Nostalgia & History > 28 year ago OTD-RBM&N begins operations in Anthracite Coal Region

The Blue Mountain and Reading started out on a 13 mile piece of the ex-PRR Schuylkill Branch from Reading to Hamburg,PA. in 1983. In December 1990 they acquired around 125 miles of Conrail's ex- Reading Cluster and became the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern. Shot #1  RBMN (BM&R) 1201 (SW7) with the inaugural equipment move onto the RBMN at Port Clinton,PA. on 12/15/90. Shot #2  After dropping the RDCs at Port Clinton for an inspection trip that will run later that morning, 1201 continues on passing Auburn,PA. heading for West Cressona.  Shot #3  BM&R RDCs 9168 and 9166 ran an inspection trip on Saturday and Sunday to check out the new property. The Budd Cars are seen at Tamaqua Tunnel on 12/16/90. The weather was less than ideal, but you've got to shoot history when and where it happens.  It's nice to see how this railroad has grown and prospered over the years. With the addition of the Lehigh Division along with the Reading Division they now operate 300 miles of trackage if I remember correctly.

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True railfan photographic rarities. Thank you for sharing them.
Bob

Alas, the 1201 was scrapped at Port Clinton this year. The RDC's however, ran most weekends this year between Reading and Jim Thorpe.

Chris Bost
Leesport, PA