Eastern Railroad Discussion > Philadelphia-Pottsville SEPTA

Some years back (date ???) SEPTA ran a push-pull train from Philadelphia to Pottsville (or was it just to Reading then?) with I think ex-Reading FP-7's.
Does anyone know what the numbers were 900 something? Where did those 3 end up?
Anyone remember the 6 passenger cars used then? I recall five in the 2000 seres and another one was 1800 something? Where did these 6 coaches end up. Thanks to all replies.

The Push-Pull ran between Reading & Philly.

900 is owned by the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society - Out of Service
902 is owned by the Lancaster Chapter NRHS Restored and Serviceable
903 is owned by the Philly Chapter NRHS Restored and Serviceable.

The six coaches were sold to ConnDOT and five of the cars (1547, 2001, 2012, 2014 & 2015) are leased by the Danbury Railroad Museum. Sadly coach 2002 which did not go to Danbury was cut up earlier this year.

RDG5308

RCTHS owns #900 and is stored out of service in Leesport PA. 902 and 903 are owned by Philadelphia and Lancaster Chapter NHRS. I believe both are currently operable. The passenger cars were last used in commuter service in Conneticut Shoreline service and have since been donated to Danbury Railway Museum. I have a picture of 900 around, I'll try to find it.

Here's 4371. The "PUSH-PULL" also did a morning trip to Bethlehem and back in the 70's subbing for RDC's.

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In the 60's I rode from Phila. to Pottsville on conventional diesel pulled cars.
The last years of service was by Rail Diesel Car.
The tracks are long gone in Pottsville.

Paul Ramer
Cincinnati, OH

1. 902 Glenside, PA; June 3, 2000
2,3. Strasburg, PA; Sept 8, 2001

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Did these trains take the City Branch out of Reading Terminal to the Mainline at West Falls, or did they run out of the Terminal to 16th Street Interlocking and take the Norristown Line and cross over at Norris?

That much I remember, they went through 16th Street stopping at N. Broad then at Norristown (DeKalb St.)and crossed the Schuylkill and up through Abrams yard to Phoenixville etc.

So the locomotives were painted as well as the coaches! I didn't remember that
and appreciate the photo. It brings back fond memories of the Kingcoal as I see your picture is on Track 1 at the 13 track stub terminal at 12th & Market in Phila. How I loved that place as a boy. Always hoped they left a door open so I could watch from the waiting room. I think the "Schuylkill" used to leave at 4:20 and the Kingcoal at 5:05. Sometimes the "Schuylkill" had a trainmaster as locomotive. More often RS-3's I think. Then way back was the steam powered stainless steel covered "Crusader" and the less popular "Wall Street". Anyone remember any other named trains on the Reading?

The photos are great! I'm home recovering from a stroke and really appreciate the nostalgia of my youth!

There's a mural depicting the Crusader on the Market Street wall at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, formerly Reading Terminal.

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The Schuylkill Flyer (Norristown Line)
The North Penn Express (Bethlehem Line to Lansdale)
The Flying Dutchman (Labanon Valley?)
The Bethlehem Star (Crossline HBG - Bethlehem)
The Royal Blue (B&O)
........

The locals and fast freights had a lot of good nicknames too

Plymouth puck (Plymouth branch Oreland - Earnest - Abrams)
Lansdale Twister (Lansdale - Jenkintown night shifter)
Sugar Daddy (Shaxamaxon St. Shifter out of Erie Ave)

.....thats all I can thing of right now

FullService Wrote:
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>
> The locals and fast freights had a lot of good
> nicknames too
>
> Plymouth puck (Plymouth branch Oreland - Earnest -
> Abrams)
> Lansdale Twister (Lansdale - Jenkintown night
> shifter)
> Sugar Daddy (Shaxamaxon St. Shifter out of Erie
> Ave)
>

That's the Plymouth Buck
and there was also the Dutch Local (Bethlehem Branch)