Railfanning locations around/in Philly

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Does anyone know of some good railfanning locations around Philly? Freight or Passenger are fine.

I will have my Parents with me so no bad areas please [:D] (Also must be busy to entertain my Mom, he he)

Thanks

2

30th Street Station. Go to the north side of the side of station and you’ll have a clear view of Amtrak trains arriving and departing to New York and Harrisburg. The old Pennsy High Line is right there too and you might get a few shots of some freight trains passing by there. The station is easily to get to by subway from downtown Philly.

3

When we visited Valley Forge, I watched a couple of trains from the old Valley Forge RR station while the rest of the party toured the house that George Washington stayed in.

dd

4

Philly is a tough place to photograph trains. Since the PRR goes back to an 1850 founding and the population density of the corridor as well as mature trees and foliage finding a public area along the tracks with visibility can be a daunting task. North Philadelphia station isn’t too safe a place if it is still open at all. 30th st. station probably is the best location. There is a parking lot to the east side of the station and you can easily walk to the wall that overlooks the Race st. engine terminal at the north end and the mains into the station at the south end. You could also go up the second level that is used by commuter trains for some variation. Be sure to see as much of the station as you can as it has been restored and stopped by the statue of winged victory to honor all the PRR employees who were killed serving in World War Two. For something different there is a subway line that runs over the Ben Franklin bridge to New Jersey that gives some good views of the city. It is the PATCO line. You could also ride the Market St. El to 69th St. and ride the Philadelphia and Western Interurban to Norristown. Don;t know if they have newer cars now but you might get to ride a Brill Bullet that will surprise you with its acceleration and speed. I did that when I was about ten years old and will never forget it.

5

The Norristown line has had “new” cars now for more than ten years (maybe twenty?). Sadly you’d have to go back in time to ride a Bullet. Still - it’s a great line to ride and most of the stations are in safe areas. Villinova is my favorite stop.

If you like LRVs, ride the Sharon Hill/Media line too.

Also, there is a line running in Philly with rebuilt PCCs, but I don’t know much about it. You’ll need to do a little web research. It might not be in the best of areas. (Please don’t flame me if I’m wrong - I’m just being

6

The prior thread is helpful.

Looking back on a visit I made to Philadelphia a couple of years ago, I remember being saddened by the signs of what once had been, but was no longer, as far as freight service–lots of neglected yard and industrial trackage, main lines that had once been electrified multiple-track routes, stuff like that. I was shown one active yard (Abrams), but the amount of action seen there was small for a metropolitan area of Philadelphia’s size.

Passenger service was interesting, if different from what I’m used to. It is neat that SEPTA is set up so that Center City is in the middle of all of the routes, instead of at one end (perhaps Chicago could take some lessons there!), and they have higher fares during the rush hours–a practical way to increase revenue. The station at 30th Street is awesome, especially compared to Chicago’s Union Station.

7

There is plenty of freight action in the Philadelphia area. Most of it just moves at night, and skirts Center City proper.

CSX runs about 20 trains a day. CSX’s has one facility next to the Sunoco Refinery, The other is between the Sports Complex and the Navy Yard. Neither location is particularly accessable. However, the Schuykill River Park provides good views of the ex-B&O river level main line and ex-PRR High-Line on the opposite side of the river.

There is more action on NS’s Harrisburg Line, which runs through Valley Forge Park. There is also NS’s Abrams yard in King of Prussia.

The hub for passenger activity is 30th Street Station. Amtrak, NJ Transit, and SEPTA operate out of the station.

Nick

8

Thanks guys, all you’re responses seem very helpful.