Where to find Freight in Tokyo?

A JNR EF64-1000 heads north through Omiya with an intermodal train. The weather was far from ideal but the interesting narrow-gauge Bo-Bo-Bo locomotive more than made up for it.

Japan is famous for its railways. As soon as one thinks of railways in Japan attention almost immediately turns to the famous Shinkansen or 'Bullet Trains'- maybe that explains why after my trip to the country in 2013 I wrote an article about these quite soon after my return (you can read it here if you missed it). But there is so much more to Japan's railways than this ultra-modern high speed system. The country boasts almost 14,000 miles of railway, much of it built to 1067mm narrow gauge (or 'cape gauge'). As well as seven national JR operators there are many totally private railways running across the country- together they carry well in excess of 20 billion people each year.

With the exception of the last half-handful of 'Blue [sleeper] trains' and some excursions there is a dearth of locomotives on passenger trains. If you want to see some of the fascinating locomotives in Japan you really need to focus your attention on it's freight services. These however are not always easy to find among the busy and frequent commuter train services. While planning my trip I also discovered precious little information on the internet. I hope therefore that if you are planning a trip to Japan and want to spend a little time indulging in its railways (as plenty of Japanese do) you might find this guide useful.

Urawa-

Kawasaki built EF64 1016 heads north through Urawa. Many stations are full
of so much clutter that good photographs are almost impossible! Many
commuter lines also pass through providing entertainment between freights.

Six tracks pass through this station which is in the North of Tokyo on the Tohoku line out of Ueno station. I had high hopes of seeing some freight here in the pleasant evening light- in reality in the space of 90 minutes I only saw two trains- and only one of them while I was in position. Freight appears to use the outer lines for which the sun is on the 'wrong' side for northbound trains. The situation is further complicated by Japan's tendency for very untidy overhead wires with a huge number of poles and obstructions to get in the way! Either I achieved a photograph I am pleased with of a container train with a Bo-Bo-Bo class EF64 on a container train. Of course between the freights there are commuter EMU's ever few minutes as well as a good selection of somewhat more interesting 'Limited Express' units to be seen at this location.

Nishi-Kokubunji-

There is a clear view looking north from Nishi-Kokubunji.
This train with a pair of EF65's and the first production class
 EH200 received plenty of local attention.

Tokyo's main freight artery is the looping Musashino Line- unfortunately for the photographer much of it's route is underground and other large sections do not have a passenger service making it difficult to access. To the West of Tokyo the line crosses the Chuo Main Line at the station of Nishi-Kokubunji, usefully this is a section of the Musashino line with both a passenger service and an above ground station with reasonable views in both directions. I initially started on the lower level platforms of the Chuo Main Line (which I also believe to see freight at this location) but after nothing but units quickly moved up to the high level platforms of the Musashino line. This was much more successful with three freights (all heading northbound) photographed in the next hour. Clearly something was significant about the first (which was triple headed) as many photographers were on the platform only to disappear after its passage. There was variety in the locomotives here and also a lot less clutter in the form of poles than other stations. Definitely worth a try.

Looking the other way from Nishi-Kokobunji with Kawasaki built EF66-120 hauling a short tank train. There is a good clear view without too many poles!

Omiya-

Twin unit Toshiba built EH500-15 heads north through Omiya.

The final location I visited was back on the Tohoku line further north than Urawa, where it is fair to say I was a little disappointed with freight volumes. Omiya however is a large bustling junction station- and perhaps importantly, north of the point where the Musashino, and several other lines join. Initially I had my doubts about the location- very busy with commuters and with the main building over the railway tracks. However at each end of the station there are reasonable areas of good daylight. The next question of course in such a large sprawling station was where best to stand- it was obvious that there were at least several lines where freight could run but it soon became apparent that the most used (at least on my visit) was the 'through' line between platforms 9 and 11. I positioned myself here and a variety of freights rolled past- finally I had found somewhere that really was 'busy'- unfortunately the weather had other ideas and after seven freight trains in the space of just 35 minutes I had to accept defeat to the weather.

