Can anyone speak of the relationship between the Western MD and the Reading. I often see older photos of Reading equip on the WM and vice versa. I know they also leased power to each other.Better yet I'd love to find an article or book that covers
it.
Thanks
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Ralph:
I am not aware of WM and Reading having any common ownership or control.
They had run through trains (symboled AJ for AlphaJets) where one railroads power and cabooses ran through to a distant terminal point on the other. The memory is faded but, I don't recollect seeing either WM engines or cabooses moving east of Rutherford yard in Harrisburg and, of the WM and Reading books in my railroad library, none have any photos of the other's engines or cabooses east of Rutherford or west of Hagerstown. I'm assuming those terminals were the normal turning points for the other's power and cabooses.
The WM and Reading also participated in the Central States Dispatch Route (trains symboled CSD) with B&O. B&O engines and cabooses traveled onto the WM and I've got a Reading video that has Chessie System (B&O) engines in the Reading engine terminal. I've no books or video showing B&O cabooses on the Reading though.
Curt
Two books that I would recommend are "The Western Maryland Railway: Fireballs and Black Diamonds" by Cook and Zimmerman and "Western Maryland Railway in the Diesel Era" by Salaman and Hopkins. Cook's book, in particular, covers the Alphajets in some detail.
Curt is basically correct with his information except that Reading motive power did run all the way west to Connellsville. I agree with him that most WM power did not venture east of Harrisburg except that late in the "independent" lives of both roads the Reading leased two F7A's from the WM and perhaps an SD or two, although my info on the SD's is fuzzy. BTW, all the WM equipment leased by the Reading was in the circus livery.
Off topic a little, but N&W diesel power also ran on the WM between Lurgan and Connellsville.
Poppyl
Thank you all
Both books mentioned are long out of print and may be expensive to obtain. A cheaper alternative may be to locate a softcover series of books authored by Randy Watts in 1993; "RRs of the Cumberland Valley". This was a 5-volume series that covered all the RRs between Harrisburg and Hagerstown, and retailed for $9.00 each. Volume 5: "Mainline RRs; 1828-1993" would be the volume most useful to answer your questions. The books are very detailed with maps, and photos.
Also, TRAINS MAGAZINE featured the WM in March 1954, and May-June, 1980.
Both books that I referenced are available currently on Amazon in the $30 to $40 range.
Since I posted, I did a little more digging on the history of Reading run throughs on the WM. As far as I can tell, it looks like run throughs by Reading power to Connellsville were primarily diesel. Reading steam may have made it only as far west as Hagerstown. Still can't resolve whether any WM SD's were leased to the Reading. Maybe Borden knows.
Poppyl
If memory serves me correctly, both the WM and Reading were controlled by the B&O at one time.
I believe the B&O's stake in the WM goes back to the 1920's or early '30's…by mandate of the ICC, B&O was ordered to turn control over to a Trustee…This lasted until the mid '60's aggreement you mentioned.
WM and Reading pooled power on the "Dutch Line" between Hagerstown and Rutherford Yard east of Harrisburg and west of Hershey. The Reading component was the Phildelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh Branch between Rutherford and Shippensburg / Lurgan. Conrail and then Norfolk Southern use the concrete PH&P bridge (3500 feel long; 48 arches) across the Susquehanna north of I-83. Abandoned bridge piers toward the west shore were constructed for the never-completed South Pennsylvania Railroad to Pittsburgh.
I'm enjoying this topic!
The Reading was originally named Philadelphia and Reading Railway and Mining company during the 1890's(headquarters in Philadelphia PA) and was one of the largest financial corporations in the world at that time. They had enough money to buy up the Pennsylvania RR if they wanted to, but it would have meant double rail lines for most of the area they already ran in.
I have heard mention about the Reading Railroad owning close to 51% of the stock for the Central of New Jersey (CNJ).
Never heard of the Reading stock being owned by any other company.
Maybe the B & O controlled the P & R mining company.
To the best of my knowledge the Reading Company and Reading Lines were owned by stock holders and NO other company.
The Reading went into bankruptcy in 1976 and then into Conrail that year or in 1977.
Lee Fritz
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SD38 - New Tooling - Reading and Northern
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The Reading was originally named Philadelphia and Reading Railway and Mining company during the 1890's(headquarters in Philadelphia PA) and was one of the largest financial corporations in the world at that time. They had enough money to buy up the Pennsylvania RR if they wanted to, but it would have meant double rail lines for most of the area they already ran in.
I have heard mention about the Reading Railroad owning close to 51% of the stock for the Central of New Jersey (CNJ).
Never heard of the Reading stock being owned by any other company.
Maybe the B & O controlled the P & R mining company.
To the best of my knowledge the Reading Company and Reading Lines were owned by stock holders and NO other company.
The Reading went into bankruptcy in 1976 and then into Conrail that year or in 1977.
Lee Fritz
B&O's influence (stock control) of Reading is well documented. It began in the late 1880's and lasted until about 1972/1973. It was this situation that allowed B&O to provide service New York City. After about 1920, B&O passenger trains terminated at Jersey City, using trackage rights over Reading and CNJ north of Philadelphia. All B&O Passenger operations north of Baltimore were curtailed in 1958. B&O freight service continued until 1975 and the creation of CONRAIL.
The Reading was originally named Philadelphia and Reading Railway and Mining company during the 1890's(headquarters in Philadelphia PA) and was one of the largest financial corporations in the world at that time. They had enough money to buy up the Pennsylvania RR if they wanted to, but it would have meant double rail lines for most of the area they already ran in.
I have heard mention about the Reading Railroad owning close to 51% of the stock for the Central of New Jersey (CNJ).
Never heard of the Reading stock being owned by any other company.
Maybe the B & O controlled the P & R mining company.
To the best of my knowledge the Reading Company and Reading Lines were owned by stock holders and NO other company.
The Reading went into bankruptcy in 1976 and then into Conrail that year or in 1977.
Lee Fritz
B&O's influence (stock control) of Reading is well documented. It began in the late 1880's and lasted until about 1972/1973. It was this situation that allowed B&O to provide service New York City. After about 1920, B&O passenger trains terminated at Jersey City, using trackage rights over Reading and CNJ north of Philadelphia. All B&O Passenger operations north of Baltimore were curtailed in 1958. B&O freight service continued until 1975 and the creation of CONRAIL.
In 1904, New York Central bought 25% interest and B&O 42% interest in Reading stock under direction of financier J.P. Morgan. RDG in turn purchased 53% of CNJ stock.
This arrangement, aka a "community of interest" insured stability in freight rate pricing, and gave NYC access to Pennsylvania, and B&O access to New York City.
Chessie System inherited the B&O's shares and sold them all on 7/11/1973.
Quoted from "The Reading RR", by James L. Holton, 1992.
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