Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS Non-Heritage Unit in Delaware

Norfolk Southern NB auto rack train without a crew on board parked on Track 1 Newark, Delaware on a recent morning.

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How often do freight trains just stop and park in the middle of the NEC?

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

Good question, I'd like to know the answer myself.
This particular location has a lot of freight action and freights are held here at various times.

It's not really tying up anything, unless NS needs to run another freight. The Amtrak trains use Tracks 2 and 3, and SEPTA doesn't operate south of Newark station, as you can see the end of the SEPTA train sitting on Track A in the station. Here's an aerial photo http://goo.gl/maps/mPVB4 The NS yard is to the left (west). SEPTA trains use Track A, against the platform on the south side. Northbound Amtrak trains usually load on Track 2, on the wooden platforms, after they get permission to handle passengers across Tracks A and 1.

The NS freight in the photo is on Track 1 south of the station. I suspect it will get a recrew and then go northeast to Davis Interlocking, cross to Track A and then go around the 90-degree connection to the Delmarva line. Perhaps, though, being an autorack train, it might be en route to Wilmington, in which case it would proceed northeast on Track 1 to Ragan Interlocking and then take the Shellpot Branch around the southeast side of Wilmington to the auto unloading facility, or they might be export cars handled through the Port of Wilmington. Yes, the Port of Wilmington actually handles export cars made in the US. Here's an aerial of Ragan Interlocking, with the NEC curving to the north-northeast while the single-track Shellpot Branch curves under I-95 to the east http://goo.gl/maps/7j8Iu And here's the auto facility: http://goo.gl/maps/37b2x The ship dock is along Allen Ct to the east. You can see the dock that's parallel to the river.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/14 15:02 by knotch8.

I like the look of Pic 2!!!