Another freight through Omiya- this time hauled by a modern
Kawasaki built EF210-150

These three locations are by no means the only places where freight is visible in Tokyo- nor do I claim that they are necessarily the best locations to visit- however they are at worst reasonable and do all definitely see some freight action. On a network which is so busy, and to a foreigner often confusing they certainly offer somewhere to start. If you are of to Japan- I hope you find this useful!

Calais Day Tripper (and beyond!)

It is early on an August morning as a I awake for quite an unusual day out. Today I would be heading abroad- just for the day- to travel the 'traditional way' from London to France.
Once a very common route with regular scheduled boat trains and stations next to the ferry terminals at both ends, since the commencement of Eurostar services the journey from London to Paris via Dover and Calais is now a little more difficult.







The journey starts in London, with a South Eastern train to Dover Priory- Dover Western Docks station closed in 1994 once Eurostar trains started, negating the requirement for an easy connection from train to boat. These days the connection is by taxi, or on foot (approximately 30 minute walk) as soon after my trip in August 2014 ferry operator P&O withdrew the shuttle bus which connects the station and the port.



Not everything for the 'traditional' journey has disappeared however- bargain priced through rail ticketing is amazingly still available! London to Calais 'Day Tripper' tickets are still available starting from just £39.50 (as of April 2015)- These tickets carry no peak restrictions and allow travel on any train to Dover Priory, and any P&O ferry across to Calais, and back on the same day. A small extra supplement is payable to use high speed services in the UK. You can even get a 1/3 discount on these tickets with a railcard and buy from many other stations in the former Network SouthEast area! An absolute Bargain!


Of course to make France and back in a day it is an early start- but allowing for the 45 minute foot passenger check in at Dover we make the 10:15 crossing to France on board the 'Pride of  Burgundy' and were heading across the straight of Dover. What a beautiful day it was too!

On a sunny summer's day there really is nothing I would prefer to do that sit up on the outside deck at sea- so this is exactly what I did for the duration of the roughly 90 minute crossing- watching Calais draw slowly closer, as the famous white cliffs of Dover slowly receded from view.

There is a good catering service available on the P&O ferries as well as plentiful indoor seating should you not be blessed with the sunshine we experienced.

Interestingly we had followed the former rail ferry 'Nord pas de Calais' most of the way across the channel- until the opening of the Channel Tunnel this was the way that rail vehicles made the journey across the straights of Dover. Built in 1987 she had a very short life as a rail ferry and now continues to see use with My Ferry Link on freight only services due to her limited passenger carrying capacity. Like the stations at Dover Western Docks and Calais Maritime the rail ferry traffic ceased soon after Eurostar operations began in 1994- most freight was now able to pass through the tunnel while passenger traffic between London and Paris by boat almost vanished. Many predicted the end of the cross channel ferries as well- but this has certainly not proved to be the case!

 The transfer from the ferry to the town of Calais is easier than at the British end as this time there is a bus, though the cost of this is not included in the ticket price. The bus drives a rather circuitous route around the town to reach Calais Ville Station. Across the road is Calais' landmark Hotel de Ville with it's stunning clock tower which can be seen from many miles away on the ferry.





One could quite happily while away the day in Calais before taking the boat back across the channel to the UK- but there are also options to continue the rail adventure to other towns in the area, or of course to abandon the day trip and continue on the full traditional journey right through to Paris.

Crossing the viaduct at Wimmereaux viewed from the train. 

Local TER trains depart from Calais Ville heading to towns along the coast such as Dunkirk, Boulogne and Etaples (for Le Torquet). One of my favorites is the smaller town of Wimmereaux between Calais and Boulogne which boasts a traditional shopping street and pleasant beach- once the home to rich Britons wishing to escape to their summer homes in France. For long distance travel TGV trains also call at Calais Ville heading to Lille and Paris.

BB67533 in the traditional blue livery waits to leave Boulogne with the traditional Intercities service to Paris gare du Nord.

TER train at Calais Ville.

