Picture in Reading RR Book

I was wondering about a photograph in the Bert Pennypacker book, Reading Company in Color, Vol. 2. page 18 where a Reading T1 is pictured in what is described as an "unknown location somewhere in Philadelphia". I have wondered about that for some time but think I may have narrowed it down, maybe even pinpointed it but do not know if the late Mr. Pennypacker, or Dave Augsburger ever did identify that location themselves. The track is described as four tracks wide and in a deep cut. Since it is a T1 it must be post WW II and since there is no catenary in the photo it cannot be one of the lines that had MU service. Going over maps of the city and rail maps of the Reading I think it may have been on the Port Richmond Line near Hunting Park Ave. and Broad St. The photo had to be taken from an overpass which I think was Hunting Park Ave. If not exactly at that spot then near it. Today the line is the Port Richmond Secondary served by a couple trains a day. I have followed that train from Richmond St through North Philly ( some really scary areas) to the Falls Bridge and there are remnants of factories very similar to those in the book photo, stone bottom story, brick above. At one time the route was lined with such factories now long gone to ruin and oblivion.The line is only single tracked now but I know it was double tracked at one time from the width of the line's bridges and the other two tracks in the book may have been industrial sidings not running tracks. What I am getting at is do any of the rail fans who are familiar with the area and perhaps have seen that picture in that book know if that spot has ever been identified or if not do you have a good notion of where it was. Every time I look at that photo it bothers me that its location is unknown. Thanks and soon I hope to be better able to sleep at night knowing the mystery has been solved.

Lenny Smolsky told me that he fired on a T-1, probably about 1954, that started from Erie Ave. Engine House near 2nd St. and ran via the Port Richmond branch to the B&O's East Side Yard to pick up a freight train for Jersey City. He worked 15-1/2 hours, one way with all sorts of delays. I'm afraid he hasretired, but his daughter-in-law still works for ConRail in Mt. Laurel, N.J.

Thanks. I know t1s used that route to access the engine house and this means they did use the Port Richmond branch. I guess what I need is photos of that branch near Broad St or Hunting Park Ave. or maybe Germantown Ave. from circa 1950 or so. In searching books and websites I find that this branch was not frequently photographed except for the throat into the Richmond Yard and the Erie Ave. engine house. I guess the branch from Nice to to port Richmond was just not that interesting. Today that area is very"interesting", as in the Chinese curse that you may live in "interesting times",and when I rail fan the line today I feel uneasy so I suppose that explains why I never seem to see any rail fans on that branch. Much of the line today is difficult to actually access but it can be done if one is advertureous, or foolhardy. why it was not more freqently lensed 60 years ago i don't know. Perhaps some readers of this posting may know where some of these pictures might be found. By the way i did try phillyhisory.org and no luck there. Thanks again for your response.

PhillyHistory.org does have photos of the grade crossing eliminations at Kensington Ave. and also at Frankford Ave.
Also, bridges near Germantown & Hunting Park Aves., 8ths St. & Sedgely Ave., 6th St. & Erie Ave., and probably others.

Yes, I saw those. The bridges at Germantown and Hunting Park Ave that are pictured were constructed in the early 1900's and the scene must have changed considerably by the time T1s were roaming the Reading. On the picture at Phillyhistory of the Germantown Ave. bridge you can see under Hunting park Ave. factories very similar to the one pictured in the Bert Pennypacker book. There are similar factories near 5th and Allegheny that could be the site which I think I can narrow down to the Richmond Branch between Germantown Ave and Fifth St. Many of those plants are long gone so it may be impossible to find the exact spot that the T1 was lensed some 60 years ago. Considering all the Reading photos that are out there I still find it odd that so few of them seem to have been taken on the Port Richmond branch along that two mile or so stretch. Thanks again for the response as I continue my quixotic quest.

could you please post the photo here? then we can all see what you are talking about.

The picture is in a published, copyrighted work, Bert Pennypacker's Reading Company in Color, Vol 2 p.18. I don't think I can put up on the net somebody else's published photo.