SEPTA Allentown Service (historic)

From my understanding, SEPTA served Allentown, PA, until 1979 with a handful of RDC runs. Which timetables would list this service? I've gone through all of my collection and I cant seem to find anything listing Allentown (I also discovered that my Reading-side collection is rather lacking).

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:From my understanding, SEPTA served Allentown, PA, until 1979 with a handful of RDC runs. Which timetables would list this service? I've gone through all of my collection and I cant seem to find anything listing Allentown (I also discovered that my Reading-side collection is rather lacking).

-otto-

This service is listed in Reading Railway Timetable No 18 "Bethelem - Allentown." SEPTA reorganized the timetable in 1978 and this became SEPTA Form RR-8.

My own Reading collections is a little thin due some over enthusiastic house cleaning. Would you recommend any rail shows in the Philly area where one might be able to secure some timetables?

Thank you,

Larry, RedbirdR33

Thanks, Larry! I have a Reading TT 18 "Bethlehem-Quakertown-Philadelphia" effective 2/6/1972 (rev. 1/8. 1973), and a Conrail/SEPTA TT 18 effective 4/30/1978, but no Allentown service. Am I looking in the wrong place?

There are a number of train shows that feature railroad collectibles- the one in Gaithersburg, Maryland, (usually November) is a good one. So is the show at Clark, NJ (usually March). eBay is another good source. Good luck in your search!

-otto-

The Allentown service by SEPTA was very short-lived. The local congressman, Fred Rooney chaired a sub-committee that got SEPTA extra funding for extending service to Allentown. However, he lost his re-election bid in '78 to Don Ritter thus ending the extra funding and, subsequently, the Allentown service. Although the service was a joke. You parked in a vacant gravel lot next to the tracks and waited on the old Lehigh Valley platform for the train. The CNJ/Reading station was next to the lot, but I don't think it was occupied at that time. Other than the used car lot at 3rd & Union and more weeds, not much has changed at that location. Not to mention that you could catch the train in Bethlehem just as easily from most of south and east Allentown and save yourself some time.

Pawlson's book, "Deleware Valley Rails: Delaware Valley Rails: The Railroads and Rail Transit Lines of the Philadelphia Area," published in 1979, mentions the Allentown service. I'm want to say that it was ended by late '80 (before the end of Bethlehem/Quakertown service in June '81), but don't quote me on that. I know that I have yet to find a SEPTA timetable with it.

Here are a couple of newpaper articles:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nY ... %2C1856471
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0t ... %2C3461691

Otto Vondrak wrote:Thanks, Larry! I have a Reading TT 18 "Bethlehem-Quakertown-Philadelphia" effective 2/6/1972 (rev. 1/8. 1973), and a Conrail/SEPTA TT 18 effective 4/30/1978, but no Allentown service. Am I looking in the wrong place?

There are a number of train shows that feature railroad collectibles- the one in Gaithersburg, Maryland, (usually November) is a good one. So is the show at Clark, NJ (usually March). eBay is another good source. Good luck in your search!

-otto-

Otto: Thank you that information. I plan to attend the show in Clark now that you recommended it. As to your question about the Reading service to Allentown I dug a little deeper and racked the brain cells and I believe that I can add a little more to the story.

I consulted two good sources for this . Firstly "Delaware Valley Rails" by John R Pawson published in 1979 . The second source was "Trains, Trolleys & Transit, A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit" by Gerry Williams published in 1998

Its seems that service by the Reading Company to Allentown ended sometime in the 1960's . There must have been some demand for a return of service because in 1978 the PennDOT channeled funds through the Lehigh and Northampton Authority (LANTA). This enabled Conrail operated/SEPTA funded trains to operate outside SEPTA Territory. Passenger service was extended over 2.7 miles of former Lehigh Valley trackage from Bethlehem Union Station to Allentown. Service to Allentown resumed on a once daily basis effective June 5, 1978 and was upgraded on July 30, 1978. This revived service lasted only until 1979.

SEPTA began issuing its own schedules on October 29, 1978 even though the service was still being run by Conrail. At one time I had those schedules and I recall a few reading "Allentown-Bethlehem-Philadelphia" . As the revived service lasted only about a year there were probably only one of two schedules published.

I hope that this helps and maybe someone with more knowledge of this area can fill in the blanks.

Larry, RedbirdR33

You can download an Allentown SEPTA timetable here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?d9r11aypdmf

Apparently in 1978, there were eight runs to Bethlehem with four through services to Allentown. Strange that the evening trains did not start in Allentown.

walnut wrote:You can download an Allentown SEPTA timetable here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?d9r11aypdmf

Apparently in 1978, there were eight runs to Bethlehem with four through services to Allentown. Strange that the evening trains did not start in Allentown.

Thanks for letting us know about that link. Did you scan and upload this? If so, you have my gratitude.

You mentioned some trains not having their eastbound revenue run extended to begin at Allentown. I'm unsure if you're aware, but the 1970s Allentown SEPTA origin point was reachable from Bethlehem Union Station via some busy freight-only trackage. The RDCs had to cross the mainline of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad, then immediately cross the river and switch onto what was formerly the CNJ's mainline to Wilkes-Barre.

