Keystone Corridor RFW Full Rear-View Ride from Harrisburg to Philadelphia

Taken 10/21/23 aboard Amtrak Pennsylvanian 42, Amfleet II 25079 with P42DC #114 leading.
Beautiful fall foliage views from the rear window whether it's small creeks and valleys to the Susquehanna River. Super glad to have been able to do this one, and the Pennsylvanian never disappoints! (except for the dirty window)
Discord Server: / discord
Westbound Pennsylvanian Rear-View Ride: • Keystone Corridor RFW ...
‪@VirtualRailfan‬ Paradise Railcam: • Video
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:00 Pennsylvanian 42 in Harrisburg
00:01:10 MP 104.6 Departing HARRISBURG STATION Track 3 (On time)
00:01:31 Meeting Keystone 663 and 670 in the station
00:02:18 MP 104.5 State Interlocking
00:03:03 Switching to track 2
00:08:07 Meeting AMTK MoW Train
00:08:29 Harrisburg-Middletown Airport
00:10:47 MP 95.3 Bypassing Middletown Station
00:12:19 MP 94.3 Roy Interlocking; Switching to track 1
00:12:52 NS Royalton Branch Diverges
00:19:31 MP 86.8 ELIZABETHTOWN STATION (arr. 1 min late, dep. 4 mins late)
00:23:33 MP 83.8 Rheems Interlocking
00:24:52 MP 80.7 CP Florin
00:25:19 MP 79.5 Bypassing Mount Joy Station
00:28:31 MP 74.7 Former Landis Station
00:32:48 MP 68.1 Cork Interlocking
00:33:21 MP 68.0 LANCASTER STATION (arr. 1 min early, dep. on time)
00:38:33 Meeting Pennsylvanian 43
00:43:00 Passing the ‪@VirtualRailfan‬ Paradise Railcam
00:43:14 MP 56.6 Leaman Interlocking
00:48:25 MP 51.0 CP Gap
00:50:50 MP 48.6 Former Christiana Station
00:51:40 MP 47.8 Former Enola Low Grade Joins Up
00:52:19 MP 47.3 Atglen Interlocking
00:53:49 MP 44.2 Bypassing Parkesburg Station
00:54:05 MP 44.0 Park Interlocking
00:57:46 MP 38.4 Bypassing Coatesville Station
00:59:04 MP 37.0 Caln Interlocking
00:59:59 MP 35.5 Bypassing Thorndale Station; Meeting PAO 0531
01:00:11 MP 35.2 Thorn Interlocking
01:01:52 MP 32.4 Bypassing Downingtown Station
01:02:12 MP 32.1 Downs Interlocking
01:06:18 MP 28.3 Bypassing Whitford Station; ex-PRR Philadelphia and Thorndale Branch Overhead
01:07:38 MP 27.5 EXTON STATION (arr/dep 2 mins late)
01:11:03 MP 25.3 Glen Interlocking; NS Trenton Cut-off Diverges
01:12:12 MP 23.9 Frazer Interlocking; SEPTA Frazer Yard Leads Converge
01:14:00 MP 21.6 Bypassing Malvern Station
01:15:22 MP 20.1 Paoli Interlocking
01:15:58 MP 19.9 PAOLI STATION (arr. on time, dep. 1 min late)
01:18:08 MP 18.6 Bypassing Daylesford Station
01:18:33 Meeting PAO 0535
01:19:11 MP 17.5 Bypassing Berwyn Station
01:20:24 MP 16.4 Bypassing Devon Station
01:21:18 MP 15.4 Bypassing Stratford Station
01:22:05 MP 14.5 Bypassing Wayne Station
01:22:51 MP 13.7 Bypassing Saint Davids Station
01:23:35 MP 13.0 Bypassing Radnor Station
01:23:56 Norristown High-Speed Line and I-476 Underneath
01:24:33 MP 12.0 Bypassing Villanova Station
01:25:31 MP 10.9 Bypassing Rosemont Station
01:26:04 MP 10.1 Bryn Mawr Interlocking; Bypassing Bryn Mawr Station
01:27:01 MP 9.1 Bypassing Haverford Station
01:27:30 MP 8.1 Bypassing Ardmore Station
01:28:27 MP 7.4 Bypassing Wynnewood Station
01:29:04 MP 6.8 Bypassing Narberth Station
01:29:57 MP 6.0 Bypassing Merion Station
01:30:22 MP 5.4 Woodbine Interlocking; Bypassing Overbrook Station
01:31:19 SEPTA Overbrook Maintenance Facility
01:32:03 SEPTA Cynwyd Line Converges
01:33:10 MP 3.9 Valley Interlocking
01:33:42 Pittsburgh Subway Diverges
01:35:14 Meeting Keystone 665
01:36:20 MP 2.6 Zoo Interlocking
01:39:20 CSX High Line Overhead
01:40:22 MP 1.1 Penn Interlocking; Northeast Corridor Converges; Race Street Yard
01:41:18 MP 1.0 PHILADELPHIA 30TH STREET STATION Track 7 (2 mins early)
01:41:46 Pennsylvanian 42 in Philadelphia
01:42:37 42 Departing for New York City
01:44:13 P42DC #114 heading into the Yard; Meeting Northeast Regional 161
01:45:21 Outro

