chuljin
Lead Service Attendant
Post-Gathering B: Commuter/Regional crawl toward, and short first night in, PHL
Pictures of this part are here.
On Monday morning, November 2, I woke with a severe headache, and sensitivity to light and sound, of unknown etiology.
I showered, dressed, packed, and started to head from my hotel ('Quality' Inn at 501 New York Avenue NE) to WAS. This walk was complicated by my condition, and the strange way streets in that area are laid out, but eventually arrived by finding the NEC and zig-zagging across it towards the Capitol. While I was zigzagging, I noticed, for the first time, something that would come up again and again...for safety (I would guess), when roads go over the NEC the sidewalks have high completely solid fences. Despite this obstruction, I managed to catch a few pics of an Acela going by.
I intended to stay at WAS only a few hours...The reason I stayed in WAS so briefly is that I only came this far south to ride Acela the whole way, and to explore Union Station. I'd already been to DC twice as a teenager, and seen everything else, and taken a token subway ride on those trips, but this was all before I ever discovered I loved trains, so I wanted to explore this wondrous station. I took many pics within, without, and around the station, and a token picture of the entrance to Amtrak's headquarters, before boarding MARC 422 to BAL at 1:20. On the platform, I saw a Pullman NS-30 Marco Polo, but despite three tries, was unable to get a satisfactory picture of it.
Arriving at BAL around 2:15, I took a few pictures in and around the station, before setting off on a token light-rail ride, on the BAL-Camden shuttle. As I rode along, I took a few pictures and one video through the cab window, and when we got to Camden, the first of three photography 'run-ins': The operator told me 'MTA don't allow taking no pictures of trains.' Fortunately, I hadn't taken 'no pictures', I'd taken several. I was more discreet after that. I'm not saying it's a rule that makes sense, but in contrast to SEPTA (see Part 9) and MNRR (see Part 11), it was at least a rule that existed. I walked back towards Lexington Market, with the idea that I'd then take the subway out to Johns Hopkins and back. On the way, I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts for coffee and a donut, and took a couple more pictures of passing trains through the store window. At Lexington Market, I abandoned my subway plans, since I was dragging my suitcase around and every mechanized way down was out of order. So instead caught a light rail back to BAL and hung out there, taking yet more pictures, and a couple videos of the clickityboard.
I'd intended to take Regional #178 from BAL to WIL, and lost track of the time. On the clickityboard I saw 'all aboard' and looked down at the platforms. Noticing the train, I hurried down (no mean feat on steps with my suitcase) and boarded just as the doors closed. A conductor was lifting tickets; I presented mine just as another conductor announced 'next stop, BWI'. I'd boarded 93, which stops at BAL within minutes of 178. I said 'you're kidding!' and showed my ticket. Fortunately this kind soul (the first of two helping me get back on track) let me off scott-free and told me to get off at BWI and take the next train north. At BWI, I considered my options. I looked at the printed timetable I had, which showed that the next train going from close to where I was (BWI or BAL) to close to where I wanted to go (PHL) was the Carolinian #80. Of course it's discharge-only from WAS on. So I decided to abandon my stop at WIL, take MARC back to BAL, convince the agent to sell me an ALX-PHL ticket, and sneak on at BAL. So I bought the $4 MARC ticket, then looked at the board to see when the next MARC was, and saw Regionals not listed in the printed timetable I was holding. I then realized this was because I had the BOS<>WAS version, which shows only whole-route regionals. So I quickly went to an agent and said 'Can I exchange this for a BWI-WIL ticket on 196?' (the next train, an hour later than my original). 'Sure, but it will almost certainly cost more.' Then this kind soul (the other who helped me get back on track) looked at my ticket, said 'Oh, I see what you did.' and did ARROW hand-waving, with a lot of typing, to get me a BWI-WIL ticket for the same price, saving me from three things that could have cost me: Less than an hour out, it would certainly have been high-bucket; I'd have lost my AAA discount; BWI is one stop and several miles and minutes further from WIL than BAL. So off I went. Consist was 920, 81537, 82534, 82736, 43371, 82586, 81519, 82765, 82552.
I arrived at WIL with 30 minutes instead of the planned 90, until my intended SEPTA train to PHL. As it turns out, this was a good thing. I understand they're extensively renovating WIL, and it is a perfect example of things getting worse before they get better...it is currently something of a hole. Though the Chase building across the street from it is a bit attractive at night.
