All things Harrisburg (Keystone) Line

I was extremely impressed to look through Coatesville and find the Arcelor Mittal facility (originally Lukens Steel). Wiki says its the oldest steel mill in commission in the U.S. its also quite large. Good to see things moving forward on improving transportation facilities there.

There is someone I subscribe to on Youtube. He does some head end videos on a SEPTA train. In a recent video when the train is approach Overbrook Interlocking. The signal was showing approach. Other times it showed slow approach. The train didn't switch tracks. His train was going down the #1. I've seen this at Secacucas and Leaman Interlocking. The signal will show slow approach first then approach. What's the reason for that? I know what the aspects mean.

In this video. The signal shows slow approach at the 31:10 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae6-Md-zMtg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

His recent video. The same signal shows approach at the 28:32 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag1YU88 ... B_8BC1uQkg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I believe the signal in question is controlled directly from the overbrook tower. In the first video, I think the signal displayed the restrictions because of the Amtrak that passed the SEPTA train at the Merion station. The Amtrak most likely switched to track 1 at Overbrook

I'm not sure if this belongs in the Amtrak forum or the Septa forum, but we'll place it here until someone says otherwise:

SEPTA takes lead in building new Ardmore Train Station

Please allow a brief "fair use' quote:

In the past few months, Lower Merion’s long-held hopes for partnership in redevelopment that would catalyze revitalization in downtown Ardmore have seemed to take blow after blow.

First, $12 million in state grant funds for Dranoff Properties’ proposed upscale apartment project on the township’s Cricket Avenue parking lot was suddenly withdrawn in December.

Then, earlier this month, despite urgings that an approved plan might boost efforts to recapture the money, the Lower Merion Planning Commission tabled land development review, saying it wasn’t ready.

It’s about time, one might say, for some good news.

That good news may have come in recent weeks. And, in a twist, it comes from a part of the so-called Ardmore Transit Center project that had seemed, well, sidetracked in recent planning.

That is the Ardmore Train Station itself.

In an interview this week, Board of Commissioners President Liz Rogan confirmed news she had recently shared with board colleagues but had not yet publicly announced.

Rogan said that in a March 6 meeting with SEPTA representatives, the transit agency presented a new concept for train station improvements that includes a full-fledged new station building to replace the bunker-like structure that has stood on Station Avenue for decades, since a fire destroyed the original Victorian station.

What’s more, Rogan said SEPTA is proposing to step up and take a central role in station improvements and, potentially, construction of a new commuter and public parking garage there.

“It is great news,” Rogan said

Lackawanna565 wrote:There is someone I subscribe to on Youtube. He does some head end videos on a SEPTA train. In a recent video when the train is approach Overbrook Interlocking. The signal was showing approach. Other times it showed slow approach. The train didn't switch tracks. His train was going down the #1. I've seen this at Secacucas and Leaman Interlocking. The signal will show slow approach first then approach. What's the reason for that? I know what the aspects mean.

In this video. The signal shows slow approach at the 31:10 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae6-Md-zMtg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

His recent video. The same signal shows approach at the 28:32 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag1YU88 ... B_8BC1uQkg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is a progression of signals they use in short blocks around interlockings to keep things moving. Approach to a slow approach to a more restrictive signal such as a stop signal, stop and proceed, restricting etc.

FYI, Harrisburg's GG1 is on the move: (PennDOT press release)

Department of Transportation: PennDOT Keystone Corridor work requires temporary move of historic GG1 locomotive.
Text of March 26 press release.

Move scheduled for Saturday morning, April 5.

Harrisburg – PennDOT announced today that as part of ongoing improvements on the Keystone Corridor, the historic GG1 Pennsylvania railroad locomotive No. 4859 will be temporarily moved from its spot at the Harrisburg Transportation Center to a siding 1,000 feet west of the station.

Amtrak is managing the move, which will take place on Saturday April 5 beginning at 7 a.m.

The move of both the historic GGI locomotive and caboose is necessary so a $36 million project to improve power, signals, track and switches into the Harrisburg Transportation Center can be completed. The upgrades will further improve the train times from Harrisburg to Philadelphia and New York City. Work started in late 2013 and will conclude by 2017.

An Amtrak locomotive will push the GGI and caboose to a siding near the 7th Street garage about 1/4 mile away. The locomotive later will be “shrink-wrapped” to protect it from the elements until it can be moved back to its current location.

Because of safety concerns during the move, spectators will only be able to view the move from an overlook area at the transportation center or from other designated, public areas away from the station. Parking is available at nearby parking garages or metered spots on nearby city streets.

The GG1, one of the world’s most distinctive locomotives and a mainstay of the Pennsylvania Railroad, served the Harrisburg station on service to Philadelphia and New York City between 1938 and 1981. No. 4859 pulled the first electrically powered train from the Harrisburg station on Jan. 15, 1938. It was located at the station as a memorial to that service in 1986 and designated as the official state locomotive. The Harrisburg Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society maintains No. 4859.

Contact: Rich Kirkpatrick, 717-783-8800

Do you have a URL for that press release?

PennDOT Press Office
http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/pdN ... r?OpenForm

What Amtrak engine would pull the gg1

Does it matter which engine it will be? It will be whatever engine we feel like using for the move. More then likely it will be the diesel that is currently being used for the Harrisburg protect.

What types of signals are they going to install at Harrisburg for the rebuilt interlocking? I heard CPL dwarfs. Someone told me that's not true.

And progress on the new signal system. I haven't been to the line since this past July.

fl9m2004 wrote:What Amtrak engine would pull the gg1

Whichever B32-8WH was on hand pushed the G out of the station to its temporary location.

Some news and a question:
Has anyone seen what type of work is being performed at Harrisburg in connection with the State project?'
PennDOT tells me that work has resumed on the Eby Chiques overpass project and they are looking at a completion in Oct.The new switch at Bryn Mawr will have the same footprint as the one being replaced (Amtrak is considering it a maintenance project).

Andy

Right now 7 track is barricade and shunted for work. Lots of guys in orange hats were all over it on Monday. C&S was building a structure over between 2 main and the royalton branch. C&S were also doing work at these in ground signal boxes. 17 spur is gone. Drawing a blank if 10 track is still there or not. The bricks around 15 spur are being torn up. Big happenings in the Burg.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4m5DOUbeWsE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I have never seen this before. The video is from November, but is it, as Mike Bednar would say, "A happening thing?"