I was traveling around the Kempton, PA area today, where the steam railroad Wanamaker Kempton & Southern tourist railroad operates.

I know this was part of the Reading which went to Slatington but I was wondering when the connection to the south was severed and what was the last piece of equipment to be delivered or removed by rail to the Kempton site.

Also, I saw the end of track on the south end and was wondering if the WK&S owns and operates that section yet beyond the Kempton Hotel.

Just curious about a little history here.

Joel

jdstrolley@enter.net

> I know this was part of the Reading which
> went to Slatington but I was wondering when
> the connection to the south was severed and
> what was the last piece of equipment to be
> delivered or removed by rail to the Kempton
> site.

Perhaps Rob Piligian can elaborate further on details, but I believe the section from Evansville (near Reading) to North Albany (about 1/2-1-1/2 miles south of Kempton) was removed in 1972. The last piece of equipment to be moved in was their newly-acquired Safe Harbor Water & Power Co. 0-6-0T No. 65, which was delivered dead by the scrapper's Plymouth locomotive. The day before, 2-6-2 No. 250 was moved out in anticipation of abandonment of the south end by the scrapper, en route to Strasburg RR for repairs before movement to the Wolfeboro RR in New Hampshire.

> Also, I saw the end of track on the south
> end and was wondering if the WK&S owns
> and operates that section yet beyond the
> Kempton Hotel.

Yes they own the track than runs about a mile south to North Albany. However they seldom operate south of Kempton. Again, Mr. Piligian may be able to fill you in on many of these details, since he is an employee of the WK&S.

> Just curious about a little history here.

> Joel

According to "Railroads of Pennsylvania Encyclopedia & Atlas" By Thomas Taber III, here are the abandonment dates:

11-3-1949 Best to Little Run Jct. (Slatington), 1.5 miles
1-22-60 .6 mile near Butternut St. in Reading
9-9-60 Best to Germansville 3.5 miles
9-5-65 .6 mile in Reading (MP 2.7 to 3.2)
8-1-62 11.4 miles, Kempton to Germansville. 3 mile of this Kempton-Wanamaker sold to WK&S.
12-8-70 Kempton to Evansville 12.6 miles.

Connection from Allentown Branch (East Penna. RR) at Laurel (Laureldale) allowed 1960 aban. of line into Reading.

As of 1986, Laurel to Evansville was still in place, 5.8 miles.

So, it looks like the answer to your question is 1970.

lner4472@bcpl.net

Always thought WK&S was a neat little railroad. Are they non-profit?

Did they evey get an enginehouse?

-Alan Levy

AlanL759@aol.com

> Always thought WK&S was a neat little
> railroad. Are they non-profit?

> Did they evey get an enginehouse?

> -Alan Levy

Although it has been a couple years since I was at the railroad, I too always thought the WK&S has done a great job of operating the railroad. I know they have built the engine house but do not know if the track is inside yet. Most of the equipment always looks in good shape with fresh paint. This is quite amazing since I believe it almost all sits outdoors all the time. The grounds also always look good every time I have been there with the grass being cut every time. They do not have the junk yard look.

Joel

jdstrolley@enter.net

Of the many volunteer-operated tourist operations in the U.S. that I have visited, IMHO the WK&S really has "got it together". The volunteer corps seems to get along with each other very well and the place is organized like a team. I have not witnessed any egocentric "Napoleans" telling others what to do (although every operation, I'm sure, has its quirks that are seldom seen on the surface). The place is always presentable and well manicured. Many of the same guys (and girls) who started out in their 20's back in the 1970's are still there today. In fact, many of these folks are encouraging young people to get involved and they are big proponents of stewardship. If you want to develop a program to cultivate the participation of youth in your operation, look to the WK&S for ideas. They have been very successful at it.

Incidentally in an earlier post, Sandy Mitchell mentioned the abandonment date of the line as 1970. What he failed to mention what that date was when the I.C.C. granted permission to abandon of service to the line. It was not physically removed by the scrapper until two years later. The enginehouse at Kempton is finished but WK&S is still making preparations to lay track into it. The WK&S is technically a for-profit company although they operate with a unpaid volunteer staff. The company is wholly owned by a couple hundred shareholders.

K.R. Bell

> Although it has been a couple years since I
> was at the railroad, I too always thought
> the WK&S has done a great job of
> operating the railroad. I know they have
> built the engine house but do not know if
> the track is inside yet. Most of the
> equipment always looks in good shape with
> fresh paint. This is quite amazing since I
> believe it almost all sits outdoors all the
> time. The grounds also always look good
> every time I have been there with the grass
> being cut every time. They do not have the
> junk yard look.

> Joel