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The Philadelphia Chapter of the

National Railway Historical Society

Established in 1936

 

Railfan Pictures of the Week - 10/06/2013


SEPTA Norristown Line CP Ford Norristown PA September 27 and 30 2013
 
While the NHSL Schuylkill River Viaduct project gets all the press, SEPTA's C&S Department is quietly making progress installing cab signals on the Norristown Line. Recently they arrived in Norristown to tackle probably the most complex part: the portion from CP Ford to CP Kalb that is used by SEPTA, NS and CSX. At CP Ford, the signals for SEPTA trains currently on the catenary bridge will be replaced by new signals, one of which has already been erected. Also a new signal house (on the right) has been installed on the west side of the tracks.
In addition to the C&S work, SEPTA track department was replacing ties in Kalb Interlocking during the overnight hours this week, causing a mini-log jam at Abrams which has resulted in daylight runs of the nocturnal CSX Q190 and late-morning runs of the usually early morning NS 24K, here being flagged through the work area. Throw in the locals H3A and H4A, a couple of RBMN coal trains 520 and 521, and a geometry train 905 during the past week, as well as the SEPTA revenue runs, and you have yourself a very busy flagman.
To link the signals for the NS Connecting Track to the new and old signal houses, a little digging is in order at Ford Street, just not when the trains are passing by.
After receiving permission to foul, it is back to work.
In an unrelated project (but right next door), the Lafayette Street Corridor Project to improve access between the Blue Route and the PA Turnpike and Norristown has also commenced with the clearing of the land between the ex-Reading Line (currently used by SEPTA) to the right and the ex-Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Branch (now the Schuylkill River Trail) to the left. The trail will be relocated and the road extended to Conshohocken State Road, possibly opening up new photo opportunites from the Norristown Transportation Center at Dekalb Street to the signal at Ross Street referred to as "Conte Luna", where westbound freight trains usually stop to wait for SEPTA. Expected completion of Phase One is Christmas 2014.
 

All pictures September 27 and 30 2013 Copyright © 2013 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 October 6, 2013


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