Interestingly, this 93-mile route was the only true main line the Reading ever operated. Reading Railroad System Map near Reading, Pennsylvania. This subsidiary worked to acquire mines for the railroad and was so fruitful that Mr. Schafer notes it controlled nearly 30% of the anthracite market before overextending itself and falling into bankruptcy in 1880.After a series of presidents, Archibald McLeod took the reigns in 1890 leading the Philadelphia & Reading through what could arguably be described as its greatest period. There were first-generation GP7's, F7's, and RS3's while second-generation variants included models like the C630, GP30, and GP40-2. The first to do so successfully was the Lehigh Coal Mine Company of 1792. The entire Northeastern industry was seriously hurt by the formation of the Penn Central Transportation in February of 1968. Outline map showing railroads between Port Trevorton and Catawissa on the Susquehanna River and the Port Richmond Wharves in Philadelphia. This same excursion trip was captured on film by Jerry Custer in the scene above.
Its best-remembered was the steamlined By the 1930s it had electrified these lines, extending from Reading Terminal to Norristown, Chestnut Hill, Doylestown, Hatboro, and West Trenton. Author's collection.An official, 1940 system map of the Reading Railway. Mr. Woodland notes that in 1946 the Reading still handled 16 million tons of anthracite with roughly 30 million tons in other freight. The Reading Railroad (pronounced "Redding"), officially known as the Reading Company, was another of the many Northeastern anthracite carriers and arguably the most famous. Unfortunately, the loss of its key traffic source quickened through the 1960s and by 1975 it was handling less than 2 million tons. The new carrier comprised the skeletons of several bankrupt Northeastern carriers, including the Reading, and it launched operations on April 1, 1976. On July 1, 1873, the PW&B agreed to lease the freight rights to the P&R for "$350,000 payable at the time the lease was made and $1 a year Author's collection.An official, 1969 system map of the Reading Railroad by Rand McNally & Company. Amazingly, even as late as the 1960s the Reading was continuing to expand these operations! None of the totals include Atlantic City RR or PRSL. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Outside of commuter operations the Reading also operated a fleet of successful regional trains. The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, sometimes shortened to Reading and Northern Railroad, is a regional railroad operating in eastern Pennsylvania, with headquarters located in Port Clinton. Also see: Reading History | Reading Lines Map | Reading & Northern | RBMN Roster Reading Passenger and Freight Rosters | Reading | Reading Co Railfan Allentown Area Photos and Map | Reading/PRR Local History | Passenger Service Returns Library of Congress Map | Reading Railroad | The Crusader interestingly, much of the Reading was retained by Conrail. The following suburban lines were electrified during the onset of the To further complicate matters, the Reading was forced to continue paying its debts to the On April 1, 1976, the Reading Company sold its current railroad interests to the newly formed In the late 1980s a Los Angeles-based lawyer named James Cotter gained control of the corporation through his holding company, the Craig Corporation, and used its assets to finance his movie theater chains in Puerto Rico, Australia and New Zealand. As the 1960s unfolded the anthracite market had almost entirely dried up resulting in the Reading depending heavily on bridge traffic.