As i saw in books, the PRR electrified its line to Harrisburg many years ago. On a slide from 1990, i saw an Amtrak Train with a F40 under wire near Harrisburg. Is the wire there today and is it used by Amtrak today, or are there just diesel engines in use on this line?
mike
…Harrisburg line electrified in the late 30’s…Believe the line is still there but not used by Amtrak.
There is a major project underway to restore electric passenger service to Harrisburg, but I don’t know what it’s status is. Isn’t commuter rail service supposed to begin between Harrisburg and Lancaster soon?
The wire is still there on the passenger line to Harrisgurg, electric trains have been relatively rare probably mostly due to a continuing general shortage of electric equipement for use on the NEC. Amtrak trains tend to go west beyond Harrisburg so they run as diesel trains. Plans are to run more commuter type trains on this route.
Amtrak does run AEM7’s to Harrisburg everyday from philly and NYC.
…My mistake on the Amtrak Electric operation…I stand corrected.
[8D] Mike,
The original electrification was from Zoo junction (Philadelphia) to Enola yard, which is across the Rockville (stone arches) bridge from Harrisburg, on the West side of the Susquehanna River.
There was also an electrified bypass line (across Phila’s northern suburbs) from Morrisville (Trenton) to a flyover junction at Exton.
As 440cuin says; the O/H wires are still in use from Phila to Harrisburg, occasionally they’ll put an AEM7 on the Keystone trains (sorry Tom) but usually, along with the Three Rivers and the Pennsylvanians, they use P42’s.
Also for Mike’s info; there are 4 tracks to Paoli, then 2 tracks to Harrisburg – all under catenary.
Septa runs its silver liners and/or ALP 44’s (with 5 car p/p sets) out to Thorndale (West of Downingtown).
tomfuchs – I don’t have any info on any extra trains between Lancaster and H’burg – other than ongoing political efforts to augment the Keystone service.
Checking the schedule, it looks like there presently 8 trains each way, per day.
Happy Amtraking !!
[:D] Mike in Philly [:D]
Thanks Mike for the info. I have been trackside a few times (keystone) recently, and have only seen the AEM7’s (small trains, just a few coaches). I have seen the P42’s roll north through Wilmington and always wondered where they were heading.
I guess they make a left in Philly and head west?
Michael Stevens, your man on the spot, has got it right.
According to Bob Johnston, Amtrak rarely runs electric locomotives on the Harrisburg Line because they haven’t got enough of them to cover the NEC services. He talks about this in the March issue, which you should have in about 10 days.