 By taking a TER train to Boulogne it is still possible to connect onto traditional loco-hauled 'Corail Intercity' trains to Paris several times a day. While somewhat slower than the TGV service there is still something nice about traveling in a traditional train and arriving in Paris without having covered the high speed network.

Sadly I would have to wait for another day to make it all the way to Paris for I would be using the return portion of my 'Calais Day Trip' ticket. It feels like it has been quite an adventure- and certainly helped by some stunning weather. Watching the sun set over the straights of Dover from the Spirit of France is the perfect end to a long but very enjoyable day. I've just got the delights of night trim travel back to London left to look forward to now- but at least I have a rucksack full of French goodies! Next time you fancy a day out with a difference - without breaking the bank - how about setting sail for the France day trip?

Where to start in Beijing?

The stars of the show- the mighty DF4 diesels are the most prolific across China and quite literally helped to build this country. The sound of these locos pulling their 18 coaches away from the station is something to savour!

An SS9 loco with stock to match leaving Beijing Station

If you have the 'train bug' (and lets be honest- you probably wouldn't be reading this page if you didn't) and you are anything like me then upon arriving in a new city your attention probably turns quite quickly to 'where are the trains?'
In an unfamiliar country this can often be quite daunting- especially if 'trainspotting' 'railfanning' or whatever it is called is not really the normal. There may not be many sources of information and the railway may not be easily accessible. That is if there is even anything worth seeing!?

CRH5A High speed trains were the only high speed 

multiple units seen to be using the station on my visit. 

Most high speed services serve Beijing South station.

Beijing is one of those cities- a huge metropolis which surely must be full of trains- yet they are often hidden away, and unlike most European cities simply turning up at the main station and wandering down the the platforms for a look is certainly not an option (Large stations in China operate more like airports allowing boarding to the platform only shortly before the train is due).

As well as hauling trains there are a large number of light 

engine movements to and from the nearby stabling point.

Trains are big in China. Until the turn of the millennium this was the last country in the world to use regular steam on a large scale for mainline operations (China is still the biggest user of industrial steam though this is in now in terminal decline and only exists in a number of locations- see my China Steam reports). The railways were at the heart of the economic boom in China and provide an essential means of transport for it's billions of citizens- the fast majority of whom are still extremely poor.

While they do not have quite the same pedigree as the 

DF4's the DF11's are no less smart and impressive when 

hauling their heavy trains out of Beijing.

Beijing has a number of stations- many international passengers are likely to end up at Beijing South (the main station for high speed services across the country), while those taking the train to the Great Wall at Badaling will travel from Beijing North Station. It is however Beijing Station, the only one located within the inner ring road and historic boundary of the city walls which provides the most variety or trains- and the best place for viewing them!

There are many variations of livery on the huge DF4 fleet- wearing a different shade of blue to the other locos we have seen, DF4 4405 approaches journey's end.

The oldest looking locos we saw on our visit were the SS8's 

though older locos are known to visit the station. Indeed 

the author departed behind an SS3 just two years earlier!

Beijing Station was historically located just inside of the great city walls which once dominated this city- and in a twist of fate it is directly due to the station that the only remaining section of city wall (now open as a museum) overlooks the lines leading into it.
The government of Beijing realised in the 1950's that the city walls were a major hindrance to traffic and movement within the city and began demolishing the outer walls. By the 1960's the need for a mass transit system was mounting which would require mass clearance above ground in order to construct the cut-and-cover tunnels. The resultant decision was instead to raise the inner city walls as a route for the first underground line in the city. Only the far south-east corner of the walls were saved where the line deviated from this line to serve Beijing Station.

Another passenger DF4 heads away from Beijing Station.

Between 2001 and 2003 this section was restored and opened to the public (for a small fee when the ticket office is open) as the 'Ming City Wall Relics Park'. Apart from providing a very interesting insight into the history of the fortifications- it is also an idea platform for viewing trains running into and out of Beijing Station- well worth the admission fee if anyone asks for it!

The newer HXd locos are not quite as inspiring as their
older friends.

