Now that Berks County has purchased the former Reading Colebrookdale Branch, East Penn has removed all their equipment and ceased operations. I’m not sure how I feel about East Penn’s operations, but I am grateful that they kept the branch active for so long. Though I do enjoy rail-trails, I would much rather see the branch preserved as a railroad. The County is still studying what to actually do though.
With that in mind, I was excited to find ESPN #52 in Reading Yard. As East Penn wound down it had been sitting on the railroad bridge over High Street awaiting interchange, but I had no idea where it was headed after that. My guess is that its headed to Emmaus for interchange to ESPN’s operation on the north end of the former Perkiomen Branch. Incidentally, I have also observed green containers in East Greenville on the Perkiomen, similar to those that used to show up in Boyertown. I’m guessing ESPN is consolidating operations to the former Perkiomen.
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Those who know me can probably guess what I would do if I were running the railroad. Although its not a new or original idea, I would extend the branch to meet the former RDG Perkiomen Branch somewhere near Palm, PA. This would give direct rail service to Martin’s Stone Quarry outside Bechtelsville as well as put Bechtelsville and Bally on the line.
Since the county is in charge, it may prove useful to create a railroad authority under their Economic Development Corporation to own the trackage, then contract a shortline operator. This is precisely the model that has made SEDA-COG an enviable success. If this is pursued, I would insist that the authority also purchase the north end of the Perkiomen Branch (another ESPN property), the Pottstown Industrial Track, and some of Stowe Yard (outside Pottstown), as well as negotiate trackage rights on NS from Emmaus to Allentown Yard. This would give approximately 40 miles of track plus 5 miles of trackage rights – a mainline from Pottstown to Emmaus and a branchline to East Greenville. Interchange could take place at Stowe Yard (outside Pottstown) and Allentown yard (reached via trackage rights). Existing industrial parks/areas served are in Pottstown (downtown and the former Occidental site), Stowe (former Doehlers Jarvis site), New Berlinville, Bally (if a spur is built to the former Bally Case & Cooler), and East Greenville. Combined with the steady revenue of stone trains from Martin’s Stone Quarry and existing industries this could be a powerful economic development tool to lure more manufacturers to the area while reducing truck trips.
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