Bethlehem Branch Pictures from 03/24/2002

Part II of the hike
(The ex-Reading Railroad's Bethlehem Branch ran from Bethlehem, PA to Philadelphia, PA)

These pictures were taken on part two of the Bethlehem Branch hike. Our day began in Center Valley, PA, at the site of the massive ROW breach, and continued South to Quakertown, PA, where there is still active rail service. The East Penn Railway (EPRY) operates the trackage from Telford, PA to Quakertown, PA. The EPRY interchanges with CSX at Telford, who operates the tracks from Telford, South to Philadelphia. SEPTA actually owns the tracks all the way North up to Hellertown.

This part of the hike was easier than the first, as it seemed as though there were less grades to climb. Plus, I actually remembered to bring water this time.... (except that my hydration pack leaked down my back)

The ROW on this part of the hike seemed to be clearer than on the first part of our hike, but I may just not be remembering correctly. There appeared to be more drainage problems on this section though, as we saw washouts on the track, washouts real close to the track and even the flooded section of ROW around Coopersburg. By the way, that "lake" was real fun to walk through/around, as there are massive jaguar bushes next to the track in that section, and a certain person in the group (not me) was not wearing waterproof footwear.... :-)

North of the Lutron building, the ballast in the center of the ROW was piled in cool, wavelike patterns. I don't know if the weather caused it or what, but it was that way for about half a mile or so. Around there was also a rare, protected bamboo plant, with a warning sign and everything. I've never seen anything like that before for a plant.

I'd love to see the EPRY put crossbucks up on California Road and extend the track for additional car storage. Anything to get more of the tracks open would be good news for me!

