I have 100 or so magazines from 1960-1970. There is a lot of coverage of The Reader Railroad. I would like to know what became of the railroad.

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

My memory may be faulty, but as I recall they got out of the common-carrier frieght business when the asphalt plant at the end of the line closed. After that, they went through several incarnations as a tourist hauler. Presently the Reader RR is out of service but their steam engines are still maintained at Reader, and leased out for movie shoots (notably O! Brother, Where Art Thou recently). One of the Reader engines is presently on lease to the Mt. Dora operation in Florida.

Jim Hefner has some recent info on the Reader here:

http://www.pernet.net/~james1/reader/

Reader RR page
eledbetter@rypn.org

Former US Army 2-8-0 #1702, which operated at Reader and is probably best known for its time there, is now operated on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in North Carolina.


higginson_john@hotmail.com

> Former US Army 2-8-0 #1702, which operated
> at Reader and is probably best known for its
> time there, is now operated on the Great
> Smoky Mountains Railroad in North Carolina.

#11 was on the Hartwelll Railroad in Georgia then went north to Kentucky, for the Kentucky Central. This 2-6-2 operated from 1989 or 1990 until the fall of 1993 when CSX regained control of the TTI's 50 mile line from Paris to Maysville. I believe the engine is still in Paris stored on a siding, under a tarp! It was nice while it lasted.

I will always have fond memories of this line since we did our L&N 152 charter down there in 1988. I guess I was P.T. Barnun for a day or so according to Rob Davis. All I know is it was stressful, but it was the last time the 152 ran outside the musuem, so I am glad we did it when we had the opportunity. It seems like things always change, sometimes for the better, but not in this case.

Greg Scholl

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