Pacobell73 wrote:Why did Conrail rip up this line? I understand they wanted to reroute freight traffic to Harrisburg from Philly via Reading, but did they not see the value in such a well-built line?
A rail line's value is dependent upon the points that it connects together and the traffic the line will support. This lovely piece of track connected an Amtrak owned line with a switching terminal (Enola) that had been effectively closed at that point in time. There really was not enough traffic to warrant investing in maintenance for it. The scarce capital was better spent upgrading the Reading route.
Pacobell73 wrote:Other questions:
- When did Conrail de-electrify it?
- Did a double-tracking last its entire existence?
- When did Conrail lift the rails?
Conrail ceased electric operations in about 1981, I believe. Wire was taken down on these lines not long after -- except for the upper lines that were used for transmission between substations. I worked in Enola in 1987 and we still got all of our power (in buildings and for yard lighting) from the catenary system, but the wire for locomotive power was all gone.
I'm not sure of of the other questions -- except that I think the rail was removed in the early '90s.
Pacobell73 wrote:With traffic congestion getting worse, does Norfolk Southwen have any plans to relay the line?
I would be shocked if they did. The property's been abandoned. I believe the ROW title may have reverted to original owners. Even if it hasn't, I can't believe the congestion you mention would be bad enough to get NS to make such a huge investment. Don't hold your breath on this one.
