Port Richmond Operations

Does anyone know what the service patterns on the Port Richmond branch are? I get lucky once in awhile catching a CSX/NS or occasional Conrail engine moving tanker cars around, but its hard to predict when they're doing yard moves. I'd love to catch a train going all the way up the line, but I have no idea when the trains make moves off the line.

There only seems to be a few customers back there, mainly Riverside materials and the oil tank farms.

Within the past week, I've also noticed Conrail crews doing MOW work on the line, clearing brush, some new ballast and jointed rail replacement. Anything bigger going on, or just basic maintenance. The whole yard and terminal area is such a pale shadow of its former greatness.

No real answers, but...
It's stunning to look at the elevated line into Port Richmond alongside Leigh Ave. (via LiveLocal) and realize it was once 10 tracks across (going by the number of girder bridges crossing the roads - now there's only 1 track there). That's bigger than some yards.
I was in the area a week ago, and didn't see any thing happening in regards to restoring rail service to Tioga Marine terminal, which would really increase traffic along the branch (to the untrained eye, it looks like the only thing necessary would be to open the gate to the terminal, as the line looks fine - however I'm sure experienced MOW personnel could identify what's wrong and needs repair/replacement).
I wonder if they will find a way to service the Chemical plant on the Southwest side of Old Frankford creek using the same branch that the plant on the north side of Frankford Creek does, which would let Conrail SAA use the same yard (south of Aramingo) to store both plants tank cars, and also cut back the branch almost to the Delair Bridge/New Frankford Creek bed (since it seems most of the handful of industries left in Bridesburg are light industry/transportation (i.e. school buses) which don't need rail freight) because Mayor Street (apparently not beloved in Northeast Philly) is pushing some sort of park/redevolepment project for various sites along the Delaware, including the barren former industrial tract in SE Bridesburg where the PR branch runs to the chemical plant...

I actually spent Monday railfanning in the area and got a chance to catch Riverside Materials receiving a load of concrete for processing. I did get lucky the week before and caught a CSX engine moving tankers around in the yard as well. It seems the switching is done in the evenings (between 5 and 8 pm). The stone cars go through in the morning, but only seem to be there once or twice a month.

There as also been some MOW work going on by Conrail in the form of brush clearing, and some new ballast being thrown down. One could only wish this would translate into more tracks and traffic going in, but not likely. One switch leading to the Maintenance building has been removed leaving only 2 or 3 tracks accessible to the Ann St. building.

I don't know what's going on with the Tioga sidings, last I heard the money was awarded, but I haven't seen any activity that would indicate they are going to be receiving rail cars any time soon.

I have seen the crews start at 7:30AM and also start at 3:30PM. They have also worked through the night many of times. I have seen the interchange run vary. Loads that leave car run from 12-35 cars a day. Normal power is a GP40-2. Every now and then an NS high hood GP38 in thrown into the mix.

There is 1 main track that is used to get in and out but there are 2 other tracks that are used for storage. The stone train runs 2-3 times a week not 2-3 times a month. There have been times when that crew would get the empty back to Abrams then cut away and couple up to a loaded stone train that was waiting. A new crew would also be waiting. Nothing like listening to a loaded stone train come in at midnight!

To my knowledge, there is no connect for the to plants by the creek to come off of the same track. The one plant gets switched 2 times a day with no less then 12 cars leaving at a time. This job is done out of Frankford Junction.

I do miss the days of the Port Richmond local working with SW1001/1500 & GP15-1's and the stone trains with SD40-2/SD60/M & C40-8W's. But it is still nice to sit on my porch and watch them go by with any typoe of power.

Brian

To my knowledge, there is no connect for the to plants by the creek to come off of the same track. The one plant gets switched 2 times a day with no less then 12 cars leaving at a time. This job is done out of Frankford Junction.

This I understand is currently true - however, I could imagine a small bit of trackage construction and a new bridge across old Frankford creek connecting from the yard south of Amarigo under the Expressway to the southern Chemical Plant (in Bridesburg proper), so that the line which currently runs through the vacant land and past light industrial buildings/parking looks of south Bridesburg can be vacated (As I said, there are plans to convert that vacant land to a commercial/residental complex, albeit the preliminary drawings on the web look straight out of the 1970s... I do believe, however, they plan to retain the H-shaped electrical transmission towers that run along the former Kensington & Tacony ROW, and put a walking path underneath them...

The local ran the interchange at 8AM this moring and as I type this, at 10:30AM, a stone train has arrived.


Brian

For 3 months I rented one of my 5TM Trackmobiles and provided myself as a conductor for a chemical plant that moved one tankcar a week over 1 mile of track along the waterfront in this area. We actually ran under a portion of the old "H shaped" PRR overhead wires. Very neat operation it was. We ran thru 2 seperate diamonds and around a 53 degree radius curve.

At one point I was asked to reposition an SW1200 from one track over to another and I snapped a few shots of the "consist" as it was parked under the "H" supports.
When I get the film developed I will make it a point to post them on here.