A trip to Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey - Day 2 - Part 1

Hi, For our first target of the day we chose SMS Rail Services in the Pureland Industrial Park at Swedesboro, NJ. I hadn't visited his almost all Baldwin outpost in at least 15 years and wanted to go again. Dale said he knew a guy so he went in to try to find him. I hoped we could get some info on where the crew was operating and the day's plan. I figured we could find our way around as the industrial park is not fenced or gated. A few minutes after he went in Dale came out and told me we could ride with crew, and get off and on the locomotive at places where they switched if we signed releases.

One of the few non Baldwins on the property was this former BNSF GE B23-7 which the crew would have used the day we were there.

However, because we would be riding with them this Baldwin DS-44-1500 was used. It was originally purchased by the Pennsy as there #9069 and was obtained from the Tyburn Railroad in Morrisville, PA. After a tour of the shop where we saw an 0-6-0 being slowly returned to operation and myriad Baldwin parts we were given the run of the outside yard while we waited for the crew to finish their preparations and begin switching.

Among the interesting locomotive in the yard was this Baldwin AS616 originally of Kaiser Steel heritage. It was sold by Kaiser to the Rayonier who in turn sold it to the Trona from which it was obtained by SMS and

this Bladwin VO1000 which is owned by the United Railway Historical Society of New Jersey.

I call this shot "back in the saddle again" as Dale had a long career with  CSX, almost all as an engineer.

As we waited for the crew Dale took the opportunity to relax

while I took this photo of the interior of the shop off the back porch of the locomotive.

Our engineer soon climbed aboard and we were off.

At the first switching location we climbed off the locomotive for a variety of photos (above and five below).

After switching here we headed out to a Home Depot warehouse and then to the interchange with Conrail Shared Assests. However as these areas are space limited limiting the photo angles I elected to stay on board the locomotive.

Riding the locomotive and the friendliness of all of the people we met during our visit was just great. Thanks SMS.

Thanks for looking.