Anthracite Rebirth: Story of the Reading & Northern Railroad

Laurys Station, PA, USA: Garrigues House Publishers, 1998. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 124 Pages with Black/White Photos. Since the R&N's creation in 1983 as just a little thirteen-mile shortline connecting Temple and Hamburg, Pennsylvania it has grown nearly 300% and today operates an efficient and profitable railroad being named the Regional Railroad Of The Year in 2002 by Railway Age, the fabled industry publication. To give a brief history of Reading and Northern Railroad's heritage the Reading Railroad (pronounced Redding ), officially known as the Reading Company, was another of the many anthracite carriers of the Northeast and perhaps the most famous . Unfortunately, while the Reading was the most famous anthracite carrier it was also relied the heaviest on the commodity and when demand began to disappear following WWII so did the Reading's profits. While the railroad was one of several that collapsed in the wake of the Penn Central disaster to be absorbed into Conrail it was certainly one of the most interesting and colorful anthracite carriers of all. great writing by this former Reading and Northern locomotive engineer provide an incredibly unique perspective on this fascinating railroad. Chronicles the dramatic turn around of the company and it's services throughout Pennsylvania's hard coal region. Chapters include Background, Andy Muller, Jr. and the Early Years, Early Blue Mountain and Reading, The Reading Cluster: The Coal Regions, The Winter from Hell: Winter 1993-1994, The Business Boom, A Regional Rail Line Becomes Reality, The Future, The Family, and Locomotive Roster.