The area surrounding Harrisburg, PA has always been one of my favorite
railfanning locations. It has plenty of everything: traffic,
photogenic locations, fast-food joints, and history. Many main
Conrail routes radiate from Harrisburg to points such as Pittsburgh,
Reading (thus to Allentown or Philadelphia), Baltimore, Hagerstown,
and Buffalo (via Williamsport). Also, Amtrak runs four trains a day
via Conrail's Pittsburgh Line; Amtrak has its own line from Harrisburg
to Philadelphia via Lancaster. Conrail freight traffic is very heavy
in this area. For now, this tour will cover from Duncannon
(approximately 20 miles north of Harrisburg) to Rockville and Enola.
Amtrak 41, The Broadway Limited, passes through Duncannon, PA in
these two exposures, taken on July 7, 1994.
Once the site of appropriately-named View Tower, Duncannon boasts a full
view of the Susquehanna River, as well as the still-standing ex-PRR
station. Duncannon is the division point between the Philadelphia
(Harrisburg Terminal DS) and Pittsburgh Divisions (Altoona East DS).
Amtrak abolished The Broadway in 1995, replacing it with train 46/47
Three Rivers (later train 40/41 again). The F40PH's are also
history as they are being replaced by GE P42's.
Access to Duncannon is from US. 11/15 (from I81 or US. 322.). Take the
Duncannon exit off of 11/15, and head towards the Susquehanna River.
Turning right after about a block will reveal the location of the former
PRR station. Currently, parking is allowed at the station - which is now
a cable company.
On a wintry morning in December 1995; Conrail TV-61 passes Duncannon, PA.
The next town south of Duncannon is Cove, located at Milepost 116 on the
Pittsburgh Line. Mail-3 is shown here cruising westbound just past Cove,
PA on the #2 Track on the ex-PRR "Broad Way".
Here is Mail-9H east of Cove (almost in Perdix), with a Union Pacific
SD40-2 and a UP SD50 in tow. US 11/15 parallels the tracks between
Duncannon to south of Enola Yards, just across the Susquehanna from
Harrisburg. There are several pull-over spots in Cove along 11/15,
enabling views such as this.
Early in 1997, Conrail revised certain symbol freights to improve the
efficiency of traffic flow through Conway Yard. BAEL, formerly BAPI, is
heading west out of CP-Banks, just north of Marysville; on October 5,
1996 at 3:11 PM. Banks is a junction of the Pittsburgh Line with the
Enola Branch to Enola Yard.
Photo by Melanie L. Good
South of Cove is Marysville, PA. Located here is CP-Banks,
one of three interlockings connecting the various main lines in the
area. CP-Banks is located just north of Marysville, connecting the
Pittsburgh Line to two Enola Yard leads. CP-Mary connects Pittsburgh
Line #1 track to Enola Branch #5 track to Enola Yard. CP-Hip is located
on the Enola Branch, jsut south of the approach to Rockville Bridge.
CP-Hip is a double crossover betweeh the two tracks of the Enola Branch.
Shown about a mile "east" of CP-Banks, PIMO is headed east (geographic
south) through Marysville, approaching Rockville Bridge.
Chicago to Morrisville doublestack TV-2M rolls by Marysville in the early
evening of February 25, 1996. Since the September 1995 completion of the
Pennsylvania double-stack clearance project, several new doublestack and
autorack trains traverse the Keystone State. Finding eastobound stack
trains in daylight this far east was a challenge during the winter months.
Chances are slightly better more recently with the addition of TV-200.
Westbound TV-61 regularly runs in the morning; frequently with double
stacks on the front.
Mail-3 heads west past Marysville, PA on February 25, 1996 behind a typical large lashup.
Rockville Bridge was the first stone arch bridge of its kind when it was
constructed in the early part of this century. CR's Pittsburgh Line
crosses on it, connecting with the Enola Branch on the west end and with
the Buffalo Line on the east. TV-2H, a Chicago to Harrisburg trailer
train rolls eastward towards CP-Rockville and Harrisburg Yard.
Rockville Bridge will always be one my favorite train watching locations.
