Hey everyone,
I'm primarily a plane spotter these days, so I spend my time at PHL on Hog Island Rd on the south side of the airport. There's an old railroad line that circles the southern perimeter of the aiport staying next to the road the whole way. On the east side it continues off to the north.
I thought this line was abandoned since nothing was ever seen on it, and the track was in horrible shape in places and occasionally floods out when it rains a lot. Twice earlier this year another plane spotter actually caught a train operating down that piece of track. Then the worst section suddenly had brand new ballast, ties and new continuous welded rail. I then caught a short 5 car train there a week or 2 ago. A CSX Geep (Road # 1550) was hauling 2 grain hoppers and 3 tank cars. It then returned a few hours later with the hoppers and tankers switched around but the engine still on the North/East end of the train pushing backwards.
Does anyone know where this line goes? I'm pretty sure it connects with the line north of the airport that heads west toward the DelCo Boeing plant (the same branch that the SEPTA Airport line shares tracks with). But where does this "Hog Island Branch" continue to the east? Some aerial photos make it look as if it just dead ends north of I-95.
Thanks for the help.
Joe
I'm primarily a plane spotter these days, so I spend my time at PHL on Hog Island Rd on the south side of the airport. There's an old railroad line that circles the southern perimeter of the aiport staying next to the road the whole way. On the east side it continues off to the north.
I thought this line was abandoned since nothing was ever seen on it, and the track was in horrible shape in places and occasionally floods out when it rains a lot. Twice earlier this year another plane spotter actually caught a train operating down that piece of track. Then the worst section suddenly had brand new ballast, ties and new continuous welded rail. I then caught a short 5 car train there a week or 2 ago. A CSX Geep (Road # 1550) was hauling 2 grain hoppers and 3 tank cars. It then returned a few hours later with the hoppers and tankers switched around but the engine still on the North/East end of the train pushing backwards.
Does anyone know where this line goes? I'm pretty sure it connects with the line north of the airport that heads west toward the DelCo Boeing plant (the same branch that the SEPTA Airport line shares tracks with). But where does this "Hog Island Branch" continue to the east? Some aerial photos make it look as if it just dead ends north of I-95.
Thanks for the help.
Joe