Nostalgia & History > AMTRAK 30th St Station Eng Service area, 1995

Back on October 8 1995 I made one of my infrequent trips over to AMTRAKS 30th St Station. From the Parking Lot one could get some decent shots without to much difficulty. Here are 2 that I got from that day.

Shot 1.  AMT E60MA 604 is the front and center unit here but there are at least 3 other E60's present along with an AEM7, GP9, GP38 that I can see.  Always something interesting here. Regret that I did not get over here that much. Really didn't like driving in the Phil downtown area too much, so I avoided it. But I did ride quite a few trains from Suburban St to here then west to Harrisburg many times.

Shot 2.  A little bit to the left of shot 1 was this AMT AEM7, the 941 awaiting it's call to haul.

Not sure if any of these shots are available in nowdays time but it sure was nice. Bet it was just as great during PC and PRR days.

 Take care all, be well all.  Ben

---

---

Got a cab ride from DC to Baltimore in an AEM-7 "Toaster" when I was at FRA in the early '80s...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

MojaveBill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Got a cab ride from DC to Baltimore in an AEM-7
> "Toaster" when I was at FRA in the early '80s...

Fast ride? That would have been interesting. Have a video from a bud at AMTRAK from the cab btwn NYP and Phil in an E60 I believe. They hit a pigeon at speed somewhere along the way. Made a "splat/thud" sound and that was that. I recall being at one of the stations along the NEC in the Bristol Pa area and having one of the FLA trains NB come by me on the track closest to platform at speed. That was interesting to say the least. He was moving rather fast.  Ben

I have very fond memories of Amtrak in the mid '90s era; thanks for sharing this.

Andy

ns2557 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not sure if any of these shots are available in
> nowdays time but it sure was nice. Bet it was just
> as great during PC and PRR days.
>
>  Take care all, be well all.  Ben

Thanks for posting these!

For the most part, the shot can still be taken today, as there's nothing built over top of the "yard" area just YET! Amtrak has plans, but we'll see. 

There are of course less electrics and diesels here nowadays because the power is only switched on the Pennsylvanian......back in the 90's, train sets still had to be switched between electric (for travel on the NEC) and diesel (for travel on the line out to Harrisburg. Even though it was electrified, the line was a serious decay, both above and below (the catenary and the jointed track). The orange hoppers containing ballast still come and go, and there's usually an extra train set or cars in the yard as well - as this picture shows (Heritage coaches). The Keystone trains were still using a variety of coach equipment (Heritage and Amfleet) in the 1990s. Replace the E60s with some Sprinters and the F40s with a couple of P42/P40s. Work trains still come and go! Servicing facility still in place outside of the station complex.