Hurricane Agnes Detour Route

[pajrr]

Hi, A friend of mine was in the U.S. a couple months after Hurricane Agnes devastated the northeast railroad network. He remembers travelling from Harrisburg to NYC. When his train left Harrisburg the train took a detour to Lancaster. He seems to recall that the route was inland. Could that have been the Columbia Branch? If anyone has information on this it would be appreciated. Thank you.

[daveklepper]

All passenger service between Harrisburg and Philadlelphia-NY  runs through Lancaster.

[Deggesty]

A possible detour was from Harrisburg down along the Susquehanna to Columbia and then to Lancaster--with diesel power (years ago, this line did have catenary).

[MidlandMike]

Those lines were still electrified at the time of Agnes in 1972.

[Deggesty]

Thanks, Mike. I did not remember what year the catenary was taken down. I rode from Washington to Jefferson City in July of 1971, and remembered that we had one engine from Washington to Harrisburg; it was a beautiful trip, going up along the Susquehannah.

[MidlandMike]

The best date I can find is that Conrail electric freight operations ended 1981.

[RME]

MidlandMike

The best date I can find is that Conrail electric freight operations ended 1981.

Yes, but the actual catenary stayed in place considerably longer.  The Port Road catenary was visible from the I-95 bridge at Havre de Grace, particularly visible since verdigris turned the wire a most distinctive green.

I remember seeing references to when the wire actually came down (some of them were on the PRR catenary electrics Yahoo group, I think). 

[MidlandMike]

I am not suprised that the freight wires stayed up longer, but I figure that the wires were de-energized shortly after operations ended, and would not have been available for Amtrak electric reroutes.

[PRR8259]

Perhaps my recollection is in error, but I seem to remember some of the electric wires were still up when I moved to the Harrisburg, PA area in May of 1992.

I know from having taken the Amtrak Contractor Safety Training several times (once each year) during the late 1990's that they were explicit in stating the wires were still "live" and capable of killing contractor employees if they got too close.

Definitely the main transmission lines were still up and alive during the late 1990's. 

If one gets within 8 to 10 feet of those main lines and is not grounded, one can be electrocuted and killed.  Physically touching them is not necessary.

As a civil (highway) engineer, I know next to nothing about catenary, but I recall some of the green wires still being visible at the south end of Enola until very recent years.

John Mock

Off-topic P.S. The former PRR position light signals have been largely replaced, yet just north of Enola along the Susquehanna River, a few still remain.  There's at least one signal bridge with position light signals still remaining to this day.

The last ghosts of the PRR are lingering and not quite "going gentle into that good night".

[rrlineman]

blame all the prolblems on H.W. HOOT Clark, SR ENGINER ET at the time who was billing off the electric bill on the NEC to conrail (76-79)

once they found out that was the end, the slow death and dismemberment by a greedy old POS to gets his before retirement started. and many field people fought to keep the P&T, Trention cutoff, the high line in Phily as escape routes and backdoor feeds to NYC PENN STATION and Harriburg. all shot down by greedy old men.

Now we have waking vinger sacks that turn money back this is supposed to fix and repair 20yr + old switches and transformers with new cable, *** bosses hired right from colledge with no idea what its going on. totally more usless then teats on a bull. Boardmen has told ADE's and Supervisiors to cut costs and turn money back so management looks good and get the rasies they lost when 188 hit the ground last May. And this last one definitely does not help us.

Example, Stae of PA is spending a small fortune to rehab HBD station , tracks and wire. and yet the morons took the 2 new circuit breakers that were to replace the original 1937 breakers were moved thid week.the A-hole in philly had them sent to paoli instead. go figure

this is not my Father and brothers PRR. it is a company that lies to employees, violate the contracts as they see fit and the moral is in the toilet

after 38.5 yrs, this lineman/Power director just wants to make it to pension. good lord willing

[MidlandMike]

PRR8259

Perhaps my recollection is in error, but I seem to remember some of the electric wires were still up when I moved to the Harrisburg, PA area in May of 1992.

I know from having taken the Amtrak Contractor Safety Training several times (once each year) during the late 1990's that they were explicit in stating the wires were still "live" and capable of killing contractor employees if they got too close.

Definitely the main transmission lines were still up and alive during the late 1990's. 

If one gets within 8 to 10 feet of those main lines and is not grounded, one can be electrocuted and killed.  Physically touching them is not necessary.

As a civil (highway) engineer, I know next to nothing about catenary, but I recall some of the green wires still being visible at the south end of Enola until very recent years.

John Mock

 

Amtrak cat wires were, and still are, live.  The old PRR 25 Hz main transmission line from the power plant on the Susquehanna, to the Phily area is still live to feed Amtrak cat.