revisit the Columbia Ave location I visited in 2024. While there I managed to catch the "sequential" classic Acela set with power cars #2013 and #2012.
Amtrak's MANTUA interlocking used to be part of ZOO tower's territory up until the late 1990's. Today it is most notable for being where SEPTA and Amtrak traffic have to switch places for the former to head to 30th St Station's upper level while the latter descends to the lower. To partly remedy this conflict center track #3, formerly used by the PRR for freight, was given a "straight" shot to the "River Line" track to 30th St lower level while the SEPTA trains on outer track #4 are left to navigate a 30mph diverging move. In the videos below we see the 4W signal at MANTUA at first displaying Medium Approach and later Medium Clear to a pair of single unit Silverliners V, including #708, from Chestnut Hill West
Next along was a southbound Regional train with ACS-86 #657.
Next up was a northbound Regional with ACS-86s #636 and #626 running top and tail.
Running behind the Regional was an outbound SEPTA R7 Trenton train.
I was then surprised by the appearance of an Amtrak Next Gen Acela trainset with power cars #2133 and #2124. They were in the final stages of testing before entering service later in the month with simulated revenue trips running to a real, but unlisted schedule.
CP-PARK on the former Conrail Trenton Line has seen some modifications since the CSX takeover in 1999, however the east end still sports Conrail mast signals and the blue station sign.
MARC's Jessup Station is infamous for its low ridership with, on average, 1 rider per day. Located on the Camden Line, the station was never upgraded with additional parking like the neighboring Savage and Dorsey stations, and generally lakcs connectivity to the surrounding area, including a large prison complex. Ridership is also hindered by the service level of a single round trip in the DC direction per weekday. In the summer of 2025 a service disruption resulted in my friend catching MARC Train 854 which made the Jessup stop, instead of the usual Train 856 that I would meet at Dorsey. Due to the sufficient warning I was able to adjust my pickup and give my friend the opportunity to use Jessup for a bona fide transit purpose. Combined with some additional NEC photos I had enough to fill a photo set.
The MARC Jessup station is directly adjacent to JESSUP interlocking on the CSX Capitol Sub, which itself is at the north end of the giant Jessup Auto Terminal, which handles new vehicle deliveries for the entire region. CSX has invested in capacity improvements on the south end of the yard to keep autorack trains from fouling the main tracks as they are received or assembled for departure. Unfortunately it appears that the north end still sees these sorts of movements spilling into or past JESSUP interlocking. Here ES44AC #3153 pulls a cut of racks out of the yard tracks and onto the main line.
The CSX movement was successful in clearing the main just as my friend on Train 854 pulled into Jessup. He was not alone in getting off as the singular regular rider was also commuting that day. MARC Train 854 had MP36PH-3C #15 leading and cab car #8049 on the rear end
The next train through was my friend's usual Train #856 which of course skips Jessup en route to Dorsey. #856 had MARC MP36PH-3C #24 leading.
I have a confession to make, I'm not a steam enthusiast in the way most railfans are steam enthusiasts. For steam people if something goes "chug chug", its an excuse to drive at unsafe speeds and elbow others out of the way to get that perfectly composed photo that looks like everyone else's perfectly composed photo. When I have been in the company of steam excursions it has been to ride the excursion to get both covered in cinders and get an open window view of the line and by extension its pieces of historic infrastructure. However when riding a RBMN #2102 excursion to Pittston in 2024 I was able to make note of the surviving CNJ searchlight signal locations on the former Conrail Lehigh Line. So since I was obviously going to have to come out again to photo these signals, why not do it in conjunction with a #2102 trip and generate some content that everybody can enjoy? So anyway here are photos from my first time being trackside for a man line steam excursion.
