The pictures on this page were taken in Quakertown, PA on 02/21/2004 in order
to show the current status of the former Reading Railroad station buildings. The passenger
station is currently under restoration, but there doesn't appear to have been a lot of
progress made since I last looked back in November. I expected to see a new roof on
it by now, but I'm not a contractor so I don't know what's going on inside.
The former freight station isn't in bad shape, but the platform in front
of it is. Part of the roof appears to actually be resting on the horn of EPRY
locomotive number 57 (an RS1). I think that the EPRY uses the freight station
as part of their facilities, judging by the amount of their equipment parked outside.
There are some freight cars stored on the tracks on both sides of the freight station
and it is neat to see the tracks being used. It almost looks as though the old transfer crane
was being used too, but I'm not sure if that's just wishful thinking on my part.
Speaking of the EPRY 57, it doesn't appear to have moved in a long time. I know
that they were working on it in that location last year, to replace the freeze damaged
turbocharger. It is back together now, but still in the same place, but with part of
the freight station platform roof resting on it. Also, last year some vandals (likely
some kids across the street as I heard mentioned) smashed the side windows of the 57,
along with the windows of the bay window caboose located at the South end of the freight
station.
I tried to get picture from all four corners of the station, in order to show
its current status. I can't wait to see how nice it looks when it is done. But not
as much as I'd like to go there and take the train to Philadelphia. It looks like we
won't ever get a chance to take the train in the other direction though, as Norfolk
Southern, who owns the tracks from Hellertown to Bethlehem, wants to formally abandon
the tracks, and SEPTA who had the first right of refusal to buy the tracks, passed
on the offer. Why? Because they are an inept transit agency who wants to run
everything like a bus line, and refuses to see the benefits of expanding service,
unless it's a two billion dollar, 63 mile trolley line that will never get built.
Now, the tracks from Hellertown to Bethlehem will be gone forever, and there will
never again be a commuter rail connection from Philadelphia to the Lehigh Valley.
Mark my words.
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freight_station_lettering.jpg
You can still easily read the lettering that designates this the Reading Company Freight Station.
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EPRY_57_by_freight_station.jpg
Here's the EPRY 57 RS1 parked by the freight station. Actually, it appears that the horn of the EPRY 57 is actually holding up part of the roof.
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station_southeast.jpg
Here's a view of the South-East corner of the passenger station.
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station_northeast.jpg
Here's a view of the North-East corner of the passenger station.
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interesting_track.jpg
Can locomotives really navigate this curvature? After the EPRY reversed the old Reading crossover and isolated the Northbound main, they had to install this bypass to access the track for car storage.
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