Eastern Railroad Discussion > Allentown & Auburn happenings

This morning I went over to the Topton terminal of the Allentown & Auburn. They just started to prepare the 1 of two former CNJ passenger coaches for sand blasting.  they are restoring these two coaches for future operation on the Allentown & Auburm Railroad company. The work is actually being done by the Central Penn Rail car company which is owned and operated by the same owners of the Allentown & Auburn. They will also be restoring a former CNJ wooden caboose. Here are a few pics.
pic 1 preparing  a coach for sand blasting.
pic 2 Same coach.
pic 3 some of the workers having a meeting before they start the sand blasting .
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/15 14:20 by jim6300loco.

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 pic 4 The former CNJ wooden caboose awaiting more restoration work. this caboose was orginally a box car and was new in 1883.
pic 5 Allentown & Auburn #206 EMC built and 2nd oldest still operating Diesel engine in the USA. This is my most favorite diesel engine.
pic 6 one more view of ALLN 206.

Next weekend the 206 will be pulling the Christmas train from Kutztown to Topton, Pa. They will operate every weekend up untill the weekend before XMAS. go to their facebook page for details.
Have a safe week of railfanning.
Jim
 

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Is that a CNJ coach?

Tominde Wrote:
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> Is that a CNJ coach?

Yes it is. there will be another one restored when this one is finished. both coaches came here from Minersville, pa

I knoow I've not been in the loop the  last few months, but it's the first I've heard of this road.

Did it used to be East Penn?  I visited that area in 2001 and rostered some semi-derelict locos, 22 and 44  think were their numbers.

BobE

Imagine if the CNJ 113 made it's way over to Allentown & Auburn.  Maybe even switch a few cars there.  WOW!

BobE Wrote:
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> I know I've not been in the loop the  last few
> months, but it's the first I've heard of this
> road.
>
> Did it used to be East Penn?  I visited that area
> in 2001 and rostered some semi-derelict locos, 22
> and 44  think were their numbers.
>
> BobE
Yes, This use to be an EAST PENN operation. They pulled out when the Kutztown Foundry Mc Conway & Torley closed. The Borough of Kutztown's Kutztown Transportation Authority owns the line. ( The KTA owns the line for the express purpose of managing the right of way.  There is a 69k electric line that brings the borough's electric to kutztown that uses the right of way. by owning the line the borough has eliminated user fees for the right of way.  The borough owns its own electric company. If you live or do business in Kutztown you must purchase your electricity from the borough. It is state law. There are over 30 some municipalities in the State of Pa that own their own electric company's. the advantage to this is that the boroughs that own their own electric company's can keep the tax millage rate low. An example to this is in  a similar borough, Hamburg, just passed their 2016 budget. Their millage is over 8 mills. The borough of Kutztown's millage is just over 4 mills The profits that the electric co makes, provides better municipal services for the citizens of Kutztown,PA. When you buy Kutztown electric you get two items. You get electricity and you get municiple services . that's better than just getting electricity. In addition the railroad also helps with our well head protection program. We control the the line by keeping potential haz mat cars off the line. The line was turned over to the ALLN by the KTA in the summer of 2013.   The Allentown & Auburn was the original name of the line back in 1853. The line is now leased to Allentown & Auburn. They had a good start up year with occasional caboose runs. They even brought a 0-4-0 Saddle Tanker Steam Locomotive to the line at the end of July for 1 week of Steam runs for when the Borough celebrated its 200Th birthday There is no freight business on the line . The ALLN must take care of all maintenance and pay the KTA 15% of all ticket sales.If there ever is any freight business again they will have to pay 10% of the applicable part of the freight rate from Kutztown to Topton.
Jim


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/15 17:16 by jim6300loco.

Thanks Jim for the info

Lets hope some freight appears. Definitely help them stay afloat.