[@aeoliankid1]

Outstanding video, good camera work with no annoying distractions, and enjoyed the text comments! Always preferred rear view railroad videos.

[@nathanjiang100]

i like doing them when the opportunity presents itself, trying to get the entire NEC done before they switch to the Airo trainsets

[@musicforaarre]

Yes. They are better than Front view. If you find something that you like, then you can keep looking at it until it fades. With front view, by the time that you see something good, then it's gone behind. I sketch track layouts, because I'm crazy, and it's easier from the back of the train; I'm less fanatical at sketching the tracks now at 67 years old now. I LOVE ELECTRIC RAILWAYS !!! Aarre Peltomaa of Mississauga, Ontario

[@nolantherailfan5048]

I hope these new tracks will lead to smoother and faster rides

[@nathanjiang100]

more and more of the line is being upgraded to 110 mph so I certainly hope so

[@nolantherailfan5048]

@@nathanjiang100it really feels satisfying seeing construction work upgrading these antiquated lines with new bridges and tracks

[@MidnightAspec]

Nathan Jiang is proof positive that not all heroes wear capes!!! Great video!!

[@pcpablo2]

I rode that line in 1955 when I was 8 years old with my dad for a thrill. We rode in the last car on the outside observation deck most of the trip. I remember it to this day!

[@musicforaarre]

25 minute. I love it. Even though you had a damn flat wheel, I didn't feel/hear it much anymore on the concrete tie section. Aarre Peltomaa of Mississauga, Ontario

[@luvply]

素晴らしい映像でした。 私は4年前、NYに行ったことがあります。 久しぶりに訪問したいですね。 ハリスバーグという街も広大で美しい眺めですね。

[@nathanjiang100]

我不认识日语，但我可以用简体中文回答，比英语容易翻译： 哈里斯堡到费城的铁路挺美的，但美国东北部最美的铁路是纽约到奥尔巴尼那条线，沿着哈德逊河边开200多公里，又有山又有水。

[@luvply]

@@nathanjiang100 Chinese is more difficult for me than English. In Japan, foreign place names are not written in kanji.

[@nathanjiang100]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@luvplyI see, we always joke that at least we can read when we’re in Japan even if we can’t speak, but anyways here’s the english: Harrisburg to Philadelphia is a pretty scenic route but the most scenic route in the Northeast US is along the Hudson River for 200+ km from New York City to Albany.

[@ThomasELeClair]

@@nathanjiang100 ..............the Empire line out of Penn.......up thru Hells kitchen....I walked those tracks on a sunday ,,,way back in the mid ninties....Me and a friend took the subway [D train ] to the end of Manhattatan.....I new the area by the Spyten Dyvel bridge ; so we found an opening ,, and walked many miles till we got near Penn station ; then we left the tracks just after Hells kitchen.......To avoid being arrested.......Wanna make a unique rail video,,,,In the hike thru the Riverside Park tunnel [ 125st -64 st or so ],,,we witnessed an abundance of murals painted on the walls by rebel artists........Unforgetable....this was not basic graffitti,, but portraits of people,,,I remember one of Ted Williams,,,a famous baseball player ,,,from 80 years ago.....,,In that tunnel the walls speak history...It is an unknown NYC treasure.......