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other_side_of_divide.jpg The hike resumed here in Center Valley, on the South side of the ROW breach. Full size image is 58 kB	signal_cabinet_center_valley.jpg Typical condition of the signal cabinets found along the ROW. Full size image is 73 kB	ROW_center_valley.jpg Looking South from Center Valley. Full size image is 62 kB
general_railway_signal_center_valley.jpg A very defensive squirrel lives in this general railways signal, located south of Center Valley. Full size image is 80 kB	towards_station_avenue.jpg Approaching Station Avenue in Center Valley and the tracks magically look good, as do the lineside poles and wires. Full size image is 126 kB	station_ave_again.jpg Looking South at Station Avenue in Center Valley. Full size image is 82 kB
southbound_side_gulley_and_pole.jpg There's a nasty gulley on the southbound side of the ROW and it's starting to erode the base of this pole. Full size image is 118 kB	flint_hill_road.jpg Here's the crossing ot Flint Hill Road. Full size image is 71 kB	towards_passer_road.jpg Looking towards the Passer Road crossing. Lots of small trees and brush. Full size image is 92 kB
writing_on_north_track_south_of_passer.jpg South of Passer Road, we found this writing on the rail. There was other writings on the rail, similar to this stuff. I suppose it was from a survey of some type. Full size image is 123 kB	new_lutron_crossing.jpg Lutron so nicely put a new road across the ROW here. It looks as though it's entirely on top of the rails. The Lutron security guards seem to be suspicious of activity around here. Full size image is 76 kB	south_towards_country_club.jpg Looking South towards the country club. (Hi Seth!) Full size image is 94 kB
landis_street_storm_felled_trees.jpg Landis Street crossing and storm damage from 2000. Full size image is 93 kB	coopersburg_station_avenue.jpg Coopersburg's Station Ave. The building on the right has an old railroad spur covered up by a structure. Neat stuff. Full size image is 39 kB	coopersburg_derail.jpg Here's a signal system connected derail at Coopersburg. Too bad there are no longer any signals.... Full size image is 122 kB
drainage_problem_south_of_cherry_street.jpg Woah, Nelly! A bit of a drainage problem here, South of Cherry Street. The ROW on the Northbound main has been evacuated by the water for a bit. Eeks. Full size image is 101 kB	in_the_coopersburg_cut.jpg In the cut at Coopersburg, looking South at the bridge carrying Springfield Street. Full size image is 101 kB	lake_coopersburg.jpg A bit of a drainage problem here before Hilltop. Both tracks are slightly submerged. Full size image is 68 kB
lake_coopersburg_again.jpg Looking North at Lake Coopersburg. Full size image is 74 kB	mp45_at_hilltop.jpg Here's MP45, a former division point marker when Conrail ran the line. Full size image is 119 kB	conrail_comm_tower_at_hilltop.jpg Conrail has a communications tower here. Probably a repeater or something. Full size image is 46 kB
hilltop_derail.jpg Here's a number 6 derail at the North end of the old Hilltop siding. After a little brush cleaning and tree cutting, the derail was thrown for the first time in probably 40 plus years. Full size image is 120 kB	north_at_hilltop.jpg Looking North at Hilltop and you can see the old passing siding on the right. Full size image is 74 kB	reading_culvert.jpg A cool stone/mortar culvert that Reading made to carry some water under the tracks at Hilltop. Full size image is 110 kB
south_hilltop_crossover.jpg This used to be the crossover at the South end of Hilltop. Full size image is 99 kB	south_to_mine_road.jpg Looking South at the Mine Road crossing. Full size image is 74 kB	signal_368_northbound_hilltop.jpg Northbound signal 368 at Hilltop. Full size image is 105 kB
south_towards_shelly.jpg Looking South towards Shelly. Full size image is 83 kB	handrail_through_tree.jpg A tree growing around a bridge's handrail. Full size image is 97 kB	cherry_road_in_shelly.jpg Here's Cherry Road in Shelly and the tracks are still in. Cool. Is this really where SEPTA proposed to end restored service on the Bethlehem Branch? There's nothing here and no room to put any facilities. Full size image is 98 kB
shelly_grasslands_looking_north.jpg Looking North at the grasslands around Shelly. Full size image is 104 kB	quarys_south_of_shelly.jpg There are two small flooded quarries along the ROW South of Shelly. There's a sunken rowboat in one of them. Bad place for a derailment.... Full size image is 69 kB	california_road.jpg Looking South towards the active EPRY rails on the other side of California Road. There's a string of the Mexican gondolas on the Southbound main. Full size image is 76 kB
pumping_station_road_bridge.jpg Looking at the bridge over pumping station road. I wonder what caused the rails to shift on the Northbound main? Everything else looked straight besides the rails. Full size image is 88 kB	siding_and_burned_car.jpg A siding off of the Southbound main, and an old burned out car. Pinto? Full size image is 57 kB	signal_365_and_old_brick_plant.jpg Looking South at signal 365 and the old brick plant. Full size image is 80 kB
cool_qtown_siding_and_derail.jpg Here's a cool private siding leading North off of the Southbound main. Full size image is 111 kB	south_towards_mill_street.jpg Looking South towards Mill Street. EPRY has cars stored on this siding, but it looks mushy to me. Full size image is 61 kB	north_at_mill_street.jpg Looking North at the cars stored past Mill Street. Full size image is 68 kB
epry3153_at_fibermark.jpg There's the EPRY 3153 stored in the Fibermark plant. Hello Mr. Nolan! Full size image is 57 kB	former_4tracks_south_of_mill_street.jpg It used to be four tracks wide here, with an interchange to the Quakertown and Eastern on the right. Full size image is 75 kB	north_of_broad_street.jpg A Lehigh Valley Transit bridge pier on the right, by the former Quakertown and Eastern interchange track. Full size image is 68 kB
qtown_station.jpg Here's the Quakertown passenger station. It's going to be restored and funding is already in place. Full size image is 59 kB	epry57_missing_turbo.jpg EPRY 57 when it was being repaired for a busted turbo housing. Full size image is 60 kB	qtown_reading_company_freight_station.jpg Here's the Quakertown Reading Company Freight Station. I wonder if this will be restored along with the passenger station? Full size image is 49 kB
qtown_bldg_58.jpg Here's another shot of the freight station, stenciled as building 58. Full size image is 60 kB	south_towards_hellertown_ave.jpg Looking South towards Hellertown Avenue. Full size image is 77 kB	south_of_hellertown_ave.jpg Looking North at Hellertown Avenue. Full size image is 78 kB
fairview_road.jpg Looking South at Fairview Road. The infamous Q-Mart is ahead on the right. Part two of the hike ends here. Full size image is 74 kB	landsale_station.jpg A night shot of the Lansdale passenger station. I'm standing near the end of catenary on the Bethlehem Branch, and the Bethlehem Branch tracks are on my right. To the left of the station (unseen in this pic) are the Doylestown line tracks. Full size image is 34 kB

Index created on Thu Jan 23 01:17:18 2003.
Last Modified on Wed Feb 12 18:23:00 2003.
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