Reading & Northern Railroad Heritage

By Kenneth C. Springirth and Beth Anne Keats

Railroads in northeastern Pennsylvania evolved from thriving coal and passenger lines to modern freight and steam-powered excursions.

Reading and Northern Railroad Heritage begins with the predecessor railroads in northeastern Pennsylvania including Reading Company, Pennsylvania Railroad Schuylkill Branch, Central Railroad of New Jersey in Pennsylvania, Lehigh & New England Railroad in Pennsylvania, and Lehigh Valley Railroad in Pennsylvania that were originally prosperous; however, in later years they declined as anthracite coal production declined. Passenger ridership declined with the coming of the automobile, and growth of interstate highways plus growth of trucking companies took away much of the former railroad freight business. In 1983, Andrew Muller leased a portion of a former Pennsylvania Railroad line that was about to be abandoned by Conrail. That was the beginning of what ultimately became the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad. Over a period of time, the railroad grew and has successfully developed a prosperous freight and passenger business. It has restored steam locomotives for its passenger excursions plus has re-introduced the public to the region's railroad heritage.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 163499633X
• ISBN13: 9781634996334
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: America Through Time
• Length: 128 Pages