Like I said, my primary mission that day was to get photos of former Central RR of NJ searchlight signals between White Haven and Mountain Top. After the CNJ abandoned operations west (north) of Lehighton in the 1960's, the Lehigh Valley RR incorporated this section of the CNJ route due to its superior alignment and industrial connections. The CNJ vintage searchlights were distinctive for having a square "basket" like structure around each maintenance platform. Here we see the Milepost 146 southbound intermediate signal displaying an Approach indication for the holdout signal at CP-WHITE HAVEN. The former CNJ signals are normally dark, but will illuminate when a route has been established by the dispatcher.
At first I was confused why the Reading and Northern was running a southbound train within an hour of the northbound 2102 excursion. It turns out the signal was for the "regularly scheduled" Pittston to Mach Chunk diesel hauled excursion train featuring Reading and Northern 40th anniversary GP38-2 #2023, which I caught at the northbound Milepost 148 signal.
As expected the previously dark northbound signal popped up with a Clear signal indication for #2102. I could hear the engine approaching in the distance when what I will call the "traveling circus" of train chasers began to show up with their tripods. When #2105 did arrive it was applying all 5000 of its horsepower to muscle the 21 cars of the excursion train up the stiff grade. This spectacle was quite a bit more thrilling trackside and made it easy to understand what was motivating the traveling circus to chase these trains again and again.
The R&N's latest innovation in making money is open observation car #22 which offers a premium view to those lucky enough to grab one of the 30 tickets available for each departure. Not going to lie, but #22 is definitely on my radar for a future trip, even if it covers territory I have already traveled.
In 1997 SEPTA worked with DART First State to extend R2 Regional Rail service from Wilmington to Newark, DE. The project had an additional infrastructure component that constructed a new infill station at Churchman's Crossing and extended the stub end "A" track 2 miles northward from DAVIS interlocking in Newark to the new RUTHBY interlocking near milepost 36.4. Although reasonably accessible, the location is obscure enough to discourage most casual railfans. As a result I undertook a mission to see what RUTHBY was about.
The size and location of RUTHBY interlocking was dictated by the bridge over Old Ogletown Road being only three tracks wide and the existing Milepost 36.2 automatic signal location being just close enough for reuse with the new configuration. The northbound signal structure is modern style tubular aluminum cantilever governing tracks 1 and A. Here we see a southbound Regional train with ACS-86 #654 passing by the RUTHBY location on track #3.
RUTHBY's party piece is an 80mph high speed turnout that was intended to allow SEPTA trains to diverge out of the way of potential Amtrak traffic at near their top service speed. Compared to a more typical 45mph Amtrak turnout this has 3 M3 point machines instead of 2 and an additional 2 M3 machines driving the movable point diamond. Total length of the turnout is 600 feet.
Although the northbound signal is likely the first tubular aluminum signal structure employed by Amtrak on the NY to Washington NEC, it is also one of the last uses of US&S PL-3 position lights before the product was removed from the catalogue in the early 2000's. The 9N signal governing Track A supports the flashing Green | position for the "Cab Speed" cab signal, which in this case would be an 80mph code. The 9N lower head is a single / position for Medium Approach and the lunar white Stop and Proceed marker, which is also seen on the 1N signa.
This photo overlook is located behind a sod and gravel supply outfit. In addition to the Regional I was able to catch both Amtrak Crescents due to the northbound Train 20 running late. Train 19 was behind ACS-86 #658 and Train 2 was behind #605.
One of my perennial signaling missions has been trips to tidewater Virginia to get photos of legacy Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac signals that has so far survived CSX re-signaling efforts. The ones that remain are far off the beaten path, requiring mile plus walk-ins. For 2025 my target was the "Holly Hill" location which is two miles in the opposite direction from the "Rixley" location I visited in 2024. Both were actually served by the same state game land parking lot. After the signal outing I drove up to Fredericksburg for a retail shopping and brewery tour catching additional Amtrak and CSX trains along the way. You can find the full set of photos here.
First to appear was a southbound CSX manifest freight with ES44AC #743 leading and AC4400 #541 in the trailing DPU position.
