Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad facts for kids
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Port Clinton, Pennsylvania |
| Reporting mark | RBMN |
| Locale | Pennsylvania |
| Dates of operation | 1983–present |
| Predecessor | Conrail |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 300 miles (480 km) |
| Other | |
| Website | Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad |
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (RBMN), also known as Reading and Northern Railroad, is a special train company in eastern Pennsylvania. Its main office is in Port Clinton. The RBMN moves goods on about 300 miles (480 km) of track. Its main lines connect places like Reading and Packerton, and Lehighton and Dupont.
Besides moving goods, the RBMN also runs fun train rides for people. The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway (LGSR) is a special train that takes visitors on trips. These trips go between Jim Thorpe and Lehigh Gorge State Park. The RBMN also offers passenger trips from Reading and Port Clinton to Jim Thorpe.
Contents
Main Train Lines
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad runs two main train lines. These lines are part of its 400 miles (644 km) of track.
Reading Division
This line goes from Reading, Pennsylvania to Packerton, Pennsylvania. It runs along the Lehigh River. This part of the track used to belong to other train companies. At its south end, it connects with the Norfolk Southern Railway.
Lehigh Division
This line runs from Lehighton, Pennsylvania to Dupont, Pennsylvania. From Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, this line splits into two paths. One path goes west through Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. It can connect to Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania or Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The second path goes north through the Lehigh River Gorge. It then climbs up to Mountain Top, Pennsylvania.
What the Trains Carry
The main thing the Reading & Northern trains carry is anthracite coal. This type of coal is very important for energy.
Railroad History
The railroad started in 1983. It was first called the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad. It moved goods between Hamburg and Temple. In 1985, the company began offering fun train rides for people. They even used two old steam trains.
In 1990, the Blue Mountain and Reading company bought 150 miles (240 km) of track. This track was in the Coal Region north of Reading. Soon after, the company changed its name to Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad. It moved its main office to Port Clinton. Over the years, the RBMN bought more train lines in northeastern Pennsylvania.
In the mid-1990s, the RBMN stopped its regular passenger trips between Hamburg and Temple. Instead, it focused on special trips across its other lines. Steam train rides stopped for a while between 1998 and 2009.
In 2005, regular passenger trips started again. This was with the new Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe. In 2016, the RBMN built a new train station. It was called Reading Outer Station, near Reading. They planned to run trips from there to Jim Thorpe. The first trip from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe happened in May 2017. They used special refurbished trains for these trips.
Around 2009 and 2010, the RBMN grew its operations. This was because of natural gas drilling in northeastern Pennsylvania. The railroad spent money to improve its train yards. They also bought new trains and more track. This helped them move more goods for the gas industry. In 2017, a new connection was finished. This linked the Hazleton Shaft and Hazleton Hiller Drying Plant to the railroad.
Train Connections
The RBMN connects with several other train companies. This helps them move goods across a wider area. They connect with:
- Norfolk Southern Railway in several towns like Reading and Lehighton.
- Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad in Pittston.
- Lehigh Railway in Mehoopany and Towanda.
- Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad in Pittston.
- Shamokin Valley Railroad in Locust Summit.
Fun Passenger Trips
The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway (LGSR) offers fun train rides. These trips start from the old train station in Jim Thorpe. They follow the Lehigh River through Lehigh Gorge State Park. These trips usually run on weekends and holidays from May to December.
Jim Thorpe Excursions
The regular trip is about 16-mile (26 km) long and takes 70 minutes. It goes from Jim Thorpe into Lehigh Gorge State Park. In October, shorter trips are offered to see the beautiful fall foliage.
There are also special trips:
- Hometown High Bridge train: This is a 30-mile (48 km), 2-hour trip. It runs in October and goes through Nesquehoning. It crosses the Hometown High Bridge, which is very high. You can see amazing fall colors from here.
- Bike train: This is a 25-mile (40 km) one-way trip from Jim Thorpe to White Haven. Passengers can bring their bicycles. They can then ride their bikes back to Jim Thorpe on the Lehigh Gorge Trail.
- Santa Claus Special: This train runs around the holidays. Santa Claus visits everyone on board!
LGSR trains usually use diesel engines. They have open-air cars, regular seats, and a special car for bikes.
Reading Outer Station Trips
The RBMN also runs trips from Reading Outer Station. This station is outside of Reading. These trains go to Jim Thorpe. They also stop in Port Clinton. The train leaves in the morning, giving passengers time to explore Jim Thorpe. The return trip leaves Jim Thorpe in the late afternoon. These trips run on certain weekends and holidays from May to November.
