Reading Line

Reading Line
A Norfolk Southern train on the Reading Line in Lyons, Pennsylvania in April 2011
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Norfolk Southern Railway
Locale	Eastern Pennsylvania, U.S.
Termini	Wyomissing Junction in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, U.S. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Service
Type	Freight rail
System	Norfolk Southern Railway
Operator(s)	Norfolk Southern Railway
History
Opened	May 11, 1859
Technical
Line length	37 Miles
Number of tracks	1-2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Reading Line is a main freight line in Pennsylvania owned and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway. It stretches from the Harrisburg Line at Wyomissing Junction in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania to a junction with the Lehigh Line in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The line sees about 65 trains a day, mostly trains running from Northern New Jersey and Allentown, Pennsylvania to points west and south.

The line is mostly double-track with the only area of single track between CP Blandon and CP West Laurel. Trains go faster on this line than most others.

History

19th century

The line opened as the East Pennsylvania Railroad on May 11, 1859, connecting Allentown with Reading. The railroad became part of the Reading Railroad, and carried traffic from the Allentown area to their main line.

20th century

In 1976, The Reading Railroad was acquired by Conrail, which continued to use the line as a conduit between North Jersey and the rest of the country. When Conrail was split in 1999, Norfolk Southern was assigned the line.

21st century

On March 14, 2018, Norfolk Southern increased speeds along the Reading Line from 50 mph (80 km/h) to 60 mph (97 km/h) at 33 grade crossings and from 55 mph (89 km/h) to 60 mph (97 km/h) at three grade crossings. The speed change was intended to increase the efficiency of rail operations and improve the flow of vehicular traffic at grade crossings.

References

• [https://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/galleries/conrails-reading-line "Conrail's Reading Line" at Conrail