CSX Transportation Historical Society

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Summer Vacation 2021 - Montgomery to Sunbury PA

Rail Fan Adventure --

1. NS, ex-P-C, nee-PRR bridge over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at Montgomery PA looking south. Photographed from PA 54-404 bridge. Thursday 06-24-2021.
NS, ex-P-C, nee-PRR bridge over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at Montgomery PA looking south. Photographed from PA 54-404 bridge. Thursday 06-24-2021.

2. No trace of the Reading now in Montgomery. The Reading crossed the PRR just south of town at their Montgomery Tower, aka OG Tower. Pennsy called it Montgomery Crossing. Montoursville South, PA, 1:24,000 quad, 1965, USGS. Click here for a larger image.
No trace of the Reading now in Montgomery. The Reading crossed the PRR just south of town at their Montgomery Tower, aka OG Tower. Pennsy called it Montgomery Crossing. Montoursville South, PA, 1:24,000 quad, 1965, USGS.

3. The Philadelphia & Reading “Camelback” has slowed to 15 m.p.h. at OG Tower per employee timetable because of the crossing frogs. He is heading eastbound from Newberry-Williamsport to Shamokin or beyond. RDG tower. Montgomery PA.
The Philadelphia & Reading “Camelback” has slowed to 15 m.p.h. at OG Tower per employee timetable because of the crossing frogs. He is heading eastbound from Newberry-Williamsport to Shamokin or beyond. RDG tower. Montgomery PA.

4. RDG Shamokin 1941 timetable number 34 cover.
RDG Shamokin 1941 timetable number 34 cover.

5. Note Montgomery Tower as “OG”. RDG Shamokin 1941.
Note Montgomery Tower as “OG”. RDG Shamokin 1941.

6. Former PRR depot at Milton PA, looking south. Behind it is the former Reading freight station.
Former PRR depot at Milton PA, looking south. Behind it is the former Reading freight station.

7. Milton PA PRR depot. View 2.
Milton PA PRR depot. View 2.

8. Looking north on NS’s Buffalo Line. The depot has been repurposed as the city police department. Milton PA. PRR depot.
Looking north on NS’s Buffalo Line. The depot has been repurposed as the city police department. Milton PA. PRR depot.

9. PRR position light block signal on display. Milton PA.
PRR position light block signal on display. Milton PA.

10. The former Reading freight station has been repurposed as borough offices. Milton PA.
The former Reading freight station has been repurposed as borough offices. Milton PA.

11. Milton PA historic marker. Click here for a larger image.
Milton PA historic marker.

12. The station locations are near the north end of the city boundary. Milton 1:24,000 scale 1965 updated to Penn Central era. Milton PA, 1:24,000 quad, 1965, USGS. Click here for a larger image.
The station locations are near the north end of the city boundary. Milton 1:24,000 scale 1965 updated to Penn Central era. Milton PA, 1:24,000 quad, 1965, USGS.

13. NS GP38-2s 5355-5323 switch in Northumberland PA yard. 06-24-2021.
NS GP38-2s 5355-5323 switch in Northumberland PA yard. 06-24-2021.

14. The brakeman is hanging on. How do you like that shanty! There were quite a few CP cars in the yard. NS 5355-5323 0017. Northumberland PA.
The brakeman is hanging on. How do you like that shanty! There were quite a few CP cars in the yard. NS 5355-5323 0017. Northumberland PA.

15. NS 5323 is ex-CR, nee P-C built 03-1973. NS now calls it a GP38-2, but it may have been a GP38 originally. NS 5355 is a bona-fide GP38-2 having been built for CR 07-1978. Northumberland PA.
NS 5323 is ex-CR, nee P-C built 03-1973. NS now calls it a GP38-2, but it may have been a GP38 originally. NS 5355 is a bona-fide GP38-2 having been built for CR 07-1978. Northumberland PA.

16. PRR Northern Region employee timetable. 1957. Towers and operators everywhere! PRR Main Line Northumberland.
PRR Northern Region employee timetable. 1957. Towers and operators everywhere! PRR Main Line Northumberland

17. Erie-Lackawanna Bloomsburg Br. coming down the East Branch to interchange with PRR. PRR “Kase” junction at bottom of map where the Wilkes-Barre Branch heads northeast up the river. Trains out of Northumberland yard could cross the bridge and then swing left up the Wilkes-Barre line. That connection is no longer there. Northumberland PA, 1:24,000 quad scale, 1965, USGS. Click here for a larger image.
Erie-Lackawanna Bloomsburg Br. coming down the East Branch to interchange with PRR. PRR “Kase” junction at bottom of map where the Wilkes-Barre Branch heads northeast up the river. Trains out of Northumberland yard could cross the bridge and then swing left up the Wilkes-Barre line. That connection is no longer there. Northumberland PA, 1:24,000 quad scale, 1965, USGS.

18. North Shore uses the part of the yard closest to town. The two parked cars indicate to me that a crew is running around somewhere. NSHR runs former E-L (DL&W) track up to Hicks Ferry. NSHR 1942. Northumberland PA.
North Shore uses the part of the yard closest to town. The two parked cars indicate to me that a crew is running around somewhere. NSHR runs former E-L (DL&W) track up to Hicks Ferry. NSHR 1942. Northumberland PA.

19. North Shore 1942-1944-1948 are all ex-NS SW1500 switchers that were originally Southern. NSHR Northumberland PA.
North Shore 1942-1944-1948 are all ex-NS SW1500 switchers that were originally Southern. NSHR Northumberland PA.

