Reporting mark RBMN Dates of operation 1983– Length 300 miles (480 km) | Locale Pennsylvania Predecessor Conrail | |
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Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
Reading blue mountain and northern railroad via typhoon g
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (reporting mark RBMN) (a.k.a. Reading and Northern Railroad) is a regional railroad operating in eastern Pennsylvania.
Contents
- Reading blue mountain and northern railroad via typhoon g
- Reading blue mountain northern railroad port clinton pennsylvania
- History
- Main Lines
- Connections
- Marcellus Shale
- References
Reading blue mountain northern railroad port clinton pennsylvania
History
Originally known as the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad, the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad was founded in 1983 to provide freight service on the former Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Division between Hamburg and Temple, PA. Starting in 1985, the BM&R began operating passenger excursions over the line, and two steam locomotives, ex Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad 4-6-2 425, and Ex Reading Company T-1 4-8-4 2102. The BM&R also began operating 3 additional state owned lines. Additionally, the BM&R entered into a partnership with the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society who leased track space in Leesport, PA and in return leased two diesel locomotives and assorted passenger cars for use on the line.
In 1990, The Blue Mountain and Reading took ownership of 150 miles of track located in the Coal Region north of Reading. Shortly thereafter, the company was renamed Reading Blue Mountain and Northern and relocated its headquarters from Hamburg to Port Clinton, PA. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the RBMN acquired more lines in northeastern PA, primarily of Reading, Central Railroad of New Jersey, and Lehigh Valley heritage.
In the mid 1990s, the RBMN discontinued the regularly scheduled passenger operations between Hamburg and Temple and instead focused on occasional excursions throughout the rest of its system. The partnership between the RBMN and Reading Company Technical and Historical Society had more or less ended by this point, but the group still leased track space in Leesport until 2008 when they moved to the Hamburg yard and opened the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum.
Despite the discontinuation of the Hamburg to Temple excursions, steam operations continued. In 1995, both of the RBMN's steam locomotives were present at the grand opening of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA, though only 425 was operational. The two would remain at Steamtown until 1997. Between 1998 and 2009, all steam operations were suspended.
In 2005, regularly scheduled passenger excursions resumed with the introduction of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe, PA.
Main Lines
RBMN operates the following two main lines on 300 miles (483 km) of track:
Connections
RBMN operated occasional passenger excursions utilizing restored steam locomotive #425. In addition, RBMN operates the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, a heritage railway based in Jim Thorpe. RBMN interchanges with the following railroads:
Marcellus Shale
Between 2009 and 2010, RBMN expanded operations due to the emergence of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling in northeastern Pennsylvania. The railroad spent $100,000 to transform an outdated and lightly used Pittston Yard near Wilkes-Barre. RBMN also purchased two new locomotives, 101 rail cars and 6 miles (9.7 km) of track between Monroeton and Towanda where much of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale economic activity is focused.