Sunday afternoon on the NS Reading Line

[dschlegel]

I got out this afternoon for the first time in a long time to railfan on the Reading Line. I barely managed to catch the NS 212 lead by the BNSF 636 still wearing its original war bonnet paint and 4 other trains in about 2 hours. Here's some shots from today.

1) The 212 crossed Deka Rd between Lyons and Fleetwood, PA.

2) The 262 is pulling the grade and about to pass Dreiblebiss Cemetary just east of Fleetwood.

3) The K07 (Allentown-Reading turn) has an SD40-2 and a CSX GE unit pulling 15 cars at the same location.

4) 11J rolling westbound at Dreiblebiss cemetery.

[dschlegel]

5) I nearly stepped on this dead thing, anyone know what type of snake it is?

6) 38G Rolls through Lyons PA westbound with a trio of UP power.

Thanks for looking everyone!
PA Dan

[thpbears]

Nice catches. Don't know about the snake. I usrally run when I first spot one. ;D

[Matt L]

Great shots! How steep is the grade at Fleetwood?

[dschlegel]

Great shots! How steep is the grade at Fleetwood?

To be honest I'm not sure. The Reading Line is a 35+ mile long roller coaster with a peak in Topton. Starting at the west end at CP West Laurel, there's a steady climb at about 0.8% up to Blandon where it levels off a bit. Then uphill from Walnuttown to east of Fleetwood where Dreiblebiss Cemetary is located. Then it drops a bit but stays mostly level to Lyons. Between Lyons and Bowers there's a serious sag in the tracks. From Bowers it climbs gently to Topton and the peak. Topton to Mertztown has another sag before leveling off and heading a bit downgrade to Shamrock and Alburtis where the tracks start seem to drop off and decend almost all the way through Macungie and Emmaus into Allentown.

When I was growing up I remember several ore trains on the way to Bethlehem Steel with broken knuckles. I also remember seeing ore pellets bouncing out of the cars and across the grade crossings!!

I'll try to find more info on the actual grades, I should have some old CR timetables in the basement.
PA Dan