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The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Established in 1936

Railfan Pictures of the Day - 04/19/2005

SEPTA Wayne Junction Philadelphia PA April 19 2005

West Chester Railroad has acquired another Alco, MLW C424 former Canadian Pacific 4230. The engine was dropped off by CSX at SEPTA's Wayne Electric Shop to await its move to West Chester. The move is not without challenges, as the West Chester Branch is on the former Pennsylvania Railroad side and Wayne is on the Reading side. This requires the engine to go through the Center City commuter tunnel, rails usually verbotten to diesels for two reasons: exhaust fumes and clearance considerations. For the fumes, the trip through the tunnel would be short as the train was short: SEPTA SW1200 52, former Penn Central passenger car 28209 and CP 4230. SEPTA Dispatcher Desk 3 was also asking for 30 MPH through the tunnel to minimize exposure. As for clearances, a conductor would ride in 4230 to check as they went along. The crew was called for Tuesday morning, April 19 2005, and after the morning rush, they departed Wayne Electric at 9:35. And so the journey begins .......

SEPTA 52 had to wait for ALP-44 2308 to shove its Bomber set into Wayne Electric for storage until the evening rush, and then for two inbound commuter trains before it could start out.

After checking the equipment, SEPTA 52 pulls the train onto the main north of Wayne Junction.

SEPTA 52, the last true SW1200, drew this duty as its sisters were tied up (BL1500 50 at Overbrook Shops and BL1500 51 temporarily landlocked behind Wayne electric due to track work), RL1 60 is at Brookville getting the RL1a treatment and RL1a 61 was on the West Trenton Branch with the wire train.

Penn Central 28209 was lettered for the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society, but the plan to use it as a bunk car in Leesport fell through and it was picked up by the West Chester Railroad. It had been stored over at SEPTA's Frazer Shop for many years but was never used by SEPTA, although it did acquire a SEPTA decal at some point.

And the star of the show, formerly CP and NBEC, now WCRL 4230. Built in 1965 by Montreal Locomotive Works, it was one of the last three Alco MLW engines operated by Canadian Pacific Railway when it was retired in July of 1998. It was purchased by the New Brunswick East Coast Railway (ironically a former Canadian National Branch that was spun off by CN in 1998) where it became NBEC 4230 before it was purchased by WCRR earlier this year.

For this special move, the rear end came complete with a EOT and a conductor.

About to pass Wayne Tower, Extra 52 rolls by the diamond that connects the north end of Roberts Yard (tracks to the far right, used for MU maintenance and storage) and the SEPTA Main Line. The Warminster, West Trenton, Lansdale, Doylestown and Fox Chase trains use the tracks on the left, and the Chestnut Hill East trains the tracks crossing the diamond to the right.

All pictures April 19 2005 c. 2005 John P. Almeida

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Website created June 12, 2002

Last Updated April 19, 2005