The Conrail Santa Train 2024 12/21/24

This Saturday was the first day of winter, and it also marked the second year that Conrail Shared Assets ran a Santa Train out of Oak Island. Like last year's run, the train would travel down the Lehigh Line to Bound Brook, then reverse east along the Port Reading Secondary to Port Reading before finally taking the Garden State Secondary back up to Oak Island. This was a particularly cold and windy day, but I was still able to get a few shots of the train in spite of the chilly conditions.
I initally wanted to see the train at South Plainfield, but after seeing that the lot along Metuchen Road was practically overflowing, I wisely decided to relocate. Instead, I set myself up at New Brunswick Avenue in Piscataway. I didn't have to wait too long before I got an alert that the train was coming into South Plainfield, and it came into view around the bend a few minutes later. ES44AC 8098, Norfolk Southern's Conrail heritage unit, was once again on the point, but this time it was joined by GP40PH-2B 4208, NJ Transit's new Conrail heritage unit. The consist was a slight bit different as well, being made up of Comet V coach 6206, two shoving platforms, and Conrail caboose 21241. Following right behind the train is a Conrail hy-rail truck decorated in green lights and carrying none other than The Grinch and his dog, Max.
From New Brunswick Avenue, I realized I wouldn't be able to see the train anywhere else on the Lehigh Line, so I made my way over to the Baekland Avenue crossing along the Port Reading Secondary in Middlesex to see it there. Upon arriving, I found that the hy-rail truck was waiting on the side of the road for the train to pass. Soon enough, the train shoved over the crossing on its way to Port Reading, and the hy-rail truck got onto the tracks to begin following behind it once it passed by.
I wasn't sure where else I could see the train on the Port Reading Secondary, so I decided to head over to Port Reading to wait for it there. I ended up having to wait quite a long time, as it turned out that the train had hit a car at the Helen Street crossing in South Plainfield. Thankfully, it seems that nobody was seriously hurt, but this did delay the train by about 25 minutes. Once it finally shoved into Port Reading, the train would head up the line to switch tracks, then head back towards the wye, ultimately parking just outside the Port Reading Yard.

[@lashendawest7509]

Great heritage catches awesome chase and nice video