Harrisburg Platforms

Alright, here is the question. Well, when I arrived at Harrisburg this time, it never phased me before, but there is only one high level platform in the whole station. Is platform 1 the only high level platform or did I miss one?

Also, do they use the low level platforms? If so, what do they use em for?

I passed through Harrisburg last weekend and I thought I noticed a couple of high platforms - serving the tracks that Amtrak current utilizes at Harrisburg.

One high island platform for two tracks. (Not even full-length.) The other platforms are low.

I'm not quite sure why this comes as such a surprise since Harrisburg doesn't see all that many trains, and rarely more than two at a time. On occasion train #41 is on one side of the high level platform in the afternoon/evening when train #616 is on the other getting ready to leave for Philly.

When the Keystone trains arrive in Harrisburg and passengers detrain they pull the train westbound to where they turn them around. The (now) eastbound trains sit at the low-level portion of the platform (west of the station) until it's time to load passengers again for the trip to PHL/NYP.

Every once in a while we board on the low-level platform if maintenance is being done on the high level, but that doesn't happen more than a few times a year.

While I still have a Keystone thread here, I wanted to ask, for the first 20 minutes of traveling out of Harrisburg, the trains wobbles. Is this a problem with the rails and when is it going to be fixed?

jdelgrosso wrote:While I still have a Keystone thread here, I wanted to ask, for the first 20 minutes of traveling out of Harrisburg, the trains wobbles. Is this a problem with the rails and when is it going to be fixed?

Right now the Westbound track between Lancaster and Elizabethtown is being replaced with continuous welded rail. I think between E-town and Harrisburg on that same track has already been upgraded, but I might have that wrong. There is a single track (Eastbound) being used between Lancaster and E-town during the upgrade and that track is in terrible shape.

The track leaving Harrisburg is in bad shape and it is pretty bad all the way to Lancaster. After the Westbound track is replaced with CWR the Eastbound track will be next - at least I assume it will be! These are projects funded by PennDOT which finances the Keystone service.

Given that the Keystone line's track probably hasn't been touched much in 40 or 50 years it seems due for an upgrade. It is a pain because the trains Westbound run about 15 minutes late every morning because of the single track, but it will be nice when it's done.

That single track must be the one I am talking about. It rides horribly. Also, yeah, it is bad all the way to lancaster. When are they repairing the rails?

jdelgrosso wrote:That single track must be the one I am talking about. It rides horribly. Also, yeah, it is bad all the way to lancaster. When are they repairing the rails?

As we speak they're replacing the Westbound track between Lancaster and Elizabethtown - they're working Eastbound and are within a mile or so of the Lancaster station so it seems they're almost done with that section.

The work on the Westbound track is why there is a single track available to both Eastbound and Westbound trains in that area.

I assume that once they're done with the Westbound track that they'll move over and start work on that horrible Eastbound track that you rode on.

Are they using concrete ties or wood ties for the new track?

Based on this recent photo of a (slightly overpowered) Keystone train at Lancaster station, it looks like it's still jointed rail through here:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=65905

hsr_fan wrote:Are they using concrete ties or wood ties for the new track?

Based on this recent photo of a (slightly overpowered) Keystone train at Lancaster station, it looks like it's still jointed rail through here:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=65905

They're using wood ties on the Keystone line.

And you're right that the track "within" Lancaster station is jointed rail, but I believe everything westbound between Harrisburg and Lancaster (with the exception of the rail alongside the platforms) is now CWR. I have been on vacation the last week and haven't been on #607 in the morning since this section of the job was completed. At least I'm assuming it's completed since a conductor told me almost 2 weeks ago that was going to be finished during the week I was on vacation.

Are they done with the track work because I just recently rode it and it was pretty smooth.

jdelgrosso wrote:Are they done with the track work because I just recently rode it and it was pretty smooth.

The track work between Lancaster and Harrisburg on the westbound track is finished and the ride is much smoother. I can now pay bills and write checks on my way to work without my handwriting suffering too much.

The work has now started on the eastbound track which is also in pretty bad shape.

The State of PA is paying for returning the PHL - HBG route to a "state of good repair". This means welded rail and a lot of wood ties, but no major resignalling or interlocking reconfiguration.

The work between Harrisburg and "Roy" has already been finished, and the speed limit is currently 105. The rail here is secondhand 131# CWR.

The place where the trains "wobble" is between Roy and Lancaster. That is some of the last Pennsylvania 152# and 155# rail still in service, and it's horribly surface-bent. It should all be gone now, replaced by new CWR.

Amtrak has pledged to make three AEM7s and trainsets available for the Keystone service, so it will be back to electric operation soon, with some reductions in scheduled running time.