[@Bowfinger10]

Flat spot on the wheel of that car, haha. But great video!

[@johnwireman2660]

The last time I rode the line out to Harrisburg was in March of this year. Except for some switches and interlockings, there were no concrete ties between Lancaster and Harrisburg. I’ll be taking a trip out next month to see if it rides as well as it seems in the video.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

I live in Elizabethtown... They have steadily been replacing the ties and tracks in segments between Lancaster and Harrisburg through the fall... Don't know where they stopped for the winter.

[@phillyjayee]

Great job on the video

[@peterbitetti8743]

One excelllent video. Beautifully done.

[@mattk9644]

Great video I’ve always wanted to do a rear view ride on one of these trains one day I just don’t know if they would let me stand back there some do and some don’t but anyways great stuff.

[@nathanjiang100]

this is the third one I’ve done on the Pennsylvanian and I’ve never had any issues. you will need business class on the Northeast Regional but coach is at the rear of the Pennsylvanian west of Philly so all you really need is a ticket

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

Looks like pats Rheems interlocking you’re on the rebuilt track!!

[@nathanjiang100]

yep

[@musicforaarre]

34:45 Are those high speed 80mph turnouts ? They sure look like it with two switch motors at each switch. Aarre Peltomaa (electric train lover)

[@nathanjiang100]

funny enough the Pennsylvanian is the only diesel train on the line but it provides the best rear view and runs express. I'm not sure about the turnouts but the whole line is being upgraded so I wouldn't be surprised if they are.

[@nolantherailfan5048]

Why do they use the P42's on the Pennsylvanian until Philadelphia? Why don't they immediately switch to electric power at Harrisburg

[@nathanjiang100]

the trains reverses out of philadelphia so instead of needing to attach an ACS-64 at both ends of the train, they only attach one at the opposite end of the P42. since the Pennsylvanians also meet between PHL and HAR, it means they only need one ACS-64 that can run both Pennsylvanians instead of four

[@PeteDJPJ]

Great video. One note: That CP Florun. Where are the signals?

[@nathanjiang100]

I believe it is no longer active with the new Mount Joy station but it is still on the employee timetable

[@PeteDJPJ]

I have seen it on the Time table since 1990. But it was just a station name, (maybe had a platform at one time but I have never seen one) not an interlocking. @@nathanjiang100

[@nolantherailfan5048]

Are they gonna upgrade the second track from wood to concrete ties to?

[@nathanjiang100]

I assume they would

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

Yes, they’re working on it

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

54:18 I hope there are plans in the works to upgrade that section

[@nathanjiang100]

I hope so too, but the wooden ties provide a unique view across the coatesville high bridge and it just won’t like the same with concrete ties, though the ride would definitely be smoother

[@nolantherailfan5048]

@@nathanjiang100and a bit faster

[@gastonadonay]

Mucho ruido, pero la cámara está bien. De vez en cuando cambiar con vistas laterales.

[@3985uprr]

So the Pennsylvania always has the baggage car on the front between Harrisburg and Philadelphia and vice versa? It wouldn’t be possible to do a round-trip on the Pennsylvania in one day from NY. You just got on and stood back there and the conductor didn’t care, huh

[@nathanjiang100]

you can't do a round-trip as the Pennsylvanians meet somewhere near Paradise. when I filmed the eastbound I took 661 west and when I filmed the westbound I went all the way to Pittsburgh, but I probably would take 656/672 back if I were to re-record it. yeah I print out my ticket from the blue machines so they just scan the ticket and I tell them my seat is like the first or second row from the back (and I leave some stuff there so no one else takes the seat but I can easily watch it from the rear vestibule) and they just stick the seat check there. you can probably hear them scanning the ticket in both recordings. I'm 3 for 3 so far with no issues on the Pennsylvanian but that doesn't mean all crews would allow it, there's still a chance they tell you to go back and you would have to comply. I will say though, that you do have to find a way to maintain balance back there when going over tight curves and rail joints.

[@nolantherailfan5048]

57:25 are they adding a third track?

[@NS9213]

Between Glen and Coatesville #2 has been rehabbed to handle NS H83/H84 local from Abrams to Coatesville and return. The old PRR 152lb jointed rail was removed and replaced with welded rail. This way the NS local can go faster over Amtrak and not use 1 and 4 tracks.