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They are preparing the site for a new station for excursion trains at Rt. 61 and Bellevue Ave. north of Belt Jct. with NS, just north of Bellevue Ave. overpass. Apparently they razed the strip mall there last month but not the restaurant. Even with just the strip mall gone there's plenty of room for a new station plus parking. They built a new spur track at the site by cutting out part of the macadam and laying track and filling it in leaving just the rails exposed, and they parked 4-6-0 #225 there, the ex-CP #1098. I wonder what the station building will look like, if they are building a building? One article said that the former Mexican restaurant will be the station, another said that new buildings will be built, and another said that a platform will be constructed at the tracks but no mention of a building. Who is correct? Also, a water tower will be built at the site. Probably just for show. RDC's will make round trips to Jim Thorpe starting in May, but no mention of regular locomotive hauled trains. This site is near Unique Pretzel factory and Fairgrounds Square Mall which are on the east side of the NS tracks.

Last edited by Robert K
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If Andy Mueller builds a water tower on that site it might be for real as he owns the former Reading Lines T-1, a 4-8-4, steam engine and another 4-6-2 steam engine # 425. 

Not sure what Mr. Mueller will build or rebuild but he is the one behind the project financially as he is the owner of Reading & Northern Railroad. He owns the tracks from Hamburg or Jim Thorpe PA up to Reading PA, maybe further north not 100% sure.

Any way Muhlenberg Township( 3 miles north of Reading) officials like what Mr. Mueller is going to do. Also Mr. Mueller has the money to do the project.

Lee Fritz

Last edited by phillyreading

I enjoyed riding behind 2102 and 425 in the past and want to ride behind 2102 when it runs again. I also haven't ridden behind 113 yet at Minersville. Muller must be a steam nut. He is restoring 2102 to operation right now, should be ready this year or next. I also enjoyed NS's return to steam excursions thanks to former CEO Wick Moorman who is also a steam nut. He is head of Amtrak now, they ran two very rare excursions last fall from New York and Newark to Harrisburg via Allentown and Reading on NS, and return via Philly. Very rare for the public to be able to ride on the NS tracks through Reading, as well as Allentown near me. In August 2015 NKP 765 ran 2 rare excursions from near Bethlehem, PA to Pittston, PA and back over NS and RBMN with a stop at Jim Thorpe on the return. I rode one of the trips. I was also on the May 2013 Horseshoe Curve trip with 765, and last June 611 from Manassas, VA.

Last edited by Robert K
Robert K posted:

I enjoyed riding behind 2102 and 425 in the past and want to ride behind 2102 when it runs again. I also haven't ridden behind 113 yet at Minersville. Muller must be a steam nut. He is restoring 2102 to operation right now, should be ready this year or next. I also enjoyed NS's return to steam excursions thanks to former CEO Wick Moorman who is also a steam nut. He is head of Amtrak now, they ran two very rare excursions last fall from New York and Newark to Harrisburg via Allentown and Reading on NS, and return via Philly. Very rare for the public to be able to ride on the NS tracks through Reading, as well as Allentown near me. In August 2015 NKP 765 ran 2 rare excursions from near Bethlehem, PA to Pittston, PA and back over NS and RBMN with a stop at Jim Thorpe on the return. I rode one of the trips. I was also on the May 2013 Horseshoe Curve trip with 765, and last June 611 from Manassas, VA.

If they use Norfolk Southern tracks they have to pay a fee for that, usually so much per mile and how many rail units are being used(train cars and engines). Most likely Norfolk Southern has an agreement with Mr. Mueller or Reading & Northern RR.

Lee Fritz

RBMN uses NS to get its freight trains into Spring St. Yard. But, their excursions now only run on their own track. They last ran off line trips in 1988 mostly with #2102 running on then Conrail lines that are NS now. They would board at 4 stops on the BM&R, South Hamburg, Shoemakersville, Leesport, and Temple, then head south to the junction with the mainline. They had trips to Gettysburg, Philly Zoo, Harrisburg, Jim Thorpe via Allentown, etc. in 1988. NKP 765 also ran two trips from Bound Brook, NJ to Temple and return, in July 1988. The one via Philly ran on tracks that are now CSX, which is off limits to steam now. CSX owns from Manville, NJ to West Trenton, and from Neshaminy Falls, PA to Philly. Those are the trips that were part of that Garden State '88 convention that was so bad. I think that is a sore subject for Rich. The more recent 765 trips that ran on both NS and RBMN from near Bethlehem/Fountain Hill to Pittston and back were a success, but on my trip there was an issue with the AC in the coaches, the electricity kept going off and on so they moved us from the Ohio State to one of the renovated NS coaches with the fixed seats which the AC was working. It is very rare to be able to ride the NS lines from Bethlehem to Packerton, and the lines from NJ to Harrisburg which were covered by an Amtrak special last fall, and Philly to Reading and Harrisburg in Nov 2014.

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