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Reading & Northern Railroad
Freight Service |
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While the corporate headquarters of the Reading and Northern is located in Port Clinton (near Reading, PA) a great deal of freight is moved by this company in the Northeast Pennsylvania region via the former Lehigh Valley "Lehigh Line". This heavy-duty mainline stretches for nearly 66 miles between the NS connection at Lehighton, PA and Pittston, PA. Pittston Yard, about 10 miles south of Scranton, is a key location on the Leigh Line as cars are sorted here for several destinations in Northeast PA. From Pittston, the Lehigh Line continues nearly 30 miles north to Mehoopany, PA and there is also a branch known as the Taylor Secondary that runs several miles north from Pittston to Taylor, PA, where the R&N services an industrial park.
The mainline between Pittston and Lehighton actually starts north out of Pittston, crossing over the Taylor secondary before making a large U-turn and heading south upgrade through the towns like Avoca, Duryea, Dupont and Mountain Top, which is where our coverage ends.
Power for the mainline jobs between Lehighton and Pittston often comes in the form of several six-axle EMD units, including two former Erie-Lackawanna SD-45 locomotives painted an a Reading Company inspired green and yellow paint scheme. Other power can be seen in the form of several GE U-boats and EMD switchers that work some of the local jobs out of Pittston. Additionally, trains operated by Canadian Pacific run between the CP/R&N junction at Dupont and Lehighton, before entering NS trackage at Lehighton |
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Photographs are arranged north to south, Pittston to Mountain Top. |
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At the western end of Pittston yard a set of SD-45's drifts downgrade along side a cut of cars it has brought north from Lehighton. 4/99 |
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An EMD SW-1200, having returned from a trip on the Taylor Secondary, idles away at the east end of the Pittston Yard. 8/01 |
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A mainline Lehighton bound frieght begins the climb North out of Pittston Tracks will make a 180 degree turn and this train will be headed south. 4/99 |
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Beginning the turn south in Pittston Township,the mainline passes a well maintained cemetary. 5/99 |
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The R&N heads almost due-east at this point, viewed from an overpass in the town of Avoca. The former Erie RR (now L&S) is seen in the background5/99 |
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Finally heading south, the Lehigh line passes the site once occupied by a coal breaker in the town of Duryea. 4/99 |
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Dupont Junction. The tracks to the left serve as a connection between the Canadian Pacific and the R&N. 5/99 |
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An R&N frieght has completed the stiff climb up the grade and has reached the appropriately named town of Mountain Top. 5/99 |
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Turning 180 degrees at the same spot as the previous photograph on the same day, we find a light engine waiting for the freight to pass. 5/99 |
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About half a mile south of the above location the trains begin a downgrade run to Lehighton. 4/99 |
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As viewed from the mainline, a transfer run is southbound on the Taylor Secondary about to enter Pittston yard with a lone GE U23B as power. 4/99 |
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Back to the R&N Gallery Page |
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Please note this page has no official association with the Reading & Northern Railroad. |
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