Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Railfanning - 9-15-2016

Hi, Last Sunday friend Jim Kleeman and I spent a short day railfanning in the Harrisburg, PA area. However, before I get into the trip a bit of housekeeping. In the past I have provided narrative relating to a photo above that photo. I have decided that this may be a little confusing so from now on I will provide caption information relating to a specific photo in a single paragraph below that photo.

We began the day by looking for an eastbound oil tank train headed by the PC heritage unit.  Jim had learned shortly before our departure from his home in Baltimore that the train had passed Duncannon, PA, about 10 miles west of Harrisburg 18 minutes earlier.  As these tank trains typically change crews in Enola Yard we went there looking for it without success.  So we headed west thinking it may have been held out of the yard west of town.

When we got to Marysville we spotted an empty tank train headed west.  We knew that the Southern heritage unit was on a WB tank train but our information was that it was trailing.  Was this the train with the Southern Unit and was it indeed trailing?  In less than 5 minutes we caught thepower and had our answer.  The Southern unit was on the train and leading.  It was off to the races.

We attempted a shot at Duncannon but did not have time to get into position.  However, it did not matter as an eastbound intermodal went by on the near track.  Back in the Trailblazer we headed west.  We calculated we could beat the train to Thompsontown and we did.

First up at Thompsontown was this eastbound train of oil loads pulled by a pair of SD70Ace's.

A lone SD70Ace was running as DPU.

Within a couple of minutes of the eastbound disappearing #65Z came west at Thompsontown.

We easily beat the train to Lewistown for a second shot.

Because the train was moving quickly we decided to give up the chase here and return toward Harrisburg.  On a previous trip up here I had spotted a pair of PRR position light signals on the east side of Newport and we decided to stop there.  A group of 3 fans from Wales along with a friend of theirs from Reading, PA were there so we had some interesting company to while away the time waiting for an eastbound.

The first eastbound was Amtrak's Pennsylvanian with a P32BWH providing the power.

A westbound came through next.
 
The last train we photographed at this location was an eastbound autorack train with a pair of SD70s on the point.

Our final location of the day was on the deck of Blue Mountain Outfitters (with permission) in Marysville, PA.  They have taken over the former PRR station here.

Train #60G handles export farm equipment for the port of Baltimore, MD.  This train carried John Deere combines.


For the record the PC powered oil train went to the fuel pad in Harrisburg.  As soon as it had refueled it left for Delaware.

Thanks for looking.

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