Aside from the high speed trains almost all trains in China are formed of traditional locos and coaches (the train to Badaling being one notable exception). There are many classes of both diesel and electric locomotive- plenty of which can be seen around Beijing Station. The most impressive trains are certainly those which are still diesel hauled (despite the fact that almost all routes out of Beijing are electrified) where DF4 and DF11 locomotives haul rakes of 18 coaches out of the station a couple of times each hour. 

There are several classes of electric loco as well from the modern HXd locos to the older classes such as the SS8's. Older classes too can appear and it is certainly not impossible to see the original green DF4 diesel locos here- an impressive sight if you are lucky enough to catch one! There are several different liveries of stock to be seen also- including the old green coaches (with coal burning samovars). 

All in all this is an excellent location where half a day can easily be wasted away. The line runs almost exactly east-west here so the sun is well positioned for most of the day- assuming you are lucky enough to have picked a clear Beijing day without the cities famous smog!

SS9 0111 heads into Beijing as it passes a classmate on the station throat. In the distance can be seen the large loco stabling point from where locos regularly shuttle into the station.

A Rail Enthusiasts Guide to Paris

Recently I was asked by a couple of friends for some recommendations of what trains to see in Paris, and where to go to find them. I started to write down a few notes, and before I really knew it had compiled quite a text on what to see in and around the city. Now if it was useful to them I figured it might be useful to others as well- after all I think Paris is a fantastic location for a rail trip, and often overlooked- especially by those in the UK for whom it really isn't very far at all to travel!

Note that this article is complied largely from my own sightings on trips which have covered a couple of years. Things may (and will) change without notice as the SNCF continue to upgrade their system. As far as I am aware this text is largely correct as of Summer 2013. Please don't hold me accountable if it is not accurate or you do not see the trains I have listed here!
Any corrections are welcomed.

Terminal Stations:

Gare du Nord

Loco classes likely to be seen:

BB15000

BB22000
BB67400

The station many first arrive at by Eurostar.

Electric locos work Intercities services north to Amiens, Saint Quentin, etc
There are also semi-suburban workings with Corail or double deck stock on the Paris-Creil-

Amiens route (and possibly others).

Diesel locos work a few Corail trains each day to/from Laon. One train each way is

double headed (into Paris in the morning, back to Laon in the evening).

There is a weekend train to/from Le Treport worked which is also diesel hauled.

All suburban trains now believed to be units.

BB17000 could occasionally turn up still maybe?

Other trains to note:

Thalys

TGV

Regional Eurostar

Eurostar

Good places to photograph electric locos away from Gare du Nord could be Saint-Denis (I have not tried it myself but light is supposed to be good in late afternoon/evening.)

A trip to Creil may be worthwhile for possible freight and BB67400 working RRR sets between Amiens, Creil and Beauvis. 

All weekday trains on the line from Paris Nord to Beauvis via Pearsan Beaumont are units (the exception is the Weekend Le Treport train mentioned above).

Gare de l'Est

Loco classes likely to be seen:

BB15000
BB17000
BB26000 'Sybic'
BB22000
BB67400
CC72100

Just 10 minutes walk from Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est has a very wide range of traction for viewing.

Electric locos work intercity trains out East though they are not as plentiful as from Gare du Nord.

CC72100 'Big Diesels' work Intercities trains to Troyes/Culmont/Belfort.
Departures of the big diesels are not regular with some big gaps in service. The best time to see them is  probably early evening with about 4 departures between 16:42 and 18:42. 

Note there is a lot of engineering work on this route at the moment, and not all trains to Troyes/Culmont are hauled!

BB67400 work two peak hour trains each day to/from Le Ferte Milon. Locos sit on the country end of RIO stock.

BB17000 Work quite a lot of ECS movements- likely to be found bringing in/out stock for the Diesel trains unless it the inbound stock goes straight out again.

There may still be some passenger turns (particularly in the peaks) on the line towards Meaux with BB17000. These may now be units.

