Cressona Engine Facility

[JJSmith]

Can anyone specify what type of water tank was at the Reading's