I had to really think back on this photograph of Conrail train 5600, the Wall Street, heading up the Aldene Connection from the EX Jersey Central to the ex Lehigh Valley. The train is led by Reading RDC3 9166, which was the refreshment car. The two ex Reading RDC trains from Philadelphia to Newark were fascinting to me at the time, and I would often set out trying to catch them. That being said, I was 16 at the time I took this photograph and I was neither adventerous nor inclined to trespass at that time. So how the heck did I get up here a long walk from anywhere and blatantly trespassing? I arrived in Cranford on a train from Newark. I had gone there for two reasons. First, I was intent on getting the RS3 I had seen from the Garden State Parkway. Second, I believed I would find Baltimore & Ohio power in the Staten Island Railroad tracks/yard I had read about. I walked all the way to XC Tower and there was nothing there. I suspect the RS3 was out working and the Baltimore & Ohio likely didn't keep any power there in 1977. Now, disappointed and far from the station, I decided to keep going to get some photos (as a consolation prize) at the Aldene ramp. I do recall walking along the ROW. I do recall that back in those days, except for the Northeast Corridor or inner city yards, you pretty much were okay walking the ROW as long as you weren't close enough to hit. I think I got to the ramp and realized the shot of trains going up it wasn't very good, so I decided to climb it myself. And that's how this shot came about. I didn't stay up there long. I was pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing. But I did get away with it. And here's the proof. Kids, don't do this at home.
Thanks largely to mergers and bankruptcies, New Jersey's commuter railroads underwent profound changes between the end of steam and the takeover by NJ Transit in 1983.