Other trains of note:

TGV

ICE

If you want to see EVERYTHING out of Est then try Noisy-le-Sec, though this is a busy station and light is poor in the evenings for departures from Paris. 

Reasonable photo spots (still under the wires) for the CC72100's exist at Val de Fontenay and the

stations either side of it. Take RER E from Magenta (closer to Gare du Nord than Est).

Gare de Lyon
Loco classes likely to be seen:

BB8000
BB7200
BB26000

BB36000

Not as many locos here as some other terminal stations but still worth a visit.
The main part is likely to be filled with TGV's as this is the main station for the busy TGV Sud-Est line. 

There is another part of the station on the left side which is where any loco hauled trains tend to be. These are mostly working Teoz services with BB26000 'Sybic's'.

BB36000's work into Gare de Lyon with their only passenger turns- the 'Thello' sleeper trains to and from Italy.

Of note here are the ECS locos which on my last visit (a few years ago) were some very elderly BB8000 locos, many in various incarnations of the SNCF grey/orange scheme. I understand these may now have been replaced by slightly less elderly locos, but still in a variety of liveries.

Other trains of note:

TGV

Suburban trains no longer leave Gare de Lyon as these trains now continue underneath Paris on the RER network.

Shortly south of the station can be found the terminal where the yellow 'La Poste' TGV sets are based.

Gare de Bercy

Loco classes likely to be seen:
BB7200
BB8000
BB22000
BB26000

The smallest of the Paris terminals, effectively an annexe to Gare de Lyon which is at capacity. 

It is not very pretty... but quite open.

Some loco hauled Teoz and Intercities trains leave from here. Though not a huge number.

Again the old locos can appear on ECS movements.
You can also see the shunting of the car terminal from here.

Gare d'Austerlitz

Loco classes likely to be seen:
BB26000
BB22000
BB7200

Just across the river from Gare de Lyon, a nice station if not particularly busy... it is possible to turn up at midday and find the whole station almost totally empty!

Most services from here are loco hauled. Intercities/TER to Orleans and Teoz to Tolouse.
Many Intercity Night trains leave from Austerlitz including the Elipsos Trenhotels to Barcelona and Madrid (though the Trenhotels may not last an awful lot longer!)

As with Gare de Lyon suburban services have now been absorbed into the RER network and do not serve this station.
Major re-building works have taken place on parts of this station since my last visit.

Gare Montparnasse

Loco classes likely to be seen:
BB7200
BB8000
BB7600
BB27300

Other trains to note:
Z 5300 (silver EMU's)
TGV

Imagine a cross between Euston and Birmingham New St... Montparnasse is not pretty and there is very little merit in taking photos here at all. 

This station in a previous guise was the Gare de l'Oest- the famous scene of the 'steam loco hanging out of station' photo.

Despite its appearances the traction on offer is good- so find a spot somewhere else to view it!

Since the refurbished BB7600's have virtually replaced the last of the Silver EMU's (Z 5300) almost all suburban trains from Montparnasse are now loco hauled! A few of the EMU's may still be working- and these are worth catching if you can... they are the last 'classic' SNCF units in France (some have been exported to Romania!). On my last visit we did not see any working though I have heard more recent reports of them being out, particularly during the peaks.

BB7600 and any EMU's tend to work trains to Ramboillet Other trains are in the hands of the modern 'Alsthom Prima' BB27300's.
All the loco hauled trains from Montparnasse work with VB2N double deck stock. Loco's are on the country end.

Intercities trains run to Chartres and Le Mans. Many of these are units (particularly to Chartres) but some are loco hauled with either BB7200 or BB8000. There are also additional loco hauled trains in the peaks.

Heading out to somewhere like Versailles Chantiers and then onto maybe Saint Cyr would not be a bad bet to see the Montparnasse trains- though I am sure there are other options on this route.

The TGV Atlantique runs out of Montparnasse, though this diverges from the classic line soon after leaving the station.

Gare Saint Lazare

Loco classes likely to be seen:
BB15000
BB17000
BB27300
BB26000

A lovely station (and painted by Monet should this be of interest!) and a haven for the elderly BB17000's on suburban passenger work.

