Got this from the Amtrak Unlimited discussion forum today:
Leaving NY Penn Station, 8AM (8:30am from Newark), arriving back 6:30PM.
Allentown, Harrisburg and other points, concluding with a speedy trip back to NY on the Keystone Corridor and NEC by way of the "Pittsburgh Subway". Fare: $149, tickets go on sale 10/3. Purchasing instructions and other details at the above link.
---PCJ
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What's the"Pittsburgh Subway"?
Sounds like fun. Thanks for posting. Not sure I'll make it – not enough time for sleep after work Saturday night. Would probably fall asleep on the train.
David
prrhorseshoecurve posted:What's the"Pittsburgh Subway"?
That's the third leg of Zoo Interlocking that takes you directly from the Keystone Corridor onto the Northeast Corridor headed north, bypassing Philadelphia. I guess it gets its name from the fact that it ducks under most of the junction trackage. Others can recount which trains used to use it on a regular basis (in the distant past)
---PCJ
And it will go right past our farm! Single Main Track is adjacent to our fields.
Photos are from M&E RR Anniversary trip Newark, NJ to Allentown, PA and return a few years ago.
Enroute to Allentown
Hi-Rail truck with track supervisor ahead of M&E Special
NS locomotive 'head out'
LV #353 has the 'markers'
Followed by an NS freight.
Walter M. Matuch
When you click on the link the message is "offer expired"'
On the M&E tail end above, I think the photograph shows the Pullman KITCHI GAMMI CLUB on the rear. LV business car 353 stays pretty close to Steamtown in recent years.
Tommy posted:When you click on the link the message is "offer expired"'
Tickets won't be available till 10/3 at 10am EST.
---PCJ
Wow! Amtrak through Allentown? I enjoyed the 765 trip last year from Bethlehem area, which went to Pittston and Jim Thorpe. It is a very rare thing to be able to ride the Lehigh and Reading lines owned by NS. Those lines have been freight only since the 1960's.
well, I decided to take the trip after all. Had a great time. Weather forecast had been for rain pretty much the whole day Sunday, but it held off until the last hour of the trip. There were a few employees in the train cars - conductors checking tickets - but the folks handing out meals and pins, collecting trash, and otherwise helping passengers, were off-duty Amtrak employees who were volunteering. So thanks to all of them.
Since the only time we were allowed off the train was at Lancaster, no action pix. A fair number of people out taking pix. Also saw several folks with N&W 611 hats on the train.
After the rain hit, somewhere north of Trenton, we were running along at triple digits, and overtook an NJT train still accelerating (I think). The speed differential was about 15 mph when the car I was in was alongside the rear of the train, and less than 5 mph by the time it reached the NJT loco (blurry pic of that moment included).
If memory services, the pic of the bridges is crossing the Delaware from Phillipsburg, N.J., to Easton, Pa. One of the off-duty Amtrak employees was provided commentary over the PA about upcoming spots of historical or railroad interest.
At Lancaster, the diesels were shut down, and the ACS-64 took over, pushing the two diesels and hauling the 14 cars. At least that's how it was described. Idle curiosity - in that case, the two diesels were ahead of the ACS-64. So, the ACS-64 is controlled via mu, I assume. Where does the power for the cab controls come from? Battery power in the diesel? Electricity carried via the mu cables? Stupid question, I'm sure.
David
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