Next up was Amtrak Regional Train 194 with P42DC #44 leading, briefly illuminating the Holly Hill signals while still in the block.
It's easy to forget that MARTA is a thing that exists. The last large heavy rail system to be stood up in North America, MARTA takes after the DC Metro with a bit more transit mojo. For my first ever trip to downtown Atlanta I wasn't about to pass up riding as much of MARTA as I could and I prioritized the east-west Blue/Green line over two mornings with a final trip to the airport on a third day. You can find the full set of photos here.
The four color services runs on two main trunk lines, Red/Yellow going North-South and Blue/Green going East-West. The two trunks meet at the Five Points station, which I think is a legacy title from referring to an unbuilt 5th MARTA line that would have also served the station.
Bankhead is the Green Line's only unique station with a two car platform that make it the limiting factor on Green Line operations. As one might suspect this was the remnant of a northwestern line that was never build with Bankhead itself opening in 1992 to make use of the junction and righto of way that was built in 1979. Today the Green Line provides supplementary service on the Blue Line between MLK and Bankhead. Here Franco-Belge married pair 188-187 is seen at the platform and reversing direction on the tail track.
The Blue Line's western terminus is the Hamilton E. Holmes Station, which is not named directly for the civil rights leader, but an adjacent arterial roadway named in honor of the civil rights leader after his death in 1995. Prior to that the station was named Hightower, I assume after the famed law enforcement officer. Here we see MARTA car, #699, adjacent to fellow Breda car #676 at the Hamilton E. Holmes Station platform in addition to the #699 departing eastbound.
Here is Hitatchi car #279 arriving at Hamilton E. Holmes. You can still see that hint of 1970's styling that would vanish with the 1999 Breda order.
More MARTA action in the form of Franco-Belge car #151 at Five Points and Hitachi car #219 at Peachtree.
The Hitachi cars, like #236 seen here, had a shallowed cab-end tunnel and a similar beige interior with explicitly 80's two tone plastic bucket seats.
The Avondale station was the East-West line's original 1979 terminus with the main tracks proceeding directly into the yard. When the line was extended to a park-n-ride on Atlanta's perimeter beltway the tracks has to be built on flyovers over the yard. Here we see the Breda trainset with #676 at the station platform with Franco-Belge car #147 on the yard lead with its ends open. Something may have been the matter with the #676 train as we crossed over the wrong railed to the Indian Creek terminal.
Opened in 1992 and seemingly refreshed somewhat recently, Indian Creek serves a function similar to the DC Metro's Greenbelt, a large Park-N-Ride with direct highway access. Here we see the gorgeous station concourse along with Hitachi car #286.
On my way back from Indian Creek I got this photo of part of the Avondale Yard. Avondale, GA is best known for being home to the first ever Waffle House restaurant.
As you may have noticed the car end views are all pretty reasonable. Here is a through-end photo of Hitachi car #265 near the Georgia State station.
The East-West line was built alongside the CSX Abbeville Sub with views of the now defunct Hulsey Intermodal Terminal. From the train I managed to catch CSX ET44AC #3265 and C40-10W #5435 with a manifest freight in the Hulsey Yard area.
Hitachi car #219 at Five Points and a Franco-Belge car from above at Peachtree.
Heading to the airport here is the cab and interior of penultimate Breda car #701. If you thought that #699 should have been the ultimate car on a 100-car order, the numbering started at #601 and pair 655/666 was skipped due to the association with Satan.
Hitachi car #276 arrived at the track opposite just before #701 departed.
Arguably the busiest airport in the world, the MARTA Hartsfield-Jackson Airport station features a staffed 4-bay ticket window to help travelers purchase a Breeze Card. Due to open payment and a general upgrade, the Breeze Card was to be phased out in 2026.
That concludes my first trip to downtown Atlanta. Next week I'll be heading back down to Tidewater Virginia, but I suspect I'll be returning to Atlanta again.