During the 1970s, the traditional railroad scene in the Lehigh Valley area was being uprooted by the events leading up to Conrail, and the pace of change only accelerated after 1976. The old LV route from Newark to Allentown was then starting to be used by more and more freight trains as the first link in Conrail's main east-west artery running across Pennsylvania to/from northern NJ. I speculate that during the evening times you mentioned, there were enough conflicting moves by freight trains that it simply wasn't desirable or practical to allow the SEPTA passenger runs to interfere with these.

walnut wrote:You can download an Allentown SEPTA timetable here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?d9r11aypdmf

Apparently in 1978, there were eight runs to Bethlehem with four through services to Allentown. Strange that the evening trains did not start in Allentown.

Thanks so much for sharing this scan! Now I know what I'm looking for. This timetable is effective 7/30/78, and my 4/30/78 only shows the Bethlehem service.

We have a feature in the February 2012 issue of Railfan & Railroad by Olev Taremae that discusses LV operations in Allentown transitioning to Conrail and then R.J. Corman. Includes a photo of the Budd Cars at the Allentown "station." Made me hunt for a timetable only to realize I dont have one. Since the operation lasted only a year, I would assume that any Allentown timetables are indeed rare issues.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote: We have a feature in the February 2012 issue of Railfan & Railroad by Olev Taremae
-otto-

I read the article last week. It was fairly informative. However, at the risk of seeming overly critical I got the distinct feeling that Olev was not very familiar with Allentown. Although that's a great shot of the RDC's (I can only assume from either in front of the old Lehigh Valley Transit car barn, now Modern Plumbing's building, or from Union St.).

I live west of Allentown and it's a shame Allentown was treated so poorly with train service. Would there ever be a market for such service again, even if it were an extension of the NJT Raritan Valley line from High Bridge, NJ? How would NS feel about having to share space with NJT between Bloomsbury, NJ and Allentown, PA? If train service returns to Quakertown area, would there be any incentive to rebuild the tracks from south of Coopersburg to Bethlehem to extend the service? At least there's a nice, clear ROW for seven miles to lay new track. All of the overgrowth was cleared away when the old tracks were pulled. There's about two or so miles of unused double track in northern Bucks County that is intact, but it would have to be rebuilt to be used. The Lehigh and Northampton counties segment is gone. The casino would be a great incentive to bring train service back, a new station could be built there instead of using Union Station again, and instead of rebuilding the line through town, use the connecting track to the mainline from the former Reading tracks to the former LV tracks. Only problem, a sinkhole/cave in just south of the PB&NE yard would have to be fixed, part of the old RDG main goes right over half of the sinkhole.

rwk wrote:The casino would be a great incentive to bring train service back, a new station could be built there instead of using Union Station again, and instead of rebuilding the line through town, use the connecting track to the mainline from the former Reading tracks to the former LV tracks.

I doubt that casino service by a railroad has much of a chance of bringing much (if any) traffic to the casino. There are just too many casinos scattered around the area (by design).

SEPTA has a page describing the casino connections they offer. http://www.septa.org/service/casino.html
It basically boils down to bus to the door, or walk. It's cheaper,easier to implement & modify (I know, sorry railfans)

The new casino in Valley Forge will be served by one of the buses already working the office centers there. It's "close" to rails, but it's the NS Harrisburg line, and a small branch that used to feed a Sears warehouse nearby. I dont recall any mention of casinos in the dreams to extend the NHSL to King of Prussia.

... and when there was specific casino service to Atlantic City by Amtrak, it did not do real well either. While the train still goes there, the whole gambler specific notion has disappeared.

Besides, I cannot imagine state-run NJT would extend service to PA casino's when NJ's casinos in Atlantic City are struggling.

The casino-targeted ACES train to Atlantic City has been permanently discontinued. Again.

is it politics that is keeping Amtrak, SEPTA, etc. from serving the Lehigh Valley area? And funding? It's a shame, because the ABE area is growing, yet we have no rail service of any kind except the few shortlines, and Norfolk Southern freights. The public basically has to drive, fly, or take a bus. Or, drive to Colmar, Lansdale, PA for SEPTA or Annandale. NJ for NJ Transit trains. In fact, all of northeastern PA north of Lansdale has no passenger rail of any kind, (except tourist trains) people up in Scranton area have to drive I-87 to Port Jervis, NY to take a train to NYC.

rwk wrote:is it politics that is keeping Amtrak, SEPTA, etc. from serving the Lehigh Valley area? And funding? It's a shame, because the ABE area is growing, yet we have no rail service of any kind except the few shortlines, and Norfolk Southern freights. The public basically has to drive, fly, or take a bus. Or, drive to Colmar, Lansdale, PA for SEPTA or Annandale. NJ for NJ Transit trains. In fact, all of northeastern PA north of Lansdale has no passenger rail of any kind, (except tourist trains) people up in Scranton area have to drive I-87 to Port Jervis, NY to take a train to NYC.

Did you forget about Doylestown?
Although it's not the branch which you are talking about, I was just pointing out that there is rail service north of Lansdale.

I wouldn't say it's politics--it's money. Bucks County (and Montgomery) have a proposal on the table for service up to the county line, but it's not going anywhere until the governor and the legislature solve the transportation funding problem in Pennsylvania and SEPTA takes care of other priorities. Anything beyond that has to have sponsorship from Lehigh and Northampton, in the form of matching funds for a federal capital grant (probably in the mid to high tens of millions local share) and a commitment by the counties to cover the annual operating deficit, the way Delaware sponsors service to Wilmington and Newark.