Re: (rshsdepot) PRR Schuylkill Branch Questions

["Verne and Joan Brummel" <jmb_@_email.msn.com>]

I would like to add some questions to Frank's list:
What were the PRR and Reading depots like in Pottsville, and when were they
torn down? Also, what was the PRR depot like in Reading,PA?
Back in 1976, my friend Gordy Bjoraker and I rode a Reading RDC up to
Pottsville. Even though several Reading trains still served Pottsville at
the time, the depot was already gone. Down in Reading,PA, we took a tour of
the Reading RR's yard and shops, and visited the Franklin St. and Outer
stations. We stopped at the PRR/Penn Central yard in Reading, and found an
old railroad structure that appeared to be still used by PC. I'm not sure if
it was a PRR freight station, or a surviving  portion of the old PRR
passenger station. Any information on these depots would be very much
appreciated!
LaVerne Brummel, Madison,WI
- ----- Original Message -----
From: <FRANKGARON_@_aol.com>
To: <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 1:24 PM
Subject: (rshsdepot) PRR Schuylkill Branch Questions


> Took a Sunday drive last month up to the Pottsville, PA area - I had not
been up there in years.
>
> Some questions/comments:
>
> 1. It looks like they are going to widen Route 61 from the south side of
Pottsville clear down to Schuylkill Haven to put in a center turn lane - and
*possibly* build on the PRR ROW. All trees have been cleared, and Mount
Carbon Yard is now wide open.
>
> Anybody know if this is the case?
>
>
> 2. When did the coaling tower finally come down in Mount Carbon?
>
>
> 3. In Pottsville proper, right next to the Bus Station, there is a
building that *sort* of looks like it might have been a PRR building - maybe
frieght or Yard Office.
> It's on the west side of the Bus Station. This would have been right where
the now razed PRr station was.
>
> Anybody know if it was PRR related?
>
>
> 4. In Schuylkill Haven, my CT1000 shows a PRR/LV interchange track at MP
90.2.
>
> Can anybody help me place this location - nearest steets that it would
have been near?
>
>
> 5. The ROW just above Saint Clair has a handy dandy Walmart Plaza built on
it - this is new since last time I was up there.
>
>
> 6. Did PRR use RDG trackage rights all the way from Wetherill Jct to
Shenandoah, or did they have their own tracks from frackville north somehow?
>
>
> 7. Anybody know where the PRR station in Minersville was located?
>
>
> 8. Does anybody know the last time the line from Delano Jct to Morea was
used (I am guessing that LV was the last one to run on this line)? It seems
to have been railbanked from at least 1984 or so.
>
>
> 9. Has anybody here ever walked the ROW from the Delano area thru Morea
down to say St. Clair or so? I am interested in doing this sometime - but
wondering what bridges are out, and if there are trespassing concerns at
Morea Colliery?
>
>
> 10. In Hazleton proper, they list a PRR freight station at MP 122.5 - this
interests me because I believe that this trackage was always owned by LV
(w/PRR having trackage rights).
>
> Anybody know where this was, streetwise, and what it looked like?
>
>
> 11. Did the tracks ever run west of Scotch Valley and connect with the
line from Sunbury to Wilkes Barre or something? A topo map and an NRHS
Bulletin that I have infers this, but does not seem to come out and say it.
>
>
> 12. Anybody else on the list have a good handle on what stuctures are
still up north of Norristown? Doesn't seem to be hardly anything left -
except for
> Birdsboro, Mohrsville and Shoemakersville?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Frank
>
>

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