These black-and-white photos seem to enhance the tranquil appearance of
the area. Train TV-61 heads west across the bridge, unnoticed by the two
fisherman. TV-61 is one of the only westbound double-stack trains running in
daylight hours. Photo taken August 17, 1996.
Loaded coal train UBT-368 heads east across the bridge while ML-411
(Autoracks from Port of Wilmington to Buffalo) waits it's turn on the 0
(zero) track from Enola Yard. The 0 track gained some fame this summer
as a UIR coal train dumped four coal hoppers into the Susquehanna,
destroying about 100 feet of the facade of the bridge.
Here is another popular view of Rockville, again from the west shore of
the Susquehanna. Witness train PIED-7 (Conway to Wilmington - Edgemoor
DE) behind CR 6466 and CR 6113 (SD40-2, C40-8W), again on August 17, 1996.
South of CP-Hip, on the Enola Branch, PIBA rolls into Enola Yard in
November 1996. Enola's humps were closed in October 1994, but sees some
north-south oriented flat-switching. This view is from the Overview Road
("Iron") Bridge, at the north end of Enola Yard. This is now
the site of the "Overview" High Car Detector, placed there in
case a doublestack train is misrouted into Enola.
On June 5, 1997; PIBA-5 heads south into Enola Yard. PIBA's consist:
6063 - 5650 - 5073 - 5050 - 6034 (C40-8W, SD60I, B40-8, B36-7, C40-8).
PIBA-5 is doing some switching at Enola Yard, preparing for it's nocturnal
journey down the Port Road Branch to Perryville, MD; thence via Amtrak's
Northeast Corridor to Baltimore. Visible to the right are some stored Conrail
switchers, a former Pittsburg and Shawmut unit, and a Nittany and Bald Eagle CF-7.
Conrail train PIES-4 arrived Enola late on the night of March 14, 1998 with a
CR unit in the lead and this ATSF C40-8W trailing. Hoping the ATSF unit
would be dropped at Enola, we decided to take a trip there. On the morning
of March 15, 1998, we found ATSF C40-8W No. 904 resting near the shops
with brake problems.
Photo by Melanie L. Good
Conrail train XCX-143 crosses the Susquehanna River on the former Reading Railroad
line to Hagerstown, MD. Now called the Lurgan Branch, this line traditionally
hosts interchange traffic to CSXT and Norfolk Southern. XCX is no exception,
taking empty hoppers from Camden, NJ to Hagerstown, MD. Especially noteworthy
is the power: brand new AC6000CW's 640 and 641 on their way to their new
owner, enroute from General Electric's Erie shops.
Middletown & Hummelstown 1016 runs light from the Conrail/Amtrak interchange in Middletown
to it's small yard nearby. Middletown is about ten miles south of Harrisburg, located on
the Susquehanna River. The M&H connects to Amtrak's Harrisburg Line, which runs from
Harrisburg to Philadelphia via Lancaster. The Alco T6 was acquired recently and is
seen here doing some street running, tying up traffic in Middletown.
Photo by Lauren R. Lang
Amtrak train 648 whisks past the small station at Middletown, PA on Amtrak's Harrisburg
Line. Leading the train is Amtrak 107, a P42-9 painted in the new Northeast Direct color
scheme. Train 648 passed Middletown on time at 10:30 am on September 30, 1997.
Harrisburg Area Train Dispatchers
Located at Mount Laurel, NJ. Source: Conrail Employee Timetable #5, 7/1/97;
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Divisions
Harrisburg Terminal DS
Buffalo Line
CP-Stoney MP302 to CP-Rockville MP306.2
Radio Channel 4 160.980
Harrisburg Line
CP-Tara MP104.2 to CP-Harris MP112.9
Radio Channel 4 160.980
Pittsburgh Line
CP-Harris MP105.1 to CP-Cannon MP118.9
Radio Channel 4 160.980
Enola Branch
111-L to CP-Mary
Radio Channel 4 160.980
Royalton Branch
CP-Harris MP21.9 to Roy MP11.0
Radio Channel 4 160.980
Altoona East DS - Pittsburgh Division, Pittsburgh PA
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