Roelofs, PA Track Pans

NorthPennLimited wrote:...Was this the same name the RDG used when there was an interlocking station at Yardley to go from 2 tracks to 4 tracks?

No, the tower was known by its telegraph call, DY, and as a remotely controlled interlocking it was known as Della.
Dreaming up names for these places is a challenge for punsters; someone will soon explain where they got Iron.

[quote= SEPTA has built a new interlocking at Yardley called IRON. Was this the same name the RDG used when there was an interlocking station at Yardley ?[/quote]

In 1914 there were interlocking plants built at Yardley and at Roelofs which is only a few miles away. It is my understanding that both were decommissioned in 1953 ~ 1955. Neither structure is still standing.

While I do not know the name that Reading Company used for these interlockings, I can tell you that both structures were two stories, constructed of brick and concrete and measured 15 x 27 feet. Both towers were equipped with mechanical plants with power-operated signals. Yardley had a 36 lever frame, and Roelofs had a 44 lever frame.

The only photographs that I have located so far are aerial images from 1937, 1958 & 1971:

DY tower building lasted until the early '80s when it was razed by Conrail. RO was torn down long before that.

I moved to Yardley in 1981 (I think it was July, but not certain) and I am pretty sure that the tower was gone at that time.

I also remember the freight house burning in the 1980s.

amtrakhogger wrote:DY tower building lasted until the early '80s when it was razed by Conrail. RO was torn down long before that.

The Reading Company technical & Historical Society lists DY as Doylestown on their list. Very interested in your input on this. Your comments have already lead me to information which I had not previously seen.

This is a view of Yardley, PA from the West looking toward the tower, station, freight house and in the distance, the canal bridge leading to The West Trenton RR Bridge. This is the first photo I have seen of Yardley tower from ground level !

This photo is attributed to Henry Wilhelm / West Conn Chapter - NRHS Collection May 1930
Reading announced its plan to electrify the line in December of 1927. Electric powered service started on this line in July of 1931. I believe this photograph is most likely earlier than May 1930 as the electrical substation, overhead supports and catenary wires are not yet in place.

GSDenshaw wrote:

amtrakhogger wrote:DY tower building lasted until the early '80s when it was razed by Conrail. RO was torn down long before that.

The Reading Company technical & Historical Society lists DY as Doylestown on their list. Very interested in your input on this. Your comments have already lead me to information which I had not previously seen.

This is a view of Yardley, PA from the West looking toward the tower, station, freight house and in the distance, the canal bridge leading to The West Trenton RR Bridge. This is the first photo I have seen of Yardley tower from ground level !

This photo is attributed to Henry Wilhelm / West Conn Chapter - NRHS Collection May 1930

Yardley from the West May 1930 - smaller.jpg

Yardley from the West May 1930 - crop.jpg

Reading announced its plan to electrify the line in December of 1927. Electric powered service started on this line in July of 1931. I believe this photograph is most likely earlier than May 1930 as the electrical substation, overhead supports and catenary wires are not yet in place.

I like the pictures! I know (obviously) there was an interlocking and tower there but never saw any pictures in it's heyday. Wes Coates "Electric Trains to Reading Terminal" book has a Timetable station page in back that lists DY as the interlocking at Yardley.

I stumbled on this photo by accident. It is Reading 108 taking on water. Is this Roeloffs ???

GSDenshaw wrote:I stumbled on this photo by accident. It is Reading 108 taking on water. Is this Roeloffs ???

Sorry, but no; it's not at Roelofs.

That photo of G1sa #108 actually at Bound Brook NJ in 1936. It's from page 23 of a railfan-Reading Company-interest book titled "Rails Along The Schuylkill".

Franklin Gowen wrote:

GSDenshaw wrote:I stumbled on this photo by accident. It is Reading 108 taking on water. Is this Roeloffs ???

Sorry, but no; it's not at Roelofs.

That photo of G1sa #108 actually at Bound Brook NJ in 1936. It's from page 23 of a railfan-Reading Company-interest book titled "Rails Along The Schuylkill".

Thank you !

From the Barriger Library photo collection on Flickr.com:

Roelofs track pans
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerl ... 597566985/

Roelofs tower
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerl ... 597566985/

Great picture. Based on the location, it looks like the tower was "west" of Stony Hill Rd crossing.

westernfalls wrote:From the Barriger Library photo collection on Flickr.com:

Roelofs track pans
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerl ... 597566985/

Roelofs tower
https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerl ... 597566985/

These are awesome ! How did you find these ?

Thank you so much for sharing !

The following are aerlal photographs from 1937:
There is what I think is the water reservoir that was built in 1914 in the upper right of the last photograph (adjacent to the tracks). If anyone knows about this structure I would appreciate your comments.

The station at Roelofs looked like this station which was located at Trevose, PA. This design was built in four locations that I know of:

Trevose, PA

Lizette, PA (re-named Roelofs)(this location has also been called Makefield and Palmer. but I believe that both of these names refer to a previously existing structure)

Churchville, PA

Southampton, PA

I should also add that Curchville and Southampton are still standing.