Best Places In Philly To Photograph Regional Rail Trains

Here is a little trip/hike we did this past June...Take the R2 to Crum Lynne & within about 3 miles you can shoot Ridley Park, Prospect Park, & Norwood. Crum Lynne is a Zone 3 trip, so if you are a "hiker" you can walk back toward Philadelphia (Glenolden & Folcroft would be next) & just hop on!
Crum Lynne:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=985860
Footbridge between Crum Lynne & Ridley Park:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=594510
Ridley Park:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1201611
Prospect Park:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1201623
Norwood:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1018097

khecht wrote:I don't think there's a magic place at Zoo, unless you consider the hot air balloon that the zoo uses for observation, but it only runs in the warm weather months. On the south side of Zoo interlocking, there's Mantua Ave, but having ridden past there many times on the R5 and Keystones, it doesn't appear to be a good neighborhood, and you will have trouble getting photos of anything on the north side of the interlocking using the duckunders or lower level tracks, such as the freights or much of the NEC traffic. Your top of the car reference I assume is to Zoological St that borders Zoo (the interlocking) and the zoo.

Here are some pictures my wife took a few years back of the Zoo interlocking from the balloon.





Bring a good lens.

As some of you may have seen, the University of Pennsylvania is constructing a new pedestrian bridge over Amtrak, north of the South Street bridge, which is now being demolished (the section over Amtrak is already gone. The new bridge is expected to open next month, and will offer a new photography vantage. See a map here: http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/ ... essMap.pdf

Note there is no public parking anywhere near the bridge. Parking at the hockey rink and the tennis courts is restricted to Penn permits and rink and court users. The closest parking is on 31st St. (access from Chestnut) or on 33rd St. You might be able to park by the soccer fields (Rhodes Field) on weekends, but it's a long way there--you have to enter way down off University Ave. between 34th St. and the Amtrak overpass where the funny looking steam plant is.

that new pedestrian bridge sounds like an excellent spot, you'll be able to use the city as a backdrop for photos as well.

the vicinity of 8th & Girard



btw i didn't call ahead before taking this photo, or any of the photos here: http://www.railfanwindow.com/gallery2/v ... 2008-12-29

How safe is Holmesburg Jct. I'm looking into it for Friday as a place to catch the ACES train, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it safe, anyone know what track speed there is? Also any other suggestions along the R7 besides Cornwells Heights?

Kaback9 wrote:How safe is Holmesburg Jct. I'm looking into it for Friday as a place to catch the ACES train, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it safe, anyone know what track speed there is? Also any other suggestions along the R7 besides Cornwells Heights?

PM BuddSilverliner269 - he seems to have found a nice spot near Toresdale.

Also, if you're at Holmesburg and you can time it right you might be able to catch the FJ4 going to work on the branchline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaseTTQzaV8

The "weave bridge" over the Amtrak NEC just north of South Street is now open. 
See above for link to directions.

http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com ... 7250.shtml

Kaback9 wrote:How safe is Holmesburg Jct. I'm looking into it for Friday as a place to catch the ACES train, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it safe, anyone know what track speed there is? Also any other suggestions along the R7 besides Cornwells Heights?

I've found the Holmsburg Junction station to be safe, but I've kept off the tracks.

Also, I agree with Terrapin Station that the area on Girard around the Reading viaduct is a good location.

Matthew Mitchell wrote:The "weave bridge" over the Amtrak NEC just north of South Street is now open. 
See above for link to directions.

http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com ... 7250.shtml

has anyone here taken any shots from this bridge yet? I'm wondering if it provides a good photo/video location for Amtrak trains. Is it heavily used by pedestrians?

I'm not a railroad photo spokesman, but I took these photos just to quench the boredom

Edit: Do not step off the platforms to take pictures like those, and especially dont publicize them. I've taken them down. DONT DO THIS!!! (for a variety of reasons) -AlexC

NEVER step off the platform to take pictures. NEVER put your camera on the rail to take pictures. NEVER post these types of pictures online.

NEVER.

How safe is it to take pix at North Philly station? I may go there on Good Friday.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:How safe is it to take pix at North Philly station? I may go there on Good Friday.

I have heard that many poeple have gone there during the day and had no problem. I grew up in the city and I know better to go there because I know of the amount of crime. Most people who come to the area to photograph arent really familiar with the area and most likely dont know the risks. I would say go with a group if you can and just remain vigilant...