Nostalgia & History > Another early CR question.

Back in January 1977 and a few times after that, I have notes that indicate that some RF&P units were showing up on CR at Enola Pa at this time. The dates are spread out but the first sightings I have in my notes from way back then are of the RF&P 127 & 142 at Enola on the 23rd of the month.  Were these leased units are something entirely different? I would imagine that they came up the Port Road/Enola Branch from Perryville Md and on into Enola. Tho I do not have any shots of these, I do recall seeing them for a brief peroid of time back then, What was the deal?  Any insight from around the circles from back then?  What trains would they have come into Enola on?  Thanks for any insight.  Ben

Strictly a guess, but could there have been a run-through train from Enola to Acca Yard in Richmond? That would have required RF&P leaders for the cab signals on the RF&P.

NZ

NebraskaZephyr Wrote:
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> Strictly a guess, but could there have been a
> run-through train from Enola to Acca Yard in
> Richmond? That would have required RF&P leaders
> for the cab signals on the RF&P.
>
> NZ

NZ, SB out of Enola  is actually EB from Enola to Perryville Md where the ex Pennsy NY-WDC Main is attained. Most freights that used the Port Road/Enola Branch to Perryville were bound for Baltimore or Pot Yard in the Wash DC area or Alexandria Va. Pretty much everything that went this way went to the RF&P here at Pot Yard then south on the RF&P. So the question you posed as to whether or not a run-thru would necessitate RFP units NB from Pot Yrd  as that would be where RFP cab signal requirements would change to PRR/PC Cab siganls, and I believe the two were different,would probably include just about every train that ran the route.And at that point, I would not be sure as to which train it was. I do not recall seeing any other trains along the way that required RF&P units to lead NB as it would be all ex PRR from Pot Yard north. And it was only a short time period that I recall seeing the RF&P units at Enola. They did not come up thru HBG on the east shore of the Susquehanna Rvr as I had a pretty good idea of what ran there. So that narrows it down to runs on the Enola/Port Road and across the Susq Rvr at Shocks Mill the north thru New Cumberland/Lemoyne and eventually Enola and past the old Day Tower here at Enola.  Thanks. Ben

Did the D&H have run-thru rights into Potomac Yard in those days via Northumberland / Enola?

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Did the D&H have run-thru rights into Potomac Yard
> in those days via Northumberland / Enola?

Yes, they did. It started with the CR Merger in 1976, tho I do not recall chasing anything south of Enola at first. I do remember chasing one SB abt 0200 or so one cold snowy day just south of the old Roy Int at Middletown Pa.  They did, that is the D&H, start running SB thru HBG on the ol PRR not to long after the merger tho. Up til that point, and I have not got into my notes deep enough to provide a date, but I do have shots of D&H units leading SB with an all D&H power set past what is now the NS Main Line Fuel Pad at MP 107.. This routing would have required the D&H to bypass Enola at Rockville of the Buffalo Line and head south to the Port Road at Roy on what is now the AMT Keystone Corridor. Which would mean a recrew at Ft Hunter/Rockville on the ol Buffalo Line I would think.  Ben

There was an Allentown-Washing ton train that ran wiyh RF&P power. I don't remember if it ran via H-Burg or Phily. but if it ran via Philly, the RF&P units coming into A-town making a quick trip to H-Burg and back wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities.

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

ALCO630 Wrote:
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> There was an Allentown-Washing ton train that ran
> wiyh RF&P power. I don't remember if it ran via
> H-Burg or Phily. but if it ran via Philly, the
> RF&P units coming into A-town making a quick trip
> to H-Burg and back wouldn't be out of the realm of
> possibilities.

Possible perhaps. But I don't ever recall seeing RFP in HBG proper. That routing out of Allentown would put them thru HBG yard and over Rockville Bridge. These all came up the Port Road/Enola Branch from the east/south of Enola.  Ben

Hey Ben
Am going to throw this scenario out, on my take on seeing the RF&P units in Enola.  1976-1977 saw the merger of Conrail, with it came trackage rights for the D&H from Enola to RT&P Potomac Yard in Alexandria.  The only problem was that the D&H had no cab signaled units at startup.  This is where the RF&P units came into play.  The led the D&H trains over the newly acquired route, until the D&H got there GP39-2's, which came from the Reading to get there cab signals installed, which I believe that Conrail had to cab signal them, before they were turned over to the D&H.  The crews would change at the little yard near CP WYE, drop the RF&P unit and continue onto the Buffalo Line to the D&H Sunbury Line.  The RF&P unit was removed, at this yard and was then be taken back to Enola until the next call, fuel, serviced etc.

As for your comment about the crews in the Ft. Hunter area?  There was a crew office on the road along the river, just to the south of the Rockville Bridge were the crews could do their paperwork and whatever was faxed to them.  I don't remember how long the office was there for, but it did exist.

So that is my take on the RF&P units in Enola

Dave
Mount Joy, PA

perhaps it was a run through test throwing on a pennsy unit at Pot yard for a cab signal leader and removing it at Pot yard sb ...