Railfanning Question

[R68 Subway Car]

I want to be able to get photos of the Acela Locomotives. On the MNRR can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives? If not, what stations on railroads can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives?

[metsfan]

I want to be able to get photos of the Acela Locomotives. On the MNRR can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives? If not, what stations on railroads can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives?

 

Acela goes fast north of NYC. 135-140 then parts are 150. Have a good shutter speed going on.

 

Any station on the MNRR New Haven line should work great. South of NYC from kearny to trenton on NJ transit, which is i think about the same price as far as end to end cost. NJT might be a lil more.

 

- Andy

[trainfan22]

I want to be able to get photos of the Acela Locomotives. On the MNRR can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives? If not, what stations on railroads can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives?

 

Yes you can get photos of the acela on both MN and NJT. Linden is a good spot to get pics of them which is on NJT. And stamford and port chester, south norwalk are good places also which is on MN. Edison on NJT is good also but the acela goes 125 MPH though there. And you would have to make your shutter speed faster(If your camara can do that). The acela goes much slower on the MN side only like 70 mph.

 

Also if you take the MN or NJT to one of these stations, Do not go during rush hours!!! The fare is more expenive during rush hours than during the midday hours.

[Fred G]

I want to be able to get photos of the Acela Locomotives. On the MNRR can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives? If not, what stations on railroads can I get photos of the Acela Locomotives?

 

My favorite station locations (not in any kind of order):

 

MNRR

Rye

Port Chester

South Norwalk

Stamford*

Bridgeport (security d00ds can be a PITA)

Westport

Milford

 

NJT

Elizabeth

Newark Penn*

Secaucus Jct

Linden

(There are more but I'm not as familiar with NJT as I am with MNRR).

 

*=Acela Station stop so you can catch it slowing down and stopped

[Pablo M 201]

To add on what many has said, you can see them Acelas on the entire NJT NEC line, and on MNRR New Haven Line from about New Rochelle or so.

 

And if you want to head out further, you can try the SEPTA R7 (from Trenton to 30th Street Philadelphia) and R2 (from 30th Street Philadelphia to Delaware).

[R68 Subway Car]

Thanks to all who replied. The info was helpful.

 

I have one more question.

 

Is Newark Penn Station safe? Knowing Newark is wild and out, I just want to know whether or not it will be safe.

[trainfan22]

Thanks to all who replied. The info was helpful.

 

I have one more question.

 

Is Newark Penn Station safe? Knowing Newark is wild and out, I just want to know whether or not it will be safe.

 

Yes newark penn station is safe. The station is in the city part of newark not the hood part of newark. And theres lots of people around so yes it safe.

[Pablo M 201]

Thanks to all who replied. The info was helpful.

 

I have one more question.

 

Is Newark Penn Station safe? Knowing Newark is wild and out, I just want to know whether or not it will be safe.

Yeah, the downtown area of Newark is pretty ok. At NWK Penn Station there isn't much problems so you should be good. Beyond Broad Street, especially the train station is questionable, same with Broad Street heading towards Elizabeth after the park.

[metsfan]

To add on what many has said, you can see them Acelas on the entire NJT NEC line, and on MNRR New Haven Line from about New Rochelle or so.

 

And if you want to head out further, you can try the SEPTA R7 (from Trenton to 30th Street Philadelphia) and R2 (from 30th Street Philadelphia to Delaware).

 

In NJ i'd pick Hamilton, Trenton, Metropark and Newark penn for acela hunting. In PA Levittown, Bristol, Croydon, Eddington, Torresdale, and tacony are the best stations to get acela stuff, plus they are kinda unique and/or unobstructed. Some of the other R7 stations are a bit scary/in a bad area.

 

- Andy

[trainfan22]

In NJ i'd pick Hamilton, Trenton, Metropark and Newark penn for acela hunting. In PA Levittown, Bristol, Croydon, Eddington, Torresdale, and tacony are the best stations to get acela stuff, plus they are kinda unique and/or unobstructed. Some of the other R7 stations are a bit scary/in a bad area.

 

- Andy

 

Yeah the north pilly station on the R7 is unsafe. Its a shame because its such a good spot with amtrak, septa and AC NJT trains.

[Pablo M 201]

Yeah the north pilly station on the R7 is unsafe. Its a shame because its such a good spot with amtrak, septa and AC NJT trains.

Go midday and you have no problems!

 

j/k

 

One must go with real caution if they do decide to head there. Area is no joke, I would know since I had family there before for a bit.

[metsfan]

Yeah the north pilly station on the R7 is unsafe. Its a shame because its such a good spot with amtrak, septa and AC NJT trains.

 

I've been there before. It wasn't....the best hour of waiting for a train in my life... Had to go there for some reason, i think it was my grandpa visiting a old army buddy waaaayyy back in the day, like 1986. My grandpa wasnt a nervous kinda guy, even in horrible weather driving, and you could tell he was very alert & uneasy w/ the location.

 

- Andy

[R68 Subway Car]

Thanks for the info about Newark Penn.

 

I also want to ask the following question:

 

Can you photograph Acela Trains at Sunnyside Yard and where can I photograph them?

 

Thanks in Advance!

[Pablo M 201]

Thanks for the info about Newark Penn.

 

I also want to ask the following question:

 

Can you photograph Acela Trains at Sunnyside Yard and where can I photograph them?

 

Thanks in Advance!

Yeah, but you can probably only pictures of them from the or an LIRR passing by through the area. Or try Hunters Point Avenue, take the there and once up from the stairs, the tunnel portal for trains to Penn is right there below the street.

[metsfan]

Yeah, but you can probably only pictures of them from the or an LIRR passing by through the area. Or try Hunters Point Avenue, take the there and once up from the stairs, the tunnel portal for trains to Penn is right there below the street.

 

Since the yard is below street level its hard to get a GREAT vantage point, however those locations should work. Another spot to consider for non-yard stuff is secaucus junction, because the 4 main tracks converge into 2 and there is a huge area outside the station to take photos unobstructed.

 

There is also an area over where the hudson river tunnel begins up on the palisades, i think either a sidewalk or shoulder of a road called patterson plank road where you can get good photos of the tracks leading away. I haven't been there in 7 years, so there might be things growing in the way or such, but it'd be worth checking out if you can get there.

 

- Andy

[LWScott]

I got some good low speed pics of the acela as its leaving/entering 30th street. Location: just south of 30th st station @ walnut st. Looking down @ an angle onto the switches. If you know the schedule of the trains bound for NY you should get a good few. Same goes for DC bound trains.