20. 1948 has “Flexicoil” trucks that were supposed to make the unit more adaptable to road use. Nice E-L inspired paint scheme. NSHR 1944-1948. Northumberland PA.
1948 has “Flexicoil” trucks that were supposed to make the unit more adaptable to road use. Nice E-L inspired paint scheme. NSHR 1944-1948. Northumberland PA.

21. NSHR 1942-1944-1948. Northumberland PA.
NSHR 1942-1944-1948. Northumberland PA.

22. NSHR North Shore Railroads logo.
NSHR North Shore Railroads logo.

23. Evidently North Shore runs excursion trains, although I don’t know the details. Nice looking PRR baggage car, although I don’t know its history. PRR baggage 1951. Northumberland PA.
Evidently North Shore runs excursion trains, although I don’t know the details. Nice looking PRR baggage car, although I don’t know its history. PRR baggage 1951. Northumberland PA.

24. Former PRR bridge between Northumberland (right) and Sunbury (left). The East Branch of the Susquehanna joins the West Branch in the distance. We are in Island Park. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.
Former PRR bridge between Northumberland (right) and Sunbury (left). The East Branch of the Susquehanna joins the West Branch in the distance. We are in Island Park. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.

25.Looking up the East Branch from Island Park. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.
Looking up the East Branch from Island Park. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.

26. From the Sunbury end of the bridge we see that the oldest (1894) of the twin double track truss bridges has been removed. The existing bridge was added in 1925 to relieve congestion. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.
From the Sunbury end of the bridge we see that the oldest (1894) of the twin double track truss bridges has been removed. The existing bridge was added in 1925 to relieve congestion. NS bridge. Sunbury PA.

27. In Sunbury the PRR Shamokin Br. and the Reading main line take off east up Shamokin Creek. Famous for the iron ore drags in the mid-50s pulled by 2-10-0 “Decapods”, the Shamokin Valley RR uses the former PRR and Reading to Locust Gap. There SVRR interchanges with Reading & Northern. Sunbury PA, 1:62,500 quad, 1953, USGS. Click here for a larger image.
In Sunbury the PRR Shamokin Br. and the Reading main line take off east up Shamokin Creek. Famous for the iron ore drags in the mid-50s pulled by 2-10-0 “Decapods”, the Shamokin Valley RR uses the former PRR and Reading to Locust Gap. There SVRR interchanges with Reading & Northern. Sunbury PA, 1:62,500 quad, 1953, USGS.

28. NS CP “Kase” looking north at Sunbury. That approach signal is a good sign. A train is coming! The Wilkes-Barre line diverges to the right. Under Conrail this line was sold (??) to Canadian Pacific as an addition to their Delaware & Hudson line. Subsequently NS acquired it back. They now reach New England via Pan Am Southern. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
NS CP “Kase” looking north at Sunbury. That approach signal is a good sign. A train is coming! The Wilkes-Barre line diverges to the right. Under Conrail this line was sold (??) to Canadian Pacific as an addition to their Delaware & Hudson line. Subsequently NS acquired it back. They now reach New England via Pan Am Southern. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

29. NS Harrisburg Div Timetable number 3, 2001 cover.
NS Harrisburg Div Timetable number 3, 2001 cover.

30. In 2000 the Wilkes-Barre Branch is shown as D&H (CP). NS Harrisburg.
In 2000 the Wilkes-Barre Branch is shown as D&H (CP). NS Harrisburg.

31. NS 6311-6302. CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
NS 6311-6302. CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

32. NS 6311-6302 slowly approach with H53-24 (Enola-Northumberland). These are “motors” are classified as “SD40E”. No. 6311 was formerly SD50 6516. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
NS 6311-6302 slowly approach with H53-24 (Enola-Northumberland). These are “motors” are classified as “SD40E”. No. 6311 was formerly SD50 6516. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

33. H53-24 had 50 loads and 14 empties this day. We see more CP cars. NS 6311-6302. CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
H53-24 had 50 loads and 14 empties this day. We see more CP cars. NS 6311-6302. CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

34. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

35. In the late 1950s PRR single-tracked the Buffalo Line and this concrete block structure replaced the wooden tower. New “Kase” had a CTC machine that controlled a segment of the main line (Harrisburg Div. portion) as well as the Wilkes-Barre and Shamokin Branches. It is no longer manned by an operator. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.
In the late 1950s PRR single-tracked the Buffalo Line and this concrete block structure replaced the wooden tower. New “Kase” had a CTC machine that controlled a segment of the main line (Harrisburg Div. portion) as well as the Wilkes-Barre and Shamokin Branches. It is no longer manned by an operator. NS CP Kase. Sunbury PA.

36. P-C Main Line Harris-Buffalo 1968.
P-C Main Line Harris-Buffalo 1968.

37. P-C Wilkes-Barre Br.
P-C Wilkes-Barre Br.

38. P-C Eastern Reg Timetable number 2 cover. 1968.
P-C Eastern Reg Timetable number 2 cover. 1968.

39. “Kase” in the day when I-1 2-10-0s, M-1 4-8-2s and K-4 4-6-2s chuffed by frequently. The connection to the Wilkes-Barre from Northumberland and the bridge was in place then. PRR tower Kase.
“Kase” in the day when I-1 2-10-0s, M-1 4-8-2s and K-4 4-6-2s chuffed by frequently. The connection to the Wilkes-Barre from Northumberland and the bridge was in place then. PRR tower Kase.

40. USGS Harrisburg Quad Lewisburg Northumberland Sunbury. Click here for a larger image.
USGS Harrisburg Quad Lewisburg Northumberland Sunbury.

We headed up to Lewisburg to a huge antique mall and then west to Altoona for the night.

Train images used by permission of Everett N Young