BB15000 and BB26000 'Sybic' work fairly frequent Intercities trains to Cherbourg, Rouen, Caen and Le Harve.

Some of these are units, and many of these trains work push/pull- locos usuall at the country end. Those which do not work push/pull propell into the station without a pilot loco. These trains use the far R/H platforms- which are not easy to photograph at the country end for long trains.

Most inner suburban trains are units.
Outer/Middle distance suburban trains are all loco hauled.
BB27300 work most services on VB2N double deck stock.

BB17000 work some services, often interworking with the Alsthom locos and usually on RIO stock.
The are most prolific on the short inner suburban trains to Ermont-Eubonne (only about 25 minutes total journey). They therefore appear quite frequently... but before long you are seeing the same locos again!

BB17056, Asnieres sur Seine.

Some BB17000 out of St Lazare are in 'En Voyage' livery- elsewear they are all tend to be in Transillien white/blue. All push/pull suburban sets tend to have their locos at the Paris end.

If you walk to the very end of some of the long platforms you can get a good view of trains approaching the station.

Outside of Saint Lazare I recommend the station at Asnieres sur Seine which is busy and has some interesting angles.

Further out Villennes sur Seine has a car park south of the station which affords good angles in both directions (light good for southbound trains) There are less trains here- just the half hourly service to Mantes le Jolie which stops and the through Intercities. Do not expect to find any amenities (like somewhere to buy a sandwich) in this small town!

Freight

BB22331 passes Juvisy with a Teoz service.

I have never been very sucessful at photographing freight trans in France but they do exist!
I would advise that it is probably to pick a nice location where passenger will turn up regularly and just hope for the best!

The two large freight yards in Paris that I am aware of are at Le Bourget (North East) and Villeneuve Saint Geoges (south).
The RER B runs alongside the yard at Le Bourget, but I do not know of any good photo locations.

BB37001 hauls a cereal train through Saint Michael sur Orge.

I am not aware of anywhere to photograph freight at Villenuve- though a lot of it will go south through Juvisy. This is however a large sprawling station which is difficult to cover.

Metro

I like the Paris Metro.
It is an interesting and quite attractive system.
There are several nice elevated sections- Line 6 (I think) Around the Eiffel Tower springs to mind, as well as Line 2 just north of Gare du Nord (it crosses over the ends of the platforms).
Several lines also use trains which use rubber tires for traction in addition to the more conventional metal wheels.

Attention Secaucus!

ALP-46 4654 at Secaucus High Level with an NJT service from New York.

GP40 4105 leads a service into Secaucus low level from
Hoboken terminal. These locomotives are among the
oldest of the New Jersey Transit fleet.

One of my 'railway friends' called me up earlier in the week asking where was best to see and ride trains on a visit to New York. My answer was very quick 'New Jersey Transit! and you want to go to Secaucus Junction.'
I can't pretend I am the most knowledgeable source on American railways, but for my short trip to NY in 2011 I had a few things which I really wanted to see, and Secaucus fitted the bill perfectly.


What is so good about Secaucus Junction?

A Bombadier double-deck cab car leads a Hoboken train
into Secaucus

As the name suggests- this station forms a junction (though there is no physical connection between the lines) of two railways which meet roughly at right angles, one passing over the other. On the lower level is New Jersey Transit's 'Main Line' and 'Bergan County Line' which both carry diesel hauled traffic on a number of New Jersey Transit routes from Hoboken Terminal (just across the Hudson from Manhattan, while on the high level is Amtrak's North East Corridor- the busiest passenger railway in the USA carrying regular Amtrak express trains between Boston and Washington as well as New Jersey Transit's (NJT) commuter services from New York Penn Station.

4119, an F40PH (my personal favorite North American class)
leads a train into Hoboken. NJT is one of a number of
commuter operations which use these locos which once
worked right across the USA for Amtrak.

