Reading F units at New Hope (once upon a time)

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:46 am

The New Hope and Ivyland while Reading still ran freight on the line!

http://picasaweb.google.com/anthraciter ... 8780954786

Last year the Reading F units (which are now at Steamtown) were hoped to make a visit for a few excursions - woud've been something to see. Maybe one day.

/Mitch

M.J. Kershner · **Posted:** Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:01 pm

Not quite.. The NH&I was leasing the F's for a time..

-Micah

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:28 pm

Maybe I should've said while the Reading still operated...

Thanks for the correction - the photos were not dated.

Apparently Steam Trains, Inc, in addition to running the New Hope and Ivyland steam tourist line also ran freight service on the former Reading stretch of track and did in fact lease the F's from the Reading until "1971 when the company finally purchased their own diesel, an Alco RS-1 from the Washington Terminal".*

* http://www.newhoperailroad.com/history.cfm

/Mitch

JimBoylan · **Posted:** Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:36 pm

The photos may be of the 1st days of the New Hope & Ivyland, in early Summer, 1966. There is no Reading caboose on the train.
Rushland
Mill Creek, just North of Little Italy
Wycombe
Between Wycombe and Smith Rd.
Ferry St., New Hope
New Hope station site

NH&I leased some Reading Diesels in the early months. the 1st passenger train out of New Hope was pulled by a streamlined Reading Diesel facing backwards

arjay3 · **Joined:** Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:50 pm **Posts:** 162

Mgoldman wrote:

The New Hope and Ivyland while Reading still ran freight on the line!

http://picasaweb.google.com/anthraciter ... 8780954786

Last year the Reading F units (which are now at Steamtown) were hoped to make a visit for a few excursions - woud've been something to see. Maybe one day.

/Mitch

Mitch - hadn't gotten around to doing the captions. They now have dates as part of the caption. It is a 100% NH&I operation with leased diesels. The FP's didn't last long - they were replaced with leased Reading roadswitchers

Rich

JimBoylan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:06 am

I can amend that history slightly. There was an all-steam interval between the end of leased Reading Diesels and the arrival of leased Washington Terminal 57. It wasn't owned by the bankrupt (at the time) company.

Kurt Bell is writing a full history.

limejuice · **Joined:** Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:58 pm **Posts:** 80

And it wouldn't be the first time those F units ran on the New Hope branch, as the Reading Company would run "New Hope Theatre Specials" during the golden age of Broadway when the big productions would do trial runs at the Bucks County Playhouse.

Miketherailfan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:15 pm

Thanks for posting the link Mitch. Now you should bring that to Pete Lerro's attention, that would be quite a photo charter! ;)

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:00 am

Miketherailfan wrote:

Thanks for posting the link Mitch. Now you should bring that to Pete Lerro's attention, that would be quite a photo charter! ;)

I did - 'cept the Reading F's never made it down to New Hope as hoped for. Now... if only there was another classic F unit that was available to run on home turf. ; )

/Mitch