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Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad

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The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad began serving customers in 1983 as the Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad on the company’s original 13-mile shortline, which connected Temple and Hamburg, PA.  Conrail had abandoned the line, which fell under the control of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Local shippers formed a rail preservation group and called on Andrew Muller, Jr. of Hamburg to operate the line.  Their combined efforts saved the former Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Division rail line.  The service to the businesses that depended on rail transportation would continue to see service under a new name.  The original 13-mile line is currently in service and servicing 8 on-line customers.

Opportunity knocked on the railroad’s door in 1990 with another 130 miles of railroad acquired 130 miles of former Conrail territory.  The "Reading Cluster" is trackage that was comprised of former Reading Railroad Company property extending along the Schuylkill River Valley from Reading to the heart of the Anthracite coalfields in Schuylkill County.  An unprecedented growth in traffic forced the R&N to upgrade the physical characteristics of the "new" railroad.  A turnaround in the Anthracite coal industry has become the mainstay of the Reading Division.  Today over 50 customers on the Reading Division is served with diversity of commodities ranging from coal to bird see and from potatoes to plastic!

During the mid-1990’s, the R&N saw more opportunity to expand their operations.  Conrail began shedding trackage that was not part of its "Big X" plan.  Conrail’s Lehigh Line with over 100 miles of former Lehigh Valley Railroad heritage was a line that was considered "marginal".  R&N did not balk at the opportunity and placed a bid for the line.  In 1996, R&N was named the successful bidder of what would become the R&N Lehigh Division.  The line stretches from the southern foot of the Pocono Mountains at Lehighton to the historic cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton and farther into Wyoming County.   An interesting side note to this acquisition would be the Canadian Pacific Railway trackage rights that were inherited from Conrail.

With these two lucrative divisions, Reading & Northern is poised to proceed into the next century as one of Pennsylvania’s largest Regional operations.

MOTIVE POWER
The Reading & Northern carries a distinctive diamond logo adorned with the phrase "the Route of Anthracite".  The logo is reminiscent of the Reading Company Diamond once famous throughout the United States.   Some of the locomotives are also wearing Reading Company inspired paint schemes.  On the GE U23B’s only the 2397, 2398 and 2399 wore the full green and yellow livery.  2390, 2392, and 2395 all wear a scheme similar to the Reading Company’s modified green carbody and yellow nose.  The remainder of the U23B fleet is still in various shades of faded blue Conrail paint with no plans for new paint.  Other Reading Company colors are reflected in schemes present on the SW8M, SW1200, and SW1500 models.  A single B23-7 of Southern Railway heritage is currently in an all black "dip" scheme.  This unit is scheduled to receive a Reading scheme in the near future.  Also of note on the roster is a pair of CF7’s acquired from Santa Fe in 1983 for the operations of the original Blue Mountain & Reading.  These units continue to soldier on hauling freight on an almost daily basis.  The entire U23B fleet has been placed up for sale with all eyes on newer four and six-axle power.  Three of the most recent additions to the R&N fleet are lettered for Andy Muller’s wife Carol Sue.  CSMX 1 is a former Erie-Lackawanna SD45-2 which wore Conrail number 6660. Likely to become CSMX 2 is another former Erie Lackawanna SD45-2, ex-Conrail 6656.  The third CSMX-lettered unit is former Conrail SD38 6941.  This unit has received the CSMX number 12.  The six-axle power will most likely replace four-axle power on the Lehigh Division but could very well displace units on the Reading Division also.

An interesting side note to the R&N motive power fleet is the presence of a pair of steam engines.  A 4-6-2 Pacific model numbered 425 has been used in both freight and tourist excursions.  Accompanying the 4-6-2 is Reading Company-built T1 4-8-4 2102.  This unit has gained notoriety through the years as the last active T1.  Excursion trains are scheduled to return to the Reading & Northern this year and steam power may be in the lead!
 

