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The Philadelphia Chapter of the

National Railway Historical Society

Established in 1936

 

Railfan Pictures of the Week - 01/28/2007


CSX Lansdale Yard Lansdale PA January 25 2007
 

The usual motive power assignment for CSX's Lansdale operations is a pair of EMD 4 axles (GP38-2's or GP40-2's) for the local jobs and a pair of ex-Conrail SD40-2's for the Sunday to Thursday C746 transfer run to Greenwich yard (due to the need for cab signal equipment on SEPTA's Main Line). Last Monday they were CSX 2788, 6212, 8825 and 8842 respectively. This week, usual went out the window.

On Tuesday night, C746 went down with 2788, 6212 and 8842 but only 2788 and 6212 came back (no B745 that night). On Wednesday, C746 originated in South Philly and came up the Stony Creek Branch with 6109, 2578 and 4413 pulling a number of trash and high cars. This brought the total engines in Lansdale to six, largest collection of power in years, but that was not the end. The Wednesday C746 was led by 6109, 2578 and 4413 down the Stony Creek, as none of them have cab signals. On the return, those three were joined by CSX 8865 for the run back to Lansdale. Seven engines. One person was heard to remark that it was beginning to look a lot like Cumberland around here. But even this was not the acme of weirdness that was the week that was. Thursday's C746 took every one of them, as well as 25 cars, back down to South Philly, returning with only 2788, 6212 and 8865 (no B745 ran).

 
CSX 6109, 2578 and 4413 were three of the four engines on empty grain train K001 that ran west on the Trenton Line from New York down to Philadelphia, where the engines were pulled off at the power strapped yard and used for other trains.
Someone evidently decided to improve on 2578's CSX Dark Future paint scheme.
CSX 4413 still says CONRAIL on its rear and sides, but strangely it has been painted out on the nose, leaving only QUALITY lettering.
CSX 8865 has had its nose lettering obliterated for quite some time.
The other engines were hiding on the other side. CSX 8825 had been flagged by FRA inspectors for having a flat spot on one of its wheels, which was fixed on site the day before. The local power 2788 and 6212 were parked behind it. The usual B738 local daylight job up the Bethlehem Branch was annulled due to a broken switch at Hatfield Warehouse and the dearth of cars from the light engine return of C746 that morning. With the new configuration of the Lansdale Station, the layoff track in the foreground will be replaced with a high level platform, the commuter trains turning at Lansdale will be on the industrial track, and the CSX freight equipment will be stored just to the north of where the engines stand today.

 

All pictures January 25 2007 Copyright © 2007 John P. Almeida

Photographs for personal use only. All rights reserved by original owner of image. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without express written permission is prohibited.

 
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Last Updated January 28, 2007


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