2 weeks until Enola Yard E-8 Excursion

Two weeks from today (Saturday) is the Excursion from Harrisburg Station, across Rockville Bridge through Enola Yard to Lemoyne and back....On Saturday April 30th at 9AM, 12PM, and 3PM. To see if tickets are still available, you can call the East Pennsboro Historical Society at 717-732-5801 or East Pennsboro Historical Society at 717-732-0711. Regular Coach tickets are $35....double that for first class. A good opportunity to ride, and or photograph Bennett Levin's E-8's over some historic trackage. I will be riding the 9AM run....Ride will be leisurely...my paperwork that was sent with tickets says that ride will take 2 hours. Dave Williams @ [email protected]

I'm making a railfanning weekend out of it ....I am driving from NY out to Cresson on Thursday, spending 2 nights at The Station Inn, and railfanning the East and West Slopes around Altoona, then leaving for Harrisburg early Saturday...I will be on the 9AM run...then will shoot the 12Noon and 3PM runs from trackside. Saturday and Sunday Nights will be spent at the Quality Inn Enola(upstairs trackside room as usual so I can watch the yard action) and Sunday will be spent railfanning between Enola and Newport....should be an interesting weekend for me too....Dave Williams @ [email protected]

Anybody know when the E 8's will be leaving Phila and heading west to Harrisburg ? Will they use the NS ex Reading line or the ex Pennsy present Amtrak line ? I can't get out to Harisburg but I'd love to see them in the Phila. area.

I would guess they'd be leaving Philadelphia on Friday sometime....unless they depart quite early Saturday morning...I don't know what equipment will be in tow besides the Warrior Ridge,if they are bringing the passenger cars from Philadelphia, or picking them up along the way to Harrisburg. Everything would have to be prepped and ready for the Excursions...They would have to leave Philly at 5AM at least, to get to Harrisburg and allow time to ready for the excursions....but ..you never know....Dave Williams @ [email protected]

OCtrainguy wrote:Well, a few days to go... I got my map all set and am marking off the areas I want to get photos at. Looking foeard to the trip. Offhand, does anyone know roughly what time the sun will shift from the south side of the bridge to the north side? Are there any good photo spots for trains on the bridge from the southwest side of the bridge?

That's kinda a tough one.. it always seemed to me that the best light is on the South side of the Bridge as the sun would have to be directly overhead or to the North to really highlight the North side, the sun seems to stay more on the South side as it moves from East to West...I don't recall the North side getting a nice full exposure highlighting the arches, but I could be wrong....another factor may be the weather...it may be cloudy and showery this weekend...checking NOAA website and the 12 day clear sunny stretch we just enjoyed may be replaced with several days of unsettled weather....Dave Williams @ [email protected]

Just checked in on Cumberland County, (Enola,Pa) NOAA forecast...Saturday..Mostly Cloudy with a 50% chance of showers with a high of 60...Hopefully this forecast will change for the better between now and then...Dave Williams @ [email protected]

Answering the question about good spots on the Southwest side, you might want to scout out along River Rd which runs down to the Iron Bridge at Enola...you'll get a view of the Bridge from along there. Bairs Tackleshop was always a good spot to view from his lot just South of the Bridge...However, Bair sold the place within the past few weeks and the new owner might not want people parking in the lot until he gets settled in ( I know the new owner) Dave Williams @ [email protected]

OCtrainguy wrote:Dave, thanks for the information. I was planning on taking a drive along River Road to see what spots may be available. I am also hoping the weather will be warm & sunny on Saturday.

You are welcome...We might bump into each other at some point then...I will be riding the 9AM and then shooting the 12Noon and 3PM runs from trackside...probably from the Boat Launch area along River Rd next to the Bridge, and perhaps off the Iron Bridge at the West end of Enola Yard...There will probably be plenty of other railfans looking for space to get shots along there too...Dave Williams @ [email protected]

OCtrainguy wrote:I will be riding the three o'clock excursion. I will probably get to Harrisburg after the nine o'clock excursion leaves, but plan on seeing it upon its return. Then there's the noon excursion...

Also hoping to see some of the trains that run west on the Lehigh Line out in the Harrisburg area...

I'm leaving home Thursday Morning by 5AM and spending 2 nights in Cresson, then to Enola for 2 nights...I plan on railfanning between Enola and Newport, perahps as far West as Lewistown on Sunday, Saturday will be spent chasing the E's....Dave Williams @ [email protected]