Secaucus opened as recently as 2003 to act as a transfer point between the two NJT routes. The journey time from New York Penn is roughly 15 minutes with services up to every 10 minutes at busy times.


What can you expect to see?
On the lower level you can expect to see any trains from the NJT diesel fleet (as well Metro-North diesel services which are run under contract in New Jersey by NJT). These trains are typically made up of a diesel locomotive on the western end (leading out of Hoboken) with a series of single or double deck coaches and a cab car on the rear to enable push/pull operation.

P42LAC locomotives are the most common on diesel
services for NJT. 4018 approaches Secaucus.

The most common locomotives are the single cab Alsthom P42LAC's delivered between 2005 and 2006.
Older locomotives are also used with numerous varieties of GP40 locomotives (the earliest dating from 1965) and F40PH's working the routes from Hoboken for both NJT and Metro-North. Secaucus lower level is not electrified.

ALP46 4601, the second Traxx loco for the US, pushes
a train out towards Jersey from Secaucus. 

On the higher level is the electrified North East Corridor. Here you will see all of NJT's trains out of New York Penn Station. Sadly the older electric locomotives on this route have now retired and all hauled services are in the hands of Bombadier ALP46 locomotives (Traxx locos to anyone who knows Europe!). 
Other NJT services are worked by EMU's.

A set of 'Arrow III' EMU vehicles departs Secaucus heading
 into New Jersey. These cars dating from 1978 operate NJT's
non-loco hauled trains.

Amtrak's fastest and most prestigious trains- the Acela Express pass through Secaucus- these sets with a top speed of 150mph consist of a power car either end of trailers in a fixed formation. Other North East Regional services are loco hauled with either ageing Swedish built AEM 7 locomotives, or the far newer (but unreliable) HHP-8 locos (which look a little like a double ended Acela powercar). Both of the latter will be replaced starting from late 2013 with new Siemens 'Amtrak City Sprinter' (ACS-64) locomotives.
Most Amtrak trains are hauled with the classic Amfleet (or 'Amtube' referring to their shape) coaches, while a smaller number of trains work in push pull with Amfleet coaches and a former 'metroliner' cab car.

The HHP-8 locomotives have been troublesome for Amtrak
since their deliver and look set to have a somewhat short
career on the North East Corridor. 659 leads a train of
Amfleet coaches away from New York.

Other notes and points of interest:
All trains on the upper level are Electric as the lines go straight into Penn station which is barred to diesel locos. You will not even see Amtraks P42AC-DM locos (fitted with pick up shoes) at Secaucus- these work only on the 'Empire Corridor' out towards Albany- see my post here for details on these services.
Amtrak services do not stop at Secaucus.
When travelling do take note that at off-peak times coaches tend to get locked out of use... if you stand at the end of the platform when the train pulls in you may still have to run to the other end of the train!

In contrast the Swedish built AEM-7 locos have proved
reliable workhorses.  In the twilight of it's career 904 pushes
an Amtrak service towards New York Penn.

Photographically the location has reasonable views in most directions- the upper level platforms are largely covered, but you can shoot from each end in the open. Views from the lower level looking back towards Hoboken are particularly good- and the locos are on this end of the train.
There is sadly not anywhere where you can successfully view trains on both the upper and lower levels- one has to take your pick and just accept that you will miss some things! I would recommend spending some time on both parts of the station- but there is a barrier line between them!
I had no difficulty or trouble standing on the platforms and taking photographs and judging from the quantity on the internet 'railfanning' should not be a problem. However as ever do not stray from public areas of the station, act suspiciously and be courteous and cooperative to staff should they approach you.
On a final note- this report is based on my trip to Secaucus in 2011 and I can therefore not guarantee that it is still up to date. Since it was written NJT have introduced bi-modal ALP-45DP (a bi-modal diesel/electric Traxx variation)- it is not known what impact these have had on the older diesel classes though I do not believe their delivery was intended to replace them.

The cream of the Amtrak fleet is the Acela Express.
Powercar 2012 leads a train from Washington to Boston
non-stop through Secaucus high level.