R&N Takes Over Trackage in Hazleton

The Reading amd Northern is about to take over operations (from present operator Norfolk Southern) of the rather extensive rail services within the Humboldt Industrial Park near Hazleton, PA.

While I've never heard any complaints from rail customers in the area, it's pretty well accepted that NS isn't all that interested in switching and carload freight operations such as this. I'd imagine Reading and Northern will do an excellent job servicing the area.

http://timesleader.com/news/business/49 ... o-humboldt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This has been in the works for a quite a while - what has me confused was around a year ago I read the R&N bought a significant amount of new power due to new business - which for some reason I assumed was this Humboldt Industrial park. But if it was that long ago, perhaps they bought the power for some other new business, given that their takeover doesn't start until January.

Also some interesting history - the "mainline" through the industrial park dates back to the Delaware, Susquehanna and Schuylkill Railroad, which was set up by the Coxe brothers in 1891 to connect their various mine operations in the Hazleton area, so they didn't have to use the Lehigh Valley. In the end the Coxe family decided to cash out and Lehigh Valley bought them out (both the DSS and the mining interests) in 1905.
http://www.lvrr.com/wp-content/gallery/ ... p_1914.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www2.hsp.org/collections/coxe/company.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jim S

Rail biz has been booming in Hazleton for the past 10 years or so in that industrial park area. I'm sure NS is like any class I these days... local service and switching can take a back seat. Much easier to dump off a few cars for R&N to pick up and let them do the dirty work, and then sit back and collect a check.

I remember back in the 80s, CR would send a switcher up to Hazleton and you could count the # of freight cars on one hand.

I was wondering if R&N was going to pick up the traffic from NS in Lehighton or run all the way down to Allentown (to run up to M&H junction and then the Weatherly and Hazelton like NS does), but the article says the interchange will be in Reading, and won't go through the town of Hazleton itself. So I assume it will then go up through the other side of the R&N, -- through Tamaqua and then the Lofty connection to the LV, to approach Hazleton from the south side instead of the east, with the Humboldt connection junction (don't know the name of the junction) just before you actually get to Hazleton. I wonder how the grades and mileage compare to the old route (longer haul for R&N?), and if it will change when R&N gets its new bridge and wye at Nesquehoning. Jim S