Frackville Grade pic from 1970s compare to today

Last year there was a discussion on this board of the RDG line that connected Frackville to St Clair yard. It paralelled Rt 61. This was known as the Frackville Grade. It was washed out in 1972 and never used again. Here is a pic of the line in Frackville looking south toward St Clair. The RDG freight station is at right. It was moved somewhere and refurb'd. Hard to believe this was a well maintained 4 track line until the early 1960s. It practically defined the town in the early part of the century. In the pic it looks like the track at left is disused and the track at right, while still shiny, has not had much maintenance. As for those tall telegraph poles, there are still a few here and there thru Frackville down the grade.

This pic was taken of the Fracks Street bridge. The bridge is gone today and just a grass lot with absolutely no trace of the RR today.

[attachment=1]frackville.jpg[/attachment]

And here I made a 1971 vs. 2020 before/after pic...

[attachment=0]frackbefore.jpg[/attachment]