NEC Equipment Moves and Test Trains

Hmm, it seems "peggy" got in before the lock.

A couple sundays ago I saw a strange consist heading south across the DE river into Morrisville, PA about 7.30pm. Consisted of an ALP44, 4 comets, another ALP44, 2 bilevels and the 4303 on the north end. Shame I was heading north on Rt 1!. I went down there last sunday around the same time from 6.30 to 7.45pm and didn't see anything similar. Is this something of a regular move?
Thanks
Jim

jimp7446 wrote:A couple sundays ago I saw a strange consist heading south across the DE river into Morrisville, PA about 7.30pm. Consisted of an ALP44, 4 comets, another ALP44, 2 bilevels and the 4303 on the north end. Shame I was heading north on Rt 1!. I went down there last sunday around the same time from 6.30 to 7.45pm and didn't see anything similar. Is this something of a regular move?
Thanks
Jim

Just a regular shop move. Coaches and loco's breakdown or need regular maintainence. It might be a regular move, but it doesn't always happen at the same time or with the same stuff.

Comet V cab car, three Comet III's, 4600 and another ALP46 pushing

Probably a test train since it has Comet 3's in the consist.

What would they be testing? All of the 46's and comet V's are in service.

morris&essex4ever wrote:What would they be testing? All of the 46's and comet V's are in service.

A 46 that has just been repaired or needs requalifacation...

-A

srock1028 wrote:

morris&essex4ever wrote:What would they be testing? All of the 46's and comet V's are in service.

A 46 that has just been repaired or needs requalifacation...

-A

More like a Grandpa being escorted around by one of his sons (46) or grandchildren(46As) until he gets back on his feet. Its 4600 were talking about here.. I had to

beanbag wrote:

srock1028 wrote:

morris&essex4ever wrote:What would they be testing? All of the 46's and comet V's are in service.

A 46 that has just been repaired or needs requalifacation...

-A

More like a Grandpa being escorted around by one of his sons (46) or grandchildren(46As) until he gets back on his feet. Its 4600 were talking about here.. I had to

Don't next time.

Yeah okay now that I read it back to myself that joke sounded more than a little retarded, my apologies sixty-six.

Stopped by the Princeton Junction station once around 2pm and a second time between 8:00 and 8:30 pm and I was fortunate to catch three equipment moves running on the center tracks through the station. The daylight move was headed westbound and consisted of GP40 4147 running long hood forward with ALP-45 #4504 behind it and PL42 #4006 in the rear. The second move went by in the eastbound direction at 8:13 PM and consisted of 3 or 4 single level cars with a C5 in cab car in the lead and at least 1 or 2 more in the consist. Providing power were 2 or 3(!) Geeps. I can't be sure of the exact number as I mistook it for a Regional and opted to get a 4 second timed exposure instead of video. The final train was also headed east at 8:29 and consisted of a C5 cab, 2 C2M;s, a C4, 2 more C2M's, 1 more C4, one more C2M, an ALP-46, 2 Split levels, a PL42 and finally a Metro North F40PH in the new livery. Due to the darkness I was unable to get any numbers in the video of that last train.

I assume the ALP-45 was getting run down to Morrisville for some sort of testing, but does anybody know what the other trains were, specifically the last one as I can't see any reason an MNRR pool F40 would ever need to run on the NEC coupled to a PL42. Also are these sorts of moves common or did I just get incredibly lucky? Finally why are so many diesels in general getting sent up and down the NEC?

I'll get the photos and videos up in a few weeks.

Don't have any answers for you, but it sounds like you got VERY lucky! In addition, it seems like I caught the second train as it headed east through Highland Park. Was watching the Rutgers Basketball game on TV, when I looked out the window due to the sound of a throaty diesel. It was way too dark already to even make the train out at all, but it was definitely a few coaches being pushed hard by a diesel engine or two, so thanks for cluing me in to what I saw. Just goes to show that railfanning on the normally ho-hum NEC has its rewards!

A MN F40PH was damaged by the hurricane - did you possibly witness a few shop moves?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3273281

Well, 4147 made it as far as HOLMES. Not sure if the other two engines did, but I saw a picture of it just after it went through the interlocking.

TAMR213 wrote:Don't have any answers for you, but it sounds like you got VERY lucky! In addition, it seems like I caught the second train as it headed east through Highland Park. Was watching the Rutgers Basketball game on TV, when I looked out the window due to the sound of a throaty diesel. It was way too dark already to even make the train out at all, but it was definitely a few coaches being pushed hard by a diesel engine or two, so thanks for cluing me in to what I saw. Just goes to show that railfanning on the normally ho-hum NEC has its rewards!

The second train fit the profile of a standard ACL equipment move, although I thought those normally run in the daylight. Even if the MNRR F40 were damaged in the hurricane it seems odd that NJT would want to test it on the NEC where they would need to pay Amtrak for the pleasure unless it just absolutely needed to be run at 100mph.