reading realignment at temple?

In comparing old and new maps, it seems between Blandon and Temple on the Reading RR Reading-Allentown line that it
was realigned around Temple --
it used to go on the east side of Temple, and now from Allentwon
it goes north of Temple and then comes down the west side of Temple.
(using the tracks that used to go to Kempton on the west side).

When was this done? In the Conrail days,or back in the Reading days?
And when was the line east of Temple abandoned?

THanks JCS

there are some RDG Trechies that could pin down the re-alignment date, but I know it was in the 50's... the old line over Temple hill was abandoned in '83, and almost removed before Conrail put it back into service due to a quarry collapse on the new alignment.

Micah

The track by the quarry wall collapsed while a train was standing on it. Several cars went into the hole.

I was a spanking new RFE (Baltimore) in mid-1984 when it happened. They sent me to Reading to "help out" during the period when trains were rerouted to the old alignment. We had a helper crew (pair of MP15s) on duty around the clock to shove underpowered trains up the hill.

As I recall, the line was indeed close to being taken up when the incident occurred. Dumb luck for Conrail. It was pulled up in later years -- yes? I haven't been there for many years now.

THanks. I'm not from Reading, but from maps I assume the quarry
(now a lake) just north of Bellevue Rd was the one. Interestingly,
looking at aerial on-line photos, I notice that
the new line next to the quarry has a little bulge away from the quarry, presumably from moving it over a little after the "problem!!"
On topo maps (presumably never updated) the line runs
perfectly straight through there.

ALso, for the Reading experts,
why did they actually build the line? -- the grade issue you described
(although on both lines it is a steady climb to Blandon -- the old
line doesn't really go higher on the mountain
than it had to to get to Blandon -- must be the new line was
a more gradual climb)?? I see as a side benefit that now you can get
from Harrisburg to Allentown by bypassing the city of
Reading on the Belt Line
(with the old alignment you had to go by the yards in the center of town).
Or maybe a exectuvie from Reading RR lived in Temple and didn't
like all the grade crossings there.
JS

Steeper grade on the old alignment.

And yes, the track was moved over to more solid footing after the collapse (cheaper and faster than building a bridge!).

As I was the junior guy, I was there mostly on the midnight shift. It took me a while (seeing things only in the dark) to absorb the layout of tracks routes in and around Reading.

The BEE LINE publication that I just received from RCT&HS covers this story in detail. It's entitled "Blandon and the Low Grade". Vol. 27 No 1&2 of 2005.

(I just joined the RCT&HS this year and this is the first BEE LINE that I received, so I'm confused why it says 2005....)

They are a bit behind in publishing. Rather than publiishing with a current date and skipping issues they are putting on the old dates that they should have carried.

My crusader just came in the mail today and it mentioned the publish dates.

By the way, I was VERY impressed with the BeeLine publication. It was very nicely put together with lots of excellent information and pictures. I'm looking forward to the next issue.

This publication alone is probably worth the yearly membership fee.