Surviving RDG Stations

The National Park Service owns the station at Valley Forge. It is presently being converted into a new Visitor's Center for Washington's Headquarters. Given the site changes this project has involved (elimination of parking lots, etc), it is extremely unlikely that Valley Forge would ever be a commuter station again, although since the platforms are still extant, trains could still stop there on special occasions. Port Kennedy and Perkiomen Junction are the viable locations for stations if passenger service is ever re-established.

In the restoration of passenger service west of Norristown, could the existing stations still be used for passengers

Valley Forge could be served by the existing Port Kennedy structure.

Perkiomen Jct. is currently privately owned, & is not too well located, so a fresh start would be best.

Phoenixville would need a new station, since the 1877 structure now has all the banquet hall mechanicals on the trackside of the building.

Royersford & Pottstown could have their platforms renovated & used along with a shelter/waiting room added. Both stations are now owned by businesses, which may lease some space, although Royersford really doesn't have the additional space to lease.

Reading's Birdsboro station was torn down in the early 80's. Never an easy station to access, I'd locate a new one about 1/2 mile west along Furnace Hill Rd.

Franklin St. in Reading has been funded for rehabilitation. From the Oct. 14th Reading Eagle
"Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Jim Gerlach told Berks Area Transportation Authority officials that they have included in the 2008 budget a $1.225 million grant to refurbish the historic Franklin Street railroad station."

This brings the total earmarked for Franklin St to about $2.25 million. Estimated cost is $2.5 million, so more funding will be required before renovations begin, unless $250,000 can be shaved off the project. It's nothing more than a stone shell, having burned at least twice & vandalized over & over. This view is from late 2007, which has not changed:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=973794

From Reading north, IIRC Auburn & Schuylkill Haven are the only ones left. I consider them in good locations, but usage would be another issue, particularly Auburn which is privately owned. The bigger issue is involvement of Schuylkill County for funding, along with compensation negotiations with another carrier. I believe at this point, let's just focus on service to Reading, or at least Pottstown/Stowe.

correct me if I am wrong but I believe that the Fleetwood station is still extant. It is about a quarter mile east of the flour mill and the Pa. tr 662 crossing.

Fleetwood station celebrates 150 years in 2009. Look for the FM Brown's Sons silos in the middle of town. It's an original East Penn structure!
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1436909

I think that is the picture of the freight station. The passenger station is about a quarter mile east .

Yes, I believe this was the original (or at least earlier) passenger station, later converted to freight.

Get your pictures of the Langhorne Station now, word is Septa is getting ready to demolish it.

I see a reference to Pottstown above. It's about my favorite station after New York's old Penn Station and Grand Central Station; and maybe the Lackawanna's Madison station. I worked sixteen years in the Lackawanna's Morristown station, which is proportioned similarly to Pottstown. But the RDG station throw's my old habitat in the shade.

Add these from the Reading Company's Atlantic City Railroad in South Jersey
West Collingswood
Oaklyn
Audubon
Haddon Heights
Tuckahoe (Armstrong machined Interlocking Tower here too)
Rio Grande station and Woodbine Interlocking Tower at Cold Springs
Wildwood Jct-if still standing

dreese_us wrote:Get your pictures of the Langhorne Station now, word is Septa is getting ready to demolish it.

As reported here, it was destroyed earlier this week...another Reading structure lost. Never pass up a chance to take photographs when you can, folks. And be sure not only to take detail shots close-up, but also wide-angle shots relating how the structure fits into its surrounding environment. I can't emphasize that point enough! History-minded folks yet to come will thank you for that.

The Franklin Station Project in Reading is moving along well,there was a public meeting this past week on the progress. Even if the trains do not come back, the station must be restored as a lasting trubite to the Railroad, complete with a small museum display,research facility ect.

RDGTRANSMUSEUM wrote:The Franklin Station Project in Reading is moving along well,there was a public meeting this past week on the progress. Even if the trains do not come back, the station must be restored as a lasting trubite to the Railroad, complete with a small museum display,research facility ect.

Here's a related article from the Reading Eagle on 04/20/2010:
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=213983

BARTA open house showcases Franklin Street Station renovation project
Architects working on the redesign of the Franklin Street Station expect they will be able to retain most of the facility's historical features when it is renovated.

BARTA hopes to use the former railroad station at Seventh and Franklin streets for bus service. The station also could be a stop on the proposed R-6 extension, which would restore passenger train service from Reading to Norristown.

On Monday, BARTA held an open house to explain the restoration project and get comments about the plan, said Dennis D. Louwerse, BARTA executive director.

A cost estimate will be developed as part of the architectural work. Louwerse said he is confident the project will move forward.

"This will happen," he said.

The historic facility served as a Reading Railroad station until 1981, when passenger service ended in the city. BARTA acquired the station in 2005.

The bus agency is spending $240,000 on an architectural and engineering study. David Harrower of Sowinski/Sullivan Architects, Sparta, N.J., said the station is structurally sound and will need only rehabilitation work to reopen to the public.

An existing lunch counter and ticket booth would be retained as part of the renovation project, Harrower said.

Interior picture from 2001:
http://readingeagle.com/REnetImages/201 ... 874499.jpg

Steam man wrote:Add these from the Reading Company's Atlantic City Railroad in South Jersey
West Collingswood
Oaklyn
Audubon
Haddon Heights
Tuckahoe (Armstrong machined Interlocking Tower here too)
Rio Grande station and Woodbine Interlocking Tower at Cold Springs
Wildwood Jct-if still standing

Wildwood Junction Station is still standing, albeit in very poor condition. My understanding is that it is privately owned and not CMSL property. The entire wye is still in place along with the remains of a few semaphores. The Armstrong levers were removed from the "tower" over the last few years but a lot of the rodding is still laying in the weeds. The derelict railcars that were previously stored at WJ were moved to Tuckahoe last year but hopefully trains will again run past this station in the next few months.

Some pictures I shot about a year ago can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glennk419/ ... 997636126/

In addition, the canopy at Cold Spring was relocated from Cape May Court House so I guess we can somewhat add that to the list.

Jim, thank you for that fascinating update on what's happening with Franklin St. Station in Reading. True, it's not the far larger & prettier (but waaaay more destroyed ) Outer Station, but we need to halt its decay and restore it if we still can. I sincerely wish them luck with that project.

Thanks also to GlennK for giving us the news about Wildwood Junction Station & the Cold Spring station canopy. Nice pix, too!

And a shout-out to fellow poster Steam Man for this comprehensive listing of surviving stations along the former ACRR. I appreciate it.

Franklin Gowen wrote:Jim, thank you for that fascinating update on what's happening with Franklin St. Station in Reading. True, it's not the far larger & prettier (but waaaay more destroyed ) Outer Station, but we need to halt its decay and restore it if we still can. I sincerely wish them luck with that project.

Thanks also to GlennK for giving us the news about Wildwood Junction Station & the Cold Spring station canopy. Nice pix, too!

And a shout-out to fellow poster Steam Man for this comprehensive listing of surviving stations along the former ACRR. I appreciate it.

My pleasure, sir. Happy to contribute.