Need an overview of Reading PA

I would like to visit Reading, PA for some railfanning. This is a new area for me. I have noticed the city has several routes though town. By looking a maps it would appear the routes allow trains to take more than one option to end up heading out of town toward their destinations.

What is the normal scheme for trains moving through town? It appears options begin at Wyommissing Jct. One route heads north of town, one south and maybe one through the center of town.

I also see a route referred to as the turkey path. What is the use of that line?

Which route east/north of Reading has more traffic, the Jersey line or Philly line?

Two other items of interest: What is R&Ns normal routines in Reading? And same for CP? Don't their Philly trains run over R&N and then go east from Reading? Or is that old info? Do any CP, or is it CN, trains run to Philly from Harrisburg?

What I need is a beginners guide to the city.

Hi Train2, I love to railfan Reading. Even on a quiet day, theres still alot to see.I have been going there a for about 5 years now. Theres only 1 problem with Reading. Theres so much action that it doesnt always pass at a location you may be at. If you know how to drive around the Reading area is a plus. Im going to provide the link to a very informative page on railfanning Reading. Enjoy. Also on the page theres a schedule and I will just paste that on here to. Take Care
http://www.railfanreading.com/Reading1. ... eading.htm




Complete Freight Schedule for Reading Pa
Extra Symbol Symbol Type Direction Frequency Origin Destination Approx. Time
I1Q 21Q Intermodel Westbound Daily Morrisville, PA Chicago, IL 12-1am
M1K 11K Manifest Westbound Daily Allentown, PA Elkhart, IN 12-1am
H-89 Local Westbound Mon-Thur Chapman, PA Reading, PA 12-1am
I0Q 20Q Intermodel Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL Morrisville, PA 12-1am
I0K 20K Intermodel Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL Croxton, NJ 12-1am
M1A 11A Manifest Westbound Daily Reading, PA Conway, PA 12-1am
M8G 18G Manifest Eastbound Daily Conway, PA Oak Island, NJ 12-2am
H-89 Local Eastbound Mon-Thur Reading, PA Chapman, PA 12-2am
I1G 21G Intermodel Westbound Tue-Sat Croxton, NJ Chicago, IL 1-2am
I4Z 24Z Intermodel Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL Croxton, NJ 2-3am
I5V 25V Intermodel Westbound Daily E-Rail, NJ Rutherford, PA 3-4am
I12 212 Intermodel Eastbound Tue-Sat Alanta, GA Croxton, NJ 3-4am
I5R 25R Intermodel Westbound Daily E-Rail, NJ Rutherford, PA 4-5am
I14
214 Intermodel Eastbound Daily Alanta, GA E-Rail, NJ 4-5am
W0J 30J I / M Eastbound Mon, Wed, Fri Binghamton, NY South Philadelphia, PA 5-6am
I11 211 Intermodel Westbound Tue-Sat Croxton, NJ Alanta, GA 5-6am
I02 202 Intermodel Eastbound AS NEEDED Memphis, TN E-Rail, NJ 5-6am
I0E 20E Mail Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL Morrisville, PA 6-7am
I62 262 Roadrailer Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL Bethlehem, PA 6-7am
I1E 21E Mail Westbound Daily Morrisville, PA Chicago, IL 7-8am
