Things dont look good for the Colebrookdale Spur

[blockline4180]

Isn't it usually the other way around with the customer closing??



"East Penn announces abandonment plan; customer concerned
May 7, 2008

BOYERTOWN, Pa. - East Penn Railways has alerted the Berks County Board that it intends to file an abandonment on its 8.5-mile Colebrookdale spur, and that has one shipper concerned about the loss of train service, the Reading Eagle reported. The ex-Reading line connects Norfolk Southern's Philadelphia-Reading line with Boyertown.

Drug Plastics & Glass has a plant at Boyertown that receives tank cars loaded with resin, and considers the branch important to its success.

"We're exploring all different types of alternatives," said DP&G spokesman Rick Hoffman. "Our life blood is that resin that comes into us."

East Penn recently bought the line from Penn Eastern Rail Lines. East Penn officials were unavailable for comment."

[jrevans]

When I read this notice, I just assumed that ESPN was playing games where it wanted the state/county to buy the line back from them, in order to have some insulation from the maintenance costs. If I recall correctly, didn't the state/county own the line and then EPRY bought it from them?

I consider it a shame to lose any rail line these days. Once they rails are gone, it seems like the line is gone forever....

Jim

[thebigham]

If the East Penn doesn't want it, I'm sure another shortline may step in.

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

Is there a way to check the offical status of this line?

Who was the last customer, and where (exactly) were they located?

I read that Drug Plastics & Glass Co. was the last customer, but they don't have rail access do they? Did they offload in the yard and truck the resin in?

I visted the yard in Boyertown over the holidays, and only saw the old yellow switcher in the yard. I will post some pictures next week.

[NE2]

As of four days ago, the county is still trying to buy it: http://www.pottstownmercury.com/article ... 449682.txt

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

Boyertown Yard 12/26/2008 Panoramic Shot

BoyertownYardPanaShot.JPG (132.11 KiB) Viewed 8013 times

EPRL No.52 in the Boyertown Yard

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DSC00072.JPG (85.1 KiB) Viewed 8011 times

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

E Philadelphia Ave ( Route 73 ) Crossing

DSC00077.JPG (87.39 KiB) Viewed 7996 times

Note the frog from the switch in the road.

Bridge over E 4th Street looking towards Boyertown Yard

DSC00083.JPG (92.01 KiB) Viewed 7993 times

Very very old trestle near the bridge from a former customer. Looks like a coal loading trestle.

DSC00085.JPG (78.59 KiB) Viewed 7990 times

Here is a great Birds-Eye-View of the old trestle:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

This is the end of the line.

DSC00090.JPG (90.56 KiB) Viewed 7982 times

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

There were remains of a switch to this old factory off to the right, but it was not used in a long long time.

Here is a shot of the end of the line being used for storage of cars back in 2006 or 2007:

BoyertownEOLcarsstorage2006.JPG (103.2 KiB) Viewed 7973 times

I heard there was hope of a quarry opening up beyond this point, but I don't know where it was, or if they would have even used rail.

Here is a Birds Eye View of the Boyertown yard in better days...probably around 2007 or 2006.

BoyertownBirdsEyeView.JPG (118.28 KiB) Viewed 7968 times

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

here is a shot of the 20? ton crane in the back of the yard.

DSC00102.JPG (77.07 KiB) Viewed 7954 times

here is a loading dock just off of E 3rd street.

DSC00119.JPG (82.88 KiB) Viewed 7944 times

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

Here is a previous customer just off E 2nd street, but they have not received freight in a while...

DSC00129.JPG (82.52 KiB) Viewed 7935 times

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

More Birds Eye Views from 2006 or 2007. This time there are many cars and engines in the yard:

BoyertownBirdsEyeView3.JPG (79.18 KiB) Viewed 7933 times

Note the three engines.

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

In Fall 2004 I was fortunate to have see the little blue switcher parked next to the Route 100 Crossing in Pottstown:

DSC01816.JPG (44.86 KiB) Viewed 7925 times

It was quite a shock to see an engine parked here:

DSC01805.JPG (30.38 KiB) Viewed 7913 times

Many many drivers slammed on their brakes when they saw the switcher. The flashers were not on, but it didn't stop this guy from almost coming to a compete stop on Route 100.

DSC01812.JPG (31.16 KiB) Viewed 7913 times

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

EPRL 9423 sitting at the crossing of Route 100 in the Fall of 2004.

DSC01809.JPG (51.07 KiB) Viewed 7907 times

The engine was not moving, and was not running, not even idling.

DSC01824.JPG (62.3 KiB) Viewed 7901 times

It was plugged into this control box, probably getting charged, or just keeping the plugs warm.

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

Also, in the Fall of 2005 I saw these strange cars at the EPRL interchange in Pottstown:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

DSC03341.JPG (35.02 KiB) Viewed 7894 times

Closeup of these strange cars. Usually I only saw the white covered hoppers at the interchange.

DSC03344.JPG (51.93 KiB) Viewed 7892 times

Note the inscription on the side of the car....I wonder of this is OSHA approved notification....

DSC03346.JPG (18.55 KiB) Viewed 7895 times

Oh well, hope someone takes over the line. It was always such a treat to see cars on the bridge over high street in Pottstown as I traveled over RT100.

Long Live the Colebrookdale Spur.

[rob216]

Things are done for this line as of now and who knows for how long. I'm not sure how soon, but it will soon be just a memory. They might even begin with some of it tomorrow.

[thebigham]

^What do you mean? Scrapping or a new operator?