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| PHOTOS: The AEM7 Chase (1399549) | |||
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PHOTOS: The AEM7 Chase |
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Posted by kp5308 on Mon Jun 20 20:19:39 2016 First shot....7:13AM at CP BLANDON. Odd numberboards: The photo line was already forming at 10:25 when we shot this northbound Acela at the SEPTA Eddystone stop:  Made it to Glenolden PA at 11AM sharp...about 10 or so were on hand practicing their waving technique:  The Farewell To The AEM7 Locomotive Excursion was due into 30th St. Station at 12:03PM and sure enough the 34 year old pair passed at 11:45 with 7 coaches & a cafe car:  Tacked on the end is #10001 Beech Grove, originally Amfleet I coach #21222, built in January, 1977. The car sustained fire and heat damage in February, 1978 and was subsequently rebuilt by the Beech Grove (Indiana) Shop, emerging in May, 1984 (Source: "Vanishing Varnish: Business and Private Railroad Cars - Volume 1," POM Publishing Company, Danvile VA, circa 1987):  We hustle to the other side & break out the grill for lunch & are tossin' down some Jack Leininger Grilling Dogs by 12:15. One of Homer's faves:  After an Acela that was stopped for about a half hour just north of us because of a speed recorder malfunction passed:  We waited on the southbound Excursion, due out of Philly at 12:45. It roars by the faithful at 1:  A little more on Beech Grove: "The drawing in the book shows, from the platform end, the car has an observation area, a computer room, two small bedrooms (upper & lower berths), one large bedroom (fixed bed), a dining area, a kitchen, and a room for the crew":  We load up for Wilmington Shops, stopping to shoot the former headquarters of the Baldwin Locomotive Works at Eddystone:  We photograph the train as it lays over while the 476 passengers get the opportunity to tour the shop:  We are then given access to the "back lot" to shoot some of the stored motors including ACS64 #627, damaged in the Palmetto altercation with an Amtrak backhoe that killed 2 MOW employees on April 3rd of this year:  Behind it, wrapped in white plastic is the notorious #601 from the train #188 wreck at Frankford Junction that claimed 8 lives (all passengers) on May 12th, 2015:  The center Toaster of the 3 in line, #929 is the subject of an effort to preserve an AEM7AC. The 915 at Strasburg is a "straight" AEM7. For more info on this project click HERE:  These locomotives have an estimated 220 MILLION MILES of service but by the looks of #941 some of them could get back out on the road with little effort:  We gotta drop young John off at the Wilmington station & still try to make it to our last photo stop so after shooting the SPV shells at the Wilmington Car Company:  We get to Wilmington Station just in time to catch the northbound Crescent: 
Bill from Fleetwood is the rookie on this trip. He is as old as the passing diner but I think he is doing well with our grueling schedule. BTW it is 3:15 & we gotta ROLL...the Excursion is scheduled to leave the Shops in a half hour:  Down I-95 to Newark DE where we find John & Sue Funk hiding from the sun. John retired with 41 years of service in the operating departments of the Reading & later Conrail. Surprised Sue & my wife didn't hit tha casnio like they sometimes do when Funky & I are out on our adventures:  At 4:02 the heat waves can't mask that flat face as #942/946 are up around 100MPH for what appears to be their last revenue southboud pass through The First State:  About 20 or so witnessed the Excursion here, some from the 895 bridge & stairs to the platforms. The time is 4:02PM but we ain't done yet:  After dinner at the Deer Park Tavern we check out the CSX Philly Sub which was re-opened Friday after being closed for 3 days due to a derailment outside the Howard St. Tunnel in Baltimore. Eastbound Q300 shows up at 6:30PM:  We try one more shot but we lost the sun so I ain't posting that one. We got back to Blandon about 14 hours after we started. Worth every second :o) |
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