I4V 24V Intermodel Eastbound Sun-Fri Chicago, IL Dockside, NJ 7-8am
M0A 10A Manifest Eastbound Daily Conway, PA Reading, PA 8-9am
W4A 34A Manifest Westbound Daily Allentown, PA Baltimore, MD 8-9am
H-47 Local Eastbound Mon-Sat Reading, PA Evansville/Lyons, PA 8-12pm
I3Q 23Q Intermodel Westbound Mon-Fri Dockside, NJ Harrisburg, PA 9-12pm
M1J 11J Auto rack Westbound Daily Doremus, NJ Toledo, OH 9-12pm
KHOJ Local Eastbound Mon,Wed-Fri Lancaster, PA Reading, PA 9-12pm
W4M 34M Manifest Westbound/Eastbound Daily King Of Prussia, PA Allentown, PA 9-2pm
H-33 Local Westbound Daily Reading, PA Lebanon, PA 10-11am
W8G 38G Manifest Westbound/Eastbound Daily Allentown, PA Camden, NJ 10-12pm
I1M 21M Intermodel Westbound Daily Croxton, NJ Chicago, IL 10-12pm
M4G 14G Manifest Eastbound Daily Conway, PA Morrisville, PA 12-1pm
W9G 39G Manifest Westbound/Eastbound Daily Camden, NJ Allentown, PA 12-3pm
I2J 22J Intermodel Eastbound AS NEEDED Harrisburg, PA Elizabethport, NJ 12-3pm
M6T 16T Manifest Eastbound Daily Birmingham, AL Allentown, PA 12-3pm
W6Q 36Q Manifest Eastbound Daily Linwood, NC Allentown, PA 12-3pm
I2V 22V Intermodel Eastbound AS NEEDED Harrisburg, PA Dockside, NJ 12-3pm
H-47 Local Westbound Mon-Sat Evansville/ Lyons, PA Reading, PA 12-4pm
M9G
19G Manifest Westbound Daily Oak Island, NJ Conway, PA 1-3pm
I8A 28A Roadrailer Eastbound Monday Fort Wayne, IN Bethlehem, PA 1-3pm
I13 213 Intermodel Westbound Saturday Elizabethport, NJ Alanta, GA 1-3pm
KHOJ Local Westbound Mon, Wed-Fri Reading, PA Lancaster, PA 1-3pm
H-48 Local Westbound AS NEEDED Reading, PA Annville, PA 1-2pm
I90 290 Auto rack Eastbound AS NEEDED Lynchburg, VA Ridgefield Hights, NJ 2-4pm
I0G 20G Intermodel Eastbound Mon-Fri Long Beach, CA/BNSF Croxton, NJ 2-4pm
H-31 Local Westbound Daily Reading, PA Lebanon, PA 2-3pm
W5A 35A Manifest Westbound/Eastbound Daily Allentown, PA King Of Prussia, PA 3-5pm
H-48 Local Eastbound AS NEEDED Annville, PA Reading, PA 3-5pm
W3A 33A Manifest Eastbound Daily Baltimore, MD Allentown, PA 4-6pm
I0W 20W Intermodel Eastbound Sat-Tue Long Beach, CA/BNSF Croxton, NJ 4-7pm
H-33 Local Eastbound Daily Lebanon, PA Reading, PA 4-6pm
I61 261 Roadrailer Westbound Daily Bethlehem, PA Chicago, IL 6-7pm
M0N 10N Manifest Eastbound Daily Conway, PA Allentown, PA 7-8pm
H-33 Local Eastbound Daily Lebanon, PA Reading, PA 8-9pm
M5T 15T Manifest Westbound Daily Allentown, PA Birmingham, AL 8-9pm
I0R 20R Intermodel Eastbound Daily Chicago, IL E-Rail, NJ 8-9pm
M7G 17G Manifest Westbound Daily Morrisville, PA Conway, PA 8-9pm
M8N 18N Auto rack Eastbound AS NEEDED Bellevue, OH Croxton/Oak Island, NJ 9-10pm
I5K 25K Intermodel Westbound Mon-Fri Croxton, NJ Cicero, IL 9-10pm
W5Q 35Q Manifest Westbound Daily Allentown, PA Linwood, NC 9-10pm
I5Z 25Z Intermodel Westbound Daily E-Rail, NJ Corwith, IL 10-12am
W1J 31J I / M Westbound Mon, Wed, Fri South Philadelphia, PA Binghamton, NY 10-12am
I1R 21R Intermodel Westbound AS NEEDED Elizabethport, NJ Chicago, IL 10-12am
The following trains run as required

