Wednesday is here, and so am I. We are one month away from Christmas, and so I am letting you know that the 2020 Year in Review thread of Midweek Photos will begin on Wednesday December 30. If you have any memorable photos of real world railroading from this wack-a-doodle year, we would love to see them. Even if they are repeats from earlier posts you may have submitted.
Here goes for this week. While exploring around the Reading, PA area last week, I stumbled upon the Reading & Northern's Outer Station location on the north end of town.
The interesting part of the location is that it is right next to PA 61, and has this locomotive and water tower in plain sight of traffic, yet it took me by surprise when I encountered it.
The locomotive has not run in about 25 years. She is 4-6-0 no. 225 on the Reading & Northern RR. However, the history of the engine places her as being built for the Canadian Pacific Railroad as no. 1098. She is a roadside attraction, but her track upon which she rests is attached to active rails.
The Station or boarding area is a rather new space carved out by the Reading & Northern in the old North Reading yard. The tower resembles a PRR tower more than a Reading structure, but no problem. It serves as a ticket booth for trains that board here. I believe there was an RDC train out that day heading to and from Jim Thorpe.
Very attractive angles to this structure.
The day before I showed up, there was a special excursion on the line featuring the road's newly purchased F9 units. Some of the executive cars were on the train. The cars were parked at the station area.
Very ornate trim on no. 1, the "Black Diamond."
The power for the special train led by the F9 A&B units was added to with SD50 no. 5018, one of the newly acquired and painted locomotives on the R&N roster.
A cross road by the parking lot has a bridge which allows this view of the locomotives from above.
That is my contribution for the week. Pardon the late posting. I hope that if you observe Thanksgiving, that you and your family stay safe this holiday season. Please post any cool pictures you have of railroading in the real world. See you soon.