READING COMPANY

The Reading Company was a regional carrier born of the need to move anthracite coal from the Pennsylvania mountains to the cities of Philadelphia and New York in the early 1800's.  The Reading eventually covered the entire southeastern corner of Pennsylvania with a network of lines largely radiating out of Reading, PA.  While the anthracite business had dwindled to a small percentage of the Reading's traffic, their connections with other railroads allowed it serve as a bridge carrier for traffic heading to New York, as well as serving its home city of Philadelphia. 

The photos below are generally from the last three years of the Reading's existence prior to its inclusion into Conrail in 1976.

Because there were many lines running in many different directions, this page will be different from the others I have presented.

Each line will be on a separate page for easier loading and for easier understanding of the route.  While I visited the Reading often, some lines will be mostly station pictures.  This is a sorely lacking area in internet railroad web sites. Lots of trains and engine roster shots, but not many stations.  The Reading had many interesting and architecturally beautiful stations.

 NEW YORK DIVISION         BETHLEHEM, PA              PHILA-READING            COMMUTER LINES

WEST OF READING       WILMINGTON & NORTHERN