NS Type Direction Origin Desination Loaded/Empty
S00 500 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Eddystone, PA Loaded
S01 501 Coal Westbound Eddystone, PA Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S02 502 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Palermo, NJ Loaded
503 503 Coal Westbound Palermo, NJ Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S04 504 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Carney's Point, NJ Loaded
S05 505 Coal Westbound Carney's Point, NJ Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S06 506 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Carney's Point, NJ Loaded
S07 507 Coal Westbound Carney's Point, NJ Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S08
508 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Portland, PA Loaded
S09 509 Coal Westbound Portland, PA Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S34 534 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Reading, PA Loaded
S35 535 Coal Westbound Reading, PA Shire Oaks, PA Empty
S40 540 Coal Eastbound Shire Oaks, PA Martins Creek, PA Loaded
S41 541 Coal Westbound Martins Creeks, PA Shire Oaks, PA Empty
Z16 616 Coal Eastbound Dickinson, WV Martins Creek, PA Loaded
Z17 617 Coal Westbound Martins Creeks, PA Dickinson, WV Empty
Z26 626 Coal Eastbound Keating, PA Martins Creek, PA Loaded
Z27 627 Coal Westbound Martins Creeks, PA Keating, PA Empty
Z46 646 Coal Eastbound Conemaugh, PA Martins Creek, PA Loaded
Z47 647 Coal Westbound Martins Creeks, PA Conemaugh, PA Empty
Z84 684 Coal Westbound Reading, PA Baltimore, MD Loaded
Z85 685 Coal Eastbound Baltimore, MD Reading, PA Empty
Z90 690 Coal Eastbound Baltimore, MD Loaded
Z91 691 Coal Westbound Baltimore, MD Empty
Z0Z 60Z Slab Steel Westbound South Philadelphia, PA Loaded
Z1Z 61Z Slab Steel Eastbound South Philadelphia, PA Empty
Z4A 64A Slab Steel Westbound Fairless, PA Detroit, MI Loaded
Z4Q 64Q Ballast Eastbound Annville, PA Camden, NJ Loaded
Z4J 64J Trash Westbound Chemical Coast, NJ Mingo JCT. OH Loaded
Z4R 64R Tanker Eastbound Cicero, IL Seawaren, NJ Loaded
Z5A 65A Slab Steel Eastbound Detroit, MI Fairless, PA Empty
Z5J 65J Trash Eastbound Mingo JCT. OH Chemical Coast, NJ Empty
Z5Q 65Q Ballast Westbound Camden, NJ Annville, PA Empty
Z5R 65R Tanker Westbound Seawaren, NJ Cicero, IL Empty
Z6K 66K Ballast Eastbound Reading, PA Camden, NJ Loaded
Z6N 66N Slab Steel Eastbound Colehour, IL Fairless, PA Loaded
Z6Q 66Q Slab Steel Eastbound Ecorse, MI Morrisville, PA Loaded
Z6Z 66Z Slab Steel Eastbound Ferrona, PA Fairless, PA Loaded
Z7A 67A Slab Steel Westbound Fairless, PA Detroit, MI Empty
Z7K 67K Ballast Westbound Camden, NJ Reading, PA Empty
Z7N 67N Slab Steel Westbound Fairless, PA Colehour, IL Empty
Z7Q 67Q Slab Steel Westbound Morrisville, PA Ecorse, MI Empty
Z7T 67T Ballast Westbound Edgemoore, DE Birdsboro, PA Loaded
Z7V 67V Ballast Eastbound Birdsboro, PA Edgemoore, DE Empty
Z7Z 67Z Slab Steel Westbound Fairless, PA Ferrona, OH Empty
Z8J 68J Slab Steel Eastbound Middletown, OH South Philadelphia, PA Empty
Z8Q 68Q Tanker Eastbound Chicago, IL Seawaren, NJ Loaded
Z8W 68W Slab Steel Eastbound Detroit, MI South Philadelphia, PA Loaded
Z9J 69J Slab Steel Westbound South Philadelphia, PA Middletown, OH Loaded
Z9K 69K Slab Steel Westbound South Philadelphia, PA Pine, IN Empty
Z9M 69M Slab Steel Westbound South Philadelphia, PA Burns Harbor, IN Empty
Z9Q 69Q Tanker Westbound Seawaren, NJ Chicago, IL Empty
82E Coal Eastbound Loaded
83E Coal Westbound Empty
84E Coal Eastbound Loaded
85E Coal Westbound Empty
84K Coal Eastbound Willamson, WV Edgemoore, DE Loaded
85K Coal Westbound Edgemoore, DE Willamson, WV Empty
88E Coal Eastbound Powder River Basin, WY/UP Indian River, DE Loaded
89E Coal Westbound Indian River, DE Powder River Basin, WY/UP Empty
88K Coal Eastbound Willamson, WV Indian River, DE Loaded
89K Coal Westbound Indian River, DE Willamson, WV Empty
88Z Coal Eastbound Loaded
89Z Coal Westbound Empty
918 Ballast Eastbound Birdsboro, PA Loaded
919 Ballast Westbound Birdsboro, PA Empty
920 Ballast Eastbound Birdsboro, PA Loaded
921 Ballast Westbound Birdsboro, PA Empty
922 Ballast Eastbound Birdsboro, PA Loaded
923 Ballast Westbound Birdsboro, PA Empty
924 Ballast Eastbound Birdsboro, PA Loaded
925 Ballast Westbound Birdsboro, PA Empty

train2 wrote:What is the normal scheme for trains moving through town? It appears options begin at Wyommissing Jct. One route heads north of town, one south and maybe one through the center of town.

Most traffic runs around the city to the north.

I also see a route referred to as the turkey path. What is the use of that line?

Mostly used by stone trains heading to the quarry at Dyers.

Which route east/north of Reading has more traffic, the Jersey line or Philly line?

The Reading Line (which eventually heads to NJ) has at least 3 times more traffic than the Harrisburg Line (to Philly)

What is R&Ns normal routines in Reading?

They run a morning turn from Port Clinton to Reading (PNRG/RGPN) on Saturday and an afternoon turn from Tamaqua (QARG/RGQA) Sun-Fri.

And same for CP?

164 runs east at night or the very early morning Mon-Wed-Fri. 165 runs west at night on the same days. Both are Philly-Binghamton, and they are symboled 30J/31J while on NS.

Don't their Philly trains run over R&N and then go east from Reading?

CP only uses the R&N between Lehighton and Dupont on the RBMN Main (well northeast of Reading). None of those trains run anywhere near Reading.