At 7:05 I boarded SEPTA 9254, on the R2 line. Just after leaving the Darby station, an Acela (presumably 2124) tore past us. A few stops later, we arrived at PHL at around 7:40. Explored a little, then checked into the ClubAcela to unwind. The nice lady at the front asked where I was going, and I said 'Admittedly, I am done traveling for today.' and she said 'No, that's fine.' Then off to my hotel. I made my way down to the Market-Frankford subway, and tried to buy a pass from the agent. She said she was unable to sell anything, and directed me to the token machine. I was going to buy two, but decided to buy four instead. Just right: one as a souvenir, the others for the only three trips I'd take on the subway. My first was to Market/2nd, the closest to my hotel, though not that close. I tried getting google maps walking directions on my phone, but they were unhelpful since it was mistaken about where the hotel is. As I stood there at the corner of Market and 2nd, looking like the lost tourist I was, someone came and asked for change. I said 'I'll give you a whole dollar if you help me find my damn hotel.' When I told him on Columbus, he said 'oh, easy, walk that way [east on Market], under the bridge, not over, and turn left [on Front] and walk until you see a way [Race] under the highway [95].' I gave him the promised dollar and did so. It was not quite right, but got me there. (As the hotel clerk told me, and as I used from then on, 2nd to Race would have been a better choice...Front parallels 2nd, which would make them equivalent, but curves back west before meeting Race, which makes the walk about 3/4 block longer. Also, Front is less well-lit and interesting than 2nd.)
I checked in, and it still being early, and I still having two tokens besides the one I was keeping, I decided to take the MFL to 69th Street Terminal and back, since that's railfan central in Philly. So I walked back to 2nd/Market and went all the way there. It being dark, and surprisingly little trainy goodness visible from the public areas of the station, and Upper Darby not being the best area, I went back pretty quickly. It was interesting that I ascended to the platform, I noticed someone hanging out the door of my intended train, smoking, and while we rode back towards center city, a couple nearby dined on hamburgers and fries. Anyways, back at Market/2nd, I walked back to the hotel, turned on the TV, and swore blue, as a news ticker said 'SEPTA Union approves strike at 3am'. I swore a little more, and went to bed, deciding to worry about it in the morning.
Next in Part 9: Railfanning in Philly despite the strike.
Pictures of this part are here.
On Monday morning, November 2, I woke with a severe headache, and sensitivity to light and sound, of unknown etiology.
I showered, dressed, packed, and started to head from my hotel ('Quality' Inn at 501 New York Avenue NE) to WAS. This walk was complicated by my condition, and the strange way streets in that area are laid out, but eventually arrived by finding the NEC and zig-zagging across it towards the Capitol. While I was zigzagging, I noticed, for the first time, something that would come up again and again...for safety (I would guess), when roads go over the NEC the sidewalks have high completely solid fences. Despite this obstruction, I managed to catch a few pics of an Acela going by.I intended to stay at WAS only a few hours...The reason I stayed in WAS so briefly is that I only came this far south to ride Acela the whole way, and to explore Union Station. I'd already been to DC twice as a teenager, and seen everything else, and taken a token subway ride on those trips, but this was all before I ever discovered I loved trains, so I wanted to explore this wondrous station. I took many pics within, without, and around the station, and a token picture of the entrance to Amtrak's headquarters, before boarding MARC 422 to BAL at 1:20. On the platform, I saw a Pullman NS-30 Marco Polo, but despite three tries, was unable to get a satisfactory picture of it.
Arriving at BAL around 2:15, I took a few pictures in and around the station, before setting off on a token light-rail ride, on the BAL-Camden shuttle. As I rode along, I took a few pictures and one video through the cab window, and when we got to Camden, the first of three photography 'run-ins': The operator told me 'MTA don't allow taking no pictures of trains.' Fortunately, I hadn't taken 'no pictures', I'd taken several. I was more discreet after that. I'm not saying it's a rule that makes sense, but in contrast to SEPTA (see Part 9) and MNRR (see Part 11), it was at least a rule that existed. I walked back towards Lexington Market, with the idea that I'd then take the subway out to Johns Hopkins and back. On the way, I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts for coffee and a donut, and took a couple more pictures of passing trains through the store window. At Lexington Market, I abandoned my subway plans, since I was dragging my suitcase around and every mechanized way down was out of order. So instead caught a light rail back to BAL and hung out there, taking yet more pictures, and a couple videos of the clickityboard.
