PRR's East Reading Yard ?? Where was it?

[fp7fan]

I have come across references to Pennsy's "East Reading yard", which I am thinking was located on the west side of the Schuylkill river across from the city of Reading - i.e., in West Reading. ("East" being the designated direction of the railroad going from Pottsville to Philly.) If this yard was in fact in West Reading, how was it accessed and how did they turn trains around? Response I got awhile back from a moderator on a somewhat different inquiry seemed to suggest that a Pennsy ROW proceeded toward Hamburg along the west bank of the river but I have never seen a map showing tracks on that side of the river. Can anybody shed some light on this or send me a link to a yard diagram or photos of this yard?

Thanks

[timz]

Did you look at

http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=PA

[fp7fan]

Thanks for the above link, I think I have the location figured out - I was confused by being told the yard was in "West Reading" which, to me, always meant the area that starts at the west end of the Penn St. bridge.

[M-407]

Hello fp7fan,

Check the topic beneath yours - Schuylkill Valley Branch from 1951 - 52 Videos.

Watch Part 3. The video shows a PRR E6s on a turntable and the narrator states that the location is: "East Reading Yard, which is actually in West Reading".

The videos aren't clear, but they do bring back the memories.

[fp7fan]

The shots of the turntable are very interesting ...on my next trip to Reading, I would like to see how much evidence of Pennsy's existence in Reading still remains beyond the r.o.w. which I understand is a hiking trail now.

[kp5308]

Besides the ROW, nothing remains. The East Reading Yard site is unoccupied, but, except for the trail easement, is overgrown. Personally, you would do better at Birdsboro, around 10 miles east on PA 724, where the ex PRR freight & passenger station still stand in their original locations.

[Schuylkill Valley]

PRR Schuylkill Valley Video's done from 16mm film and taken by the late George W. Gerhart.
I copied the video of the late Art Acker sorry for the video's being rough.

Len.

Part One
http://www.dailymotion.com/Conrail6370/ ... ine_events

Part Two
http://www.dailymotion.com/Conrail6370/ ... shortfilms

Part Three
http://www.dailymotion.com/Conrail6370/ ... -va_family