BASE OF OPERATIONS
During 1990, as plans were being made to take over the Ex-Conrail coal region lines, it became evident that a central location was necessary for a base of operations.  While several locations would have been opportune, one stood out above all others.  The little village of Port Clinton, located at the junction of three major segments of the Reading Division, was chosen to house the new facilities.  Here, lines branching out to Pottsville, Minersville, Tremont and other points to the west merged with lines extending northward to Tamaqua, Ashland, and Mt. Carmel.  The merged routes were brought together to a single main line that finished the route to Belt Line Jct., just north of Reading,  where the interchange with Conrail was established.

Conrail had carried out a typical for the time "scorched earth policy" when they pulled out of the Reading Cluster.  As structures and other historic items became costly to maintain, Conrail had either destroyed or removed them.  When R&N took over operations in 1990, there was nothing but track at Port Clinton.  Conrail had based their operations out of offices in older stations at Cressona, Tamaqua and Saint Nicholas.  These too were stripped significantly by the time the R&N arrived on the scene.  Within five years of the takeover, the view of the railroad through Port Clinton had changed dramatically with new "old" structures constructed.

Construction on a 170 foot long by 80 foot wide shop building commenced with a three track service area for both locomotives and cars.  A combination garage and warehouse was next to be constructed which was used to store vehicles, supplies, and equipment for maintenance and signal crews.  Bringing up some of the finishing touches initially was a sanding tower for the locomotives.

In 1995, a brand new office complex was constructed which became the home of all managerial, dispatching, and accounting departments.  This building takes on an early 1900's flavor and is constructed to simulate a large train station with attached train shed.   The Catawissa depot in Columbia County was the prototype which influenced the construction of this two-story building.  Just south of this structure an interlocking-style tower has also been constructed.

All of these facilities have been constructed in a park-like setting with old fashioned street lights and well maintained grounds and flower gardens.

OPERATIONS
Lehigh Division
The Lehigh Division would appear to be the "slower" side of the R&N but heavy-duty railroading is played out there every day.  No anthracite is hauled on the Lehigh Division, but where anthracite lacks, freight makes up.  Car loadings can range from 10 to 40 or more cars on this division.  The Lehigh Division acts primarily as a bridge route to the local railroads in the Scranton area.  Nearly two dozen on-line customers are also served between Lehighton and Mehoopany.  R&N utilizes similar alpha train symbols to Conrail with two-letter codes representing the departure and arrival locations.  LEPI, a Lehighton to Pittston Jct. turn, operates Sunday through Friday scheduled for departure from Lehighton at 07:00 ET.  Traffic on these trains is a variable, with some days much heavier than others.  The power assigned is proportionate to the number of cars received from Conrail.  LEPI generally departs with two to four GE U23B’s.  A morning run allows only a few locations for photography.  Some interesting angles can be obtained within the Lehigh Gorge, but better "correct lit" views are possible near Mountain Top at Glen Summit.  The mountain tends to give the GE’s a good workout and ultimately puts forth a show probably rivaled only by the Lehigh Valley and Central New Jersey!  The LEPI normally reaches Pittston Jct. Yard by late morning.  The crew will perform various switching and make up the southbound train upon their arrival.  Pittston Jct. To Lehighton train PILE departs in the early afternoon with good lighting for photography most of the line.  Power on the return trip will sometimes be changed at Pittston, with units added or dropped.  The PILE provides many opportunities from Laurel Run through the Lehigh Gorge to lens the endangered U23B’s. In addition to the six days a week road train, two yard jobs interchange traffic with the Canadian Pacific, Delaware-Lackawanna, and Luzerne & Susquehanna in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.  YJPI-A goes on duty at 07:00 ET Sunday through Friday to begin various switching chores.  This crew is scheduled to terminate at 15:00 ET.  YJPI-B is the second yard job on duty Sunday through Friday at 11:30 ET.  This crew will also carry out various switching and the interchange of traffic with the other local railroads.  The Lehigh Division's final job is a Saturday only "engine move".  On Saturday mornings, a crew will go on duty at Lehighton and gather all of the R&N power that is on-hand.  This power is operated to Port Clinton for servicing and returned later in the day.  Both the morning and afternoon power move is tagged with the ENG symbol.

The Lehigh Division also offers "foreign power" in the form of several Canadian Pacific Railway trains operating under the D&H banner.  In 1976, D&H had negotiated trackage rights to Philadelphia and Oak Island over Conrail's Lehigh Line between Dupont Jct. and Allentown.  This agreement was part of the deal struck with Conrail and those rights were conveyed to the R&N as part of the deal.  CPR currently operates four scheduled trains via the R&N.  D&H 555 and counterpart D&H 556 ultimately operate between Philadelphia and Monrteal, PQ but use the R&N routing.  D&H 557 and 558 are intermodal trains that is marketed as service between Philadelphia and Buffalo, NY.  D&H will also run an 8-856 empty hopper train to Bethlehem to pick up coke loads.  The train returns loaded as the 8-857.  Also run on an as needed basis are D&H 272 and 273 which is freight from Philadelphia-CSX that is blocked for Binghamton.  D&H 751 unit phosphate trains are also operated on an as needed basis.  The CPR power is a diverse mix of CP Rail, CP Rail System, Canadian Pacific Railway, St. Lawrence & Hudson, Norfolk Southern and CSX power.  Occasional visitors to the CPR trains appear in the form of NYS&W and Vemont Railway.

Dispatching functions on the Lehigh Division are under the control of the Conrail Branch Line dispatcher.  The Conrail dispatching of the line was another proposition negotiated in the sale of the Lehigh Line.  Radio chatter is frequent on Conrail road channel 1 (AAR 46/46) 160.800 Mhz.  Several talking detectors reflect the Conrail heritage of the line and provide a good indicator of the whereabouts of traffic.
 

Monday through Friday a 07:00 ET PNMC crew goes on duty to assemble the previous nights traffic from the Conrail interchange.  The PNMC conducts various switching before setting off for Mount Carmel over the historic Locust Summit. On rare occasions, the two U23B's assigned to this train are unable to "make the grade" and have to leave portions of their train at Tamaqua.  Many locations are possible to view this train as top speeds rarely top 35 MPH.  On the return trip, usually in the early afternoon, the train will carry a MCPN symbol and return loaded anthracite and other freight to Port Clinton.

Another Monday through Friday call is given to PNMV with a pair of switchers.  The traffic on this train is generally light and is operated to serve various on-line customers.  The call time has been set for 08:00 ET with the crew going on duty after the PNMC leaves town.  This train will return to Port Clinton with the symbol MVPN.

Two tri-weekly turns are operated to serve numerous customers in the Good Spring and Tamaqua area.  On Monday, Wednesday and Friday the PNQA departs Port Clinton for Tamaqua at 08:30 ET.  This train is also generally assigned a pair of switchers and is usually called to service several customers.  The counterpart QAPN is used in the early afternoon when the crew returns.  The second tri-weekly turn, the PNGWis operated on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday departing for Good Spring at 07:00 ET.  This job usually sees a mix of switchers with CF7's and returns to Port Clinton as GWPN.

The Reading Division is dispatched by Reading & Northern out of a Port Clinton office.  Frequent chatter on certain moves and set outs can inform listeners of operations.  The 160.310 Mhz radio frequency can be heard all over the Reading Division.

With all of these trains, many possibilities exist to record a new chapter in anthracite hauling history.

SUMMARY
With a distinct and unique history, the R&N territory exists today because of a tradition started over 100 years ago.  While the Reading Railroad Company may have fallen in 1976, the spirit of the Reading is very much alive today under the control of Andrew Muller, Jr. and the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad.  This truly in not the typical railroad of the 1990's but well worth a visit if you value the origin of Northeastern railroading.

Many thanks to Ed Heck and to the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad.