Olney Crossovers

At Olney Transportation Center, does the end of the track on the ramp end on a grade or does the track level out before ending?

ends on a grade.

Really? That's a rather precarious setup. Is there some kind of stop device to keep runaway trains from getting pummeled?

SEPTA2461 wrote:Really? That's a rather precarious setup. Is there some kind of stop device to keep runaway trains from getting pummeled?

IIRC, the Olney ramp is only used to turn Ridge spur trains from the NB to the SB track. I don't know if its used for storage.

That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

Really? Because I can see a little red light go on when a train reaches the top.

SEPTA2461 wrote:

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

Really? Because I can see a little red light go on when a train reaches the top.

I believe the ramp goes as far as Grange street.

Clearfield wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

Really? Because I can see a little red light go on when a train reaches the top.

I believe the ramp goes as far as Grange street.

I always thought the tunnel extended a little further than that. Maybe halfway to Nedro. I guess they tore the buffer down since two-car Broad-Ridge trains wouldn't go that far up the tunnel.

SEPTA2461 wrote:

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

Really? Because I can see a little red light go on when a train reaches the top.

been a while since i was up there, things might have changed a bit. what i found most interesting was the rails marked 1917 towards the end.

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:

jtaeffner wrote:

SEPTA2461 wrote:That's correct. And Ridge Line trains are always two cars. About three carlengths up, there's an orange diamond-shaped stop sign, and probably a bumper behind it, though I can never see it on my photography sessions.

there's another 150 or so feet of track after the stop sign. the only bumper is a brick wall.

Really? Because I can see a little red light go on when a train reaches the top.

been a while since i was up there, things might have changed a bit. what i found most interesting was the rails marked 1917 towards the end.

Just like the ramps past Erie were supposed to carry the Roosevelt Subway, the tracks past Olney could be extended onto Stenton avenue into the Ogontz area, and maybe up the Fort Washington Expressway.

I believe you meant the Pennsylvania Railroad's Whitemarsh branch.

Patrick Boylan wrote:I believe you meant the Pennsylvania Railroad's Whitemarsh branch.

not to hijack the thread, but i've thought for ages that this line should be brought back. a park and ride at 309 would be jam packed every day.

Broad Street Express service would see a lot more ridership than it does now and run more frequently with trains extended up Stenton and Ogontz Avenues to a park-and-ride at the end of the Fort Washington Expressway. The region needs to push for more ideas like this, especially in tone-deaf Harrisburg.

For those interested, they installed a new end-of-track light at the end of the tunnel.