Anybody have suggestions for a place to train watch in this area that has decent freight train volume
Freight traffic in Phila is rather diffuse. There’s not really a great volume of traffic on any one line within the city. If you are looking for good photo spots, check out the work of
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=470
Just outside the city, you might want to check out West Trenton and Norristown. There is a least some SEPTA action to keep you amused between the infrequent freight traffic.
If you are looking for high density freight traffic, you have to go up to Reading or out to Harrisburg.
You can try Cheltenham station on the Septa R-8 line where the CSX line splits from SEPTA. Also Holmesburg Junction sees a local and some switching along the former Conrail Bustleton Secondary. As the other posted stated if you go outside the city along the West Trenton and Norristown lines you will see CSX and NS freight trains.
As some of the forum members mentioned before on this thread there aren’t many places to railfan in terms of freight traffic in Philadelphia, trust me I was born and rased in Philly, just recently moved to Louisville.
If you are going to be in the Northeast I would recommend heading on over to the Tacony area which isn’t all that far from the Tacony Palmira Bridge over into south Jersey. The NEC parallels Interstate 95 there. You can see tons of Amtrak, Septa, and NJT action. If your lucky you might see a CSX local freight on the line, but those chances are one in 10,000. In order to access the NEC you would have to go to the following stations: Tacony, Cornwell Hights, Torresdale, or Holmesburg Junction. I would reccommend going to Holmesburg Junction, there is a little yard there used by Amtrak and NS, there is also some NS trackage that runs into the Phila Industrial park not too far from there.
You could also head on the train down to 30th street station, and walk or take a cab or bus down to Zoo interlocking, which is on the NEC right before you hit 30th St station in the Northwestern part of the city, you should be able to access it off of 36th street, and some side streets, I can’t remember the names of all of them.
Um… you could also head on over to South Philly by the sports complex and behind the Lincoln Center you will find an Intermodel yard owned and operated by CSX Transportation. It might be a bit difficult to get good railfaning spots though.
If you can I would visit other areas of the Philadelphia suburbs to see more freight action, some of the best is in Conshohocken, Norristown, Bridgeport, and Upper Merion Township areas on the old Reading and Pennsy lines. You can get to Norristown on the R6 Septa line, I would get off at Norristown Trans Center. CSX, NS and, Septa share that line through the
And don’t miss Pavonia yard (CSX and NS) – just across the Delaware River in Camden NJ.
When I lived there I enjoyed the view from the station while waiting for my SEPTA train to take me back to West Philly. There I saw my first P-42’s of Amtrak and a few MoW Orange CSX trains.
I think that along the river at Valley Forge had a nice view for railfanning, but my favorite was up by Reading. If you get a chance go up to Jim Thorpe. A great town with RR history.
where i live and go to school there freight trains that run to harrisburg and jersey.
The line is next to the turnpike and near the Willow Grove Guiseppis pizza.
the is an intersection where septa goes under the freight line on the property on the Eastern Center for arts and technology.
Thanks I know that area. Actually I am thinking that Allentown will more fit my needs. It is only 53 miles from where I will be which is not so bad for me to go to train watch
As mentioned, freight traffic in Philadelphia it self is sparse. Both CSX facilities in the city are in fairly well protected locations. However, the Schuykill River Park runs right next to the B&O/CSX main. Traffic in this area, though, is about 10 trains a day, mostly at night.
CSX also has six inbound and six outbound trains a day from S. Philly. These move over the High Line and move mainly at night or early morning. In addition there is a 5 day a week local that services the piers on the Delaware at night.
NS runs about 25 to 30 trains a day on the Harrisburg Line - between Abrams Yard (King of Prussia) and Reading. This line traverses Valley Forge Park.
Canadian Pacific operates three inbound and three outbound trains a week. Using the NS Harrisburg Line and the CSX High Line into S. Philly. They also have a 5 day a week local job, that services the Navy Yard, and the Piers during the afternoon.
You can also find Conrail Shared Assets working the piers in the afternoon as well.
Nick
if you take 309 and then follow 145 it will lead to grease monkey in allentown. From there go straight and you will see two bridges. This is the ns main north and south.
look up basin street, Allentown, pa on maps.google.com for the location
You might want to try the area around Frankford Junction for a good deal of passenger traffic and some freight traffic. Conrail Shared Assets has a small freight yard at the junction of the NEC and the dealair Bridge to NJ. From the pedestrian overpass you can walk right over the freight yard and the NEC. There is a good deal of traffic in the area. NJT to AC, NS and CSX units , Amtrak, Septa MU’s and nearby the Frankford El. Freight using the NEC to Holmsburg uses that yard and all the freight going to and from Camden’s Pavonia yard passess through Frankford Junction. The area is pretty safe ( I have never had a problem in some 20 years there) and if you move about a bit on the fringes of the junction you can get good shots. Best photo light for freights is early AM, for the NEC itself you can move with the sun from AM to PM. On a map the junction is around the intersections of Frankford ave. and Butler St about a half mile from the intersections of Erie Ave. and frankford Ave. Freight activity is best on weekdays but on both Sat and Sun AM there is local switching going on from the AM delivery from Pavonia. Good luck.