Where to Catch Out in Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia
-
Philadelphia ---- CSX Baltimore Division ---- Train Hopper Timetable
All times are approximate.
Trains with Conrail designations either arrive to or depart from CSX
via Park Junction (CP Park). See ascii map below.
Park Eastside Park on on
Jct. Time Jct. CSX CR days originates - terminates
----- -------- ------ ---- ----- ------- ------------------------------
- 12:30a - R135 - MTWTFSS Philadelphia - Chicago (TT)
1:00a 1:30a - Z415 OJCS TWTFS Greenville, NJ - Jacksonville
- 3:00a - Q406 - MTWTFSS Rocky Mount, NC - Philadelphia
2:45a 3:15a - Z409 SECS MTWTFSS Selkirk, NY - Jacksonville
- 5:30a - R136 - MTWTFSS Chicago - Philadelphia (TT)
- 6:30a - Q396 - M WTFSS Saginaw, MI - Philadelphia
6:00a 6:45a - R175 TV175 MTWTFSS Kearny, NJ - Tampa (TT)
- 7:45a - R173 - TWTFS Philadelphia - Jacksonville
- 7:45a - L173 - M S Philadelphia - Tampa
- 8:00a - Q297 - TWTFSS Philadelphia - Willard, OH
- 10:00a - R191 - TWTFSS Philadelphia - Atlanta
- 10:00a - Q216 - M WTFSS Detroit - Philadelphia
- 10:30a 11:00a Z410 CSOI MTWTFSS Waycross, GA - Oak Island
- 1:45p - Q296 - M WTFSS Willard, OH - Philadelphia
- 3:15p 9:15p R174 TV176 WTFSS Tampa - Kearny, NJ (TT)
- 5:15p - Q405 - MTWTFS Philadelphia - Rocky Mount, NC
- 5:35p 9:15p L174 TV176 M Tampa - Kearny, NJ (TT)
- 5:35p - R176 M WTFSS Jacksonville - Philadelphia
- 7:00p - Q375 - MTWTFS Philadelphia - Louisville
- 8:00p - R217 - MTWTFSS Philadelphia - Detroit
- 9:30p 10:00p Z412 CSAL MTWTFSS Rocky Mount, NC - Allentown
- 9:40p 10:15p Z414 CSOJ M W S Tampa - Greenville, NJ
9:00p 9:45p - Z413 ALCS MTWTFSS Allentown - Rocky Mount, NC
- 10:35p - R192 - MTWTFSS Atlanta - Philadelphia
And the daily D&H's (CPRS):
6:15a 7:00a - 558 MTWTFSS Toronto - Philadelphia
- 9:00p 9:40p 557 MTWTFSS Philadelphia - Toront
The following ascii map is intended to show the relative positions of
the freight routes along the Schuylkill River. Amtrak rails are
displayed for reference only.
(not to scale)
Conrail www Conrail /|
to Harrisburg www to Trenton | North
\ www / |
\ www /
\---------/
| www / Amtrak to
| ww / Trenton (NEC)
West | / //
Falls|/ ww Schuylkill //
| www <- River //
| www //
| www //
| www // At CP Belmont, inbound
CP | www // freights either cross the
Belmont|\ w // river to CP Park or pass under
Amtrak to | \ // the NEC and onto the high line.
Harrisburg | ww //
\\ | // \ Conrail tracks pass under the NEC
\\________________// w \ on both sides of the Schuylkill.
\\ Zoo // www |
\\ Tower// . www |
Conrail \\ // | www |
connection to \\// / www | CP Park - this track changes from
Amtrak lines -> ||\ / wwww | Conrail ownership to CSX ownership
|| Y wwww | at this location.
|| | wwww |
|| | wwww |
Amtrak passes || | wwww |
under Conrail -> \`/ www u
|\\ www :
| \\ www : Art Museum
| ||\\ ww n Tunnel
| || \\\ ww |
"high line" | || |||| ww |
freight bypass -> | || |||| ww |
| || |||| ww |
| 30th St. ww | to Suburban & Center
| Station ---------- Market East Stations City
| //// ww | Phila.