I'd intended to take Regional #178 from BAL to WIL, and lost track of the time. On the clickityboard I saw 'all aboard' and looked down at the platforms. Noticing the train, I hurried down (no mean feat on steps with my suitcase) and boarded just as the doors closed. A conductor was lifting tickets; I presented mine just as another conductor announced 'next stop, BWI'. I'd boarded 93, which stops at BAL within minutes of 178. I said 'you're kidding!' and showed my ticket. Fortunately this kind soul (the first of two helping me get back on track) let me off scott-free and told me to get off at BWI and take the next train north. At BWI, I considered my options. I looked at the printed timetable I had, which showed that the next train going from close to where I was (BWI or BAL) to close to where I wanted to go (PHL) was the Carolinian #80. Of course it's discharge-only from WAS on. So I decided to abandon my stop at WIL, take MARC back to BAL, convince the agent to sell me an ALX-PHL ticket, and sneak on at BAL. So I bought the $4 MARC ticket, then looked at the board to see when the next MARC was, and saw Regionals not listed in the printed timetable I was holding. I then realized this was because I had the BOS<>WAS version, which shows only whole-route regionals. So I quickly went to an agent and said 'Can I exchange this for a BWI-WIL ticket on 196?' (the next train, an hour later than my original). 'Sure, but it will almost certainly cost more.' Then this kind soul (the other who helped me get back on track) looked at my ticket, said 'Oh, I see what you did.' and did ARROW hand-waving, with a lot of typing, to get me a BWI-WIL ticket for the same price, saving me from three things that could have cost me: Less than an hour out, it would certainly have been high-bucket; I'd have lost my AAA discount; BWI is one stop and several miles and minutes further from WIL than BAL. So off I went. Consist was 920, 81537, 82534, 82736, 43371, 82586, 81519, 82765, 82552.
I arrived at WIL with 30 minutes instead of the planned 90, until my intended SEPTA train to PHL. As it turns out, this was a good thing. I understand they're extensively renovating WIL, and it is a perfect example of things getting worse before they get better...it is currently something of a hole. Though the Chase building across the street from it is a bit attractive at night.
At 7:05 I boarded SEPTA 9254, on the R2 line. Just after leaving the Darby station, an Acela (presumably 2124) tore past us. A few stops later, we arrived at PHL at around 7:40. Explored a little, then checked into the ClubAcela to unwind. The nice lady at the front asked where I was going, and I said 'Admittedly, I am done traveling for today.' and she said 'No, that's fine.' Then off to my hotel. I made my way down to the Market-Frankford subway, and tried to buy a pass from the agent. She said she was unable to sell anything, and directed me to the token machine. I was going to buy two, but decided to buy four instead. Just right: one as a souvenir, the others for the only three trips I'd take on the subway. My first was to Market/2nd, the closest to my hotel, though not that close. I tried getting google maps walking directions on my phone, but they were unhelpful since it was mistaken about where the hotel is. As I stood there at the corner of Market and 2nd, looking like the lost tourist I was, someone came and asked for change. I said 'I'll give you a whole dollar if you help me find my damn hotel.' When I told him on Columbus, he said 'oh, easy, walk that way [east on Market], under the bridge, not over, and turn left [on Front] and walk until you see a way [Race] under the highway [95].' I gave him the promised dollar and did so. It was not quite right, but got me there. (As the hotel clerk told me, and as I used from then on, 2nd to Race would have been a better choice...Front parallels 2nd, which would make them equivalent, but curves back west before meeting Race, which makes the walk about 3/4 block longer. Also, Front is less well-lit and interesting than 2nd.)
I checked in, and it still being early, and I still having two tokens besides the one I was keeping, I decided to take the MFL to 69th Street Terminal and back, since that's railfan central in Philly. So I walked back to 2nd/Market and went all the way there. It being dark, and surprisingly little trainy goodness visible from the public areas of the station, and Upper Darby not being the best area, I went back pretty quickly. It was interesting that I ascended to the platform, I noticed someone hanging out the door of my intended train, smoking, and while we rode back towards center city, a couple nearby dined on hamburgers and fries. Anyways, back at Market/2nd, I walked back to the hotel, turned on the TV, and swore blue, as a news ticker said 'SEPTA Union approves strike at 3am'. I swore a little more, and went to bed, deciding to worry about it in the morning.
Next in Part 9: Railfanning in Philly despite the strike.
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