I came across this derailment today (3/13/05) at around 5pm. The incident happend on CSX trackage that is located right next to Septa’s R5 regional rail line. There were many people there including the CSX trainmaster for the Lansdale yard. I started chating with him and he told me the following: This occured on Saturady (3/12/05), we’ve been here since 6am in the morrning, I was speaking to him at 5pm. The incident was caused by poor track maintaince. He also told me that the tracks haven’t been touched since the Penn Central times. I wonder was he exaggerating?//. He also mentioned that Septa told CSX to get this cleaned up ASAP before Monday (rush hour trains). I thought this was real interesting since this derailment occured on CSX trackage and not Septa. I also didn’t see one Septa official there, they have some nerve.
There were about 10 railfans there the most I’ve ever seen there. That really was interesting since nothing ever happens in Lansdale, PA.
Anyway here are the pics:
Humm. . . . . . . . you have to wonder why the rail gave out? lol
The engine shown here is CSX #8868 SD40-2, this was taken at the point when the enigineer throttled up and the train went nowere.
I couldn’t see the third shot in my computer, Sarah.
It would have been interesting to see what they were so unsuccessful at doing with the SD40-2 (I’m glad the trainmaster talked to you with answers, though, instead of sending you away–you must have been keeping a safe distance). I don’t know if SEPTA could make that “suggestion” stick on CSX trackage, but I can see their concern–it would slow things down if there were workers present on the adjacent trackage that close to the main line. AMG
Dont think he was kidding either…old, jointed rail on ties thet have been there long enough for the creasote to bleach out of them.
It takes, what 20 to 30 years for that to happen…
If that track hasn’t been repaired since Penn Central repaired it then it has never been repaired. Lansdale is solidly in Reading territory. That track was built by the North Penn Railroad which was absorbed by the Philadelphia & Reading very early.
Landsdale was not only on the Reading, but the Liberty Bell Limited of Lehigh Valley Transit had its main line on the street next to the Reading Passenger station and some interuruban cars from Allentown were scheduled to connect with the Reading electric commu9ter trains to Reading Terminal Philadelphia. The LVT line ran from Allentown to Norristown, then up an incline to the Philadelphia and Western, then Red Arrow, now SEPTA line 100 and the interurban cars ran through on third rail pickup to the 69th Street Terninal of the Market Street rapid transit line, as Rt 100 does today. The Norristown line trackage at 69th Street included a wye to reverse the single-end LVT cars and also a freight-house for trolley freight from Allentown and Bethlahem and Easton, PA, and on-line sidings. I never saw interchage freight cars on LVT, just converted old wood passenger cars made into freight motors and trailers. Most of the passesnger service between 69th Street and Allentown was by ex-Concinnati and Lake Erie light-weight high-speeds, with one similar, but all-parlor, Indiana Railroad high-speed. When I first rode that line in the fall of 1947, with John Stern and Bill Watson, at the age of 15-1/2, it was really the thrill of my life. Any excuse possible saw me return until the line was replaced by buses about 1953. The last year and a half the through service was discontinued and one had to change at Norristown, but the freight cars ran through, with a contract with a truck company’s freight. Charlie Houser was a well-known railfan, NRHS member, and an LVT motorman, and he once let me and a fellow MIT student ride the rear platform of an Allentown - 69th Street three-car frreight train.
Sara, I grew up in New Britain, where exactly is this location. How far from station, in which direction? What is the street crossing in the third picture. Used to work on Broad so am familiar with some of the streets.
Hey, I used to live in Chalfont near Doylestown and never saw much on the Doylestown SEPTA line except commuters and I think a Conrail switcher made a trip up and down the line at night (this was back in the mid 1980’s). Anything new on that line?
lol Well to me it looks like CSX was at fault here since they didn’t attend to this section of trackage in about 20 - 30 years. So I would conclude that both the industry and the trackager are starting to go, in this situation
I guess I’ll answer a little bit of your questions here The Landsdale Terminal is located on Main St in the center of Lansdale. Lansdale is located in Mountgomery County PA. It is approx: 30mins from Philadelphia. In order to get there you would keep going (north) on 73 aka Summytown Pike which turns into Main St. If you used to work on Broad St (in Lansdale or North Penn) I’m sure you know were Main St. I took this pic in the Lansdale (R5)'s trainstation parking lot, there is a grade Xing there.
The trackage is owned by CSX.
Nothing is really new on the R5 line eolafan. Except the R5 doesn’t run as often as it used to because, of the financial trouble Septa has been having. Some of the R5’s trains don’t go all the way to the end of the line in Doylestown as much as it used to. I think it’s mainly because of Septa’s finanical problems. I will keep a sharp eye out and see if anything has or will happen on the R5.
who owns that actual track makes a big deal as to who is at fault… if it is an industry siding…from the swtich on the main to and how ever far the track goes into the industry is the industrys responsiblty to maintain…not csx…or any other railroad for that fact… privet industry sidings and tracks are privet tracks…and are not repaired or maintained by the railroad…but someone said that it is infact csx trackage…if that is the case…then yes csx has to eat it…that is why i asked who actuly owns it…some of you want to jump on csx right away for track issues…but untill you know who actuly owns the track…you cant put blame on csx…
csx engineer
The Landsdale Terminal is located on Main St in the center of Lansdale. Lansdale is located in Mountgomery County PA. It is approx: 30mins from Philadelphia. In order to get there you would keep going (north) on 73 aka Summytown Pike which turns into Main St. If you used to work on Broad St (in Lansdale or North Penn) I’m sure you know were Main St. I took this pic in the Lansdale (R5)'s trainstation parking lot, there is a grade Xing there.