/| /// www |
| | // www | <-- Locust Street
/ \ www | (best spot to hop, IMO)
/ // \_CR_overpass__
|// www | \
// www / \
// www / |
Amtrak to www /| |
Wilmington (NEC) ww / | |
w / /| |
/ w /|| CSX |
/ www |||Eastside |
/ www ||| Yard |
/ www \|| |
/ www \_____ |
/ wwww \ |
/ wwww \ | CSX
CSX to wwww Y Intermodal
Wilmington, wwww /|\ Yard
Baltimore wwww / ||| CP Penrose _____
wwww /| ||| _____\
wwww || \|/ _____\|
wwww | \|
wwww tank | |
wwwww farm | _______________ /
wwwwww \ ___/_ Conrail's____\_/
wwwwwww \ _Greenwich Yard_/
wwwwwwwww \____(huge)___/
wwwwwwwwwwwwww Naval \_________/ Port
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Base
Notice above how the unusual orientation of the yard relative to the
main line prevents CSX from making direct westbound movements out of
Eastside. Yard power usually pulls westbound freights up to Locust
Street, where the road units couple to the south (west) end of the
train. It is all too easy to hop aboard while the train is between
movements. Frequently, CSX police will watch waiting trains from street
access on the Center City side of the tracks. However, if you wait
along the river (and act like you're fishing or something), it will be
difficult for them to see you board on that side.
Also take note of the two possible routes for Conrail freights
between CP Penrose and CP Belmont. Outbounds from Greenwich can either
diverge onto CSX at CP Penrose, pass thru Eastside and on up to CP Park;
or, they can cross the river and proceed north upon the high line. The
route through CP Park seems to be the preferred route, perhaps because
of the easier grades.
If I can obtain schedule information for Conrail freights into and
out of Greenwich Yard, I'll post them. However, due to Greenwich Yard's
location in extreme South Philadelphia, it is not as advantageous to
hoppers with center city destinations, and, except for the western
approach tracks, most of the yard is difficult to access. If anyone
finds themselves in Greenwich Yard, though, walk towards Veterans'
Stadium. Public transportation via the Broad Street subway is available
right outside the Vet at the corner of Broad St. & Pattison Ave.
Morrisville Yard, Morrisville, PA:
There is an Intermodal yard here back-to-back with a manifest freight yard.
From the freight yard, the MOPI (Morrisville, PA to Pittsburgh, PA) is the
only reliable train to hop, it leaves between 4pm and 6pm daily, is usually
staged at the west end of the yard well before that, and is very easy to
approach from under the RT13 overpass. The rest are mostly locals. From the
Intermodal Yard, TV-1 leaves at 8pm (I've never read a schedule that lists it
at this time, but it almost always leaves between 8 and 8:15). It is best
boarded about 500 ft from the crossing at the west end of the yard, on the
south side of the tracks. As the train is formed up prior to departure, it
pulls in and out of the yard. Beware the car inspector. TV 1 will get you to
Chicago via Abrams Yard (Norristown, PA), Harrisburg, Conway Yard
(Pittsburgh), et cetera. By the way, no trains leave east out of the yard.
The tracks continue east for about 2 miles, until they join up with Amtrak's
northeast corridor. Beware the 120mph fastball :)
Woodburne Yard, Langhorne, PA:
Trains may be hopped from here all times of day, either going south towards
Philadelphia, or north towards Manville Yard (some stop, some don't), Newark,
NJ and New York City. There are woods on the west side of the yard, great for
camping in. (Note: This yard is walking distance from Morrisville)
Manville Yard, Manville, NJ:
This yard has trains going to Allentown, PA, Philadelphia, PA (via Woodburne),
and Newark, NJ.
Abrams Yard, Norristown, PA
Most trains travel through the yard to fast to board, but trains approaching
from the east (TV-1, TV-11, MOPI) must travel across a small stretch of
commuter track. Though I can't say they ALWAYS stop first, I've NEVER seen
them NOT stop. After stopping, they proceed at restricted speed through the
Norristown Transportation Center. This place is lit up like a christmas tree,
and I would not recommend riding through on a flat car, or a gon, although I
have done both without a hassle. If I ride TV-1 from Morrisville, I usually
get off before the station, walk through the station, then board TV-11 (the
next Intermodal) when it comes. I wait on the island in the middle of the
Schuylkill River. TV-11 eventually goes to St. Louis, but it travels the same
route as TV-1 through Pittsburgh, and has a higher priority than TV-1. Just
as an example, TV-1 spends 2 hrs in Harrisburg, being broken up and shuffled,
while TV-11 just strolls up to the pumps, tanks off, and is gone again in 10
minutes (the cars are never cut).
Allentown Yard, Allentown, PA:
There is a freight yard on the north side of the Lehigh, and an Intermodal
yard on the south side. Trains leaving east go to Manville and Newark.
Trains leaving west either go north (CP Rail and CR locals only), or south, to
Reading and either Norristown or Harrisburg. CP rail trains head through
Scranton, PA and Binghamton, New York. Note: I once went to board a CP
engine at night, only to discover that it was occupied by a railroad employee!
A rather amusing experience, but I felt bad about the fact that I probably
scared the shit out of the man :)