| Home | Chapter History | National Info | Chapter Info | CINDERS Newsletter | Our FP7 | Transportation Links | Railfan Links |
 |
The Philadelphia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Established in 1936
|
|||||||
Railfan Pictures of the Week - 10/30/2016
| PN Bethlehem Branch Hatfield PA July and October 2016 |
| Shortlines usually make money three ways: hauling freight, hauling passengers and storage. The nearby New Hope and Ivyland Railroad does all three, but its sister operation Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad has to make do with the first and the last. It operates on three lines: their Bethlehem Branch from Lansdale to Telford, and single customers on SEPTA's Warminster Line and Doylestown Line. It fortunately has the real estate of the formerly double tracked Reading Bethlehem Branch. Since it was downgraded by Conrail decades ago, it has been a single track line utilizing mostly the northbound main known as the Bethlehem Running Track (better maintained due to its use for loaded ore trains to Bethlehem during the Reading and Conrail eras). The southbound main, renamed the Bethlehem Industrial Track, has been chopped up with most grade crossings paved over north of Lansdale. PN has decided to use one such stretch of track between Orvilla Road and Vine Street in Hatfield for car storage (as they have just south of Bergey Road). But first they must add a switch to access it. After clearing the area many months ago, the new layout starts to take shape in late July 2016. |
 |
 |
| Between Orvilla and Schwab Roads lie the rotting timbers of the old southbound main line. |
 |
| By early October, the trackwork has been completed, now it only needs cars to start the per diem charges rolling in. |
 |
 |
| It looks like they are doing some other work as well just south of Orvilla, purpose unknown. |
 |
|
All pictures July and October 2016 Copyright © 2016 John P. Almeida Photographs for personal use only. All rights reserved by original owner of image. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without express written permission is prohibited. |
| Click here for previous RPOTW |
Last Updated October 30, 2016
Direct website questions or comments to phillynrhs webmaster
Website created June 12, 2002
Website copyright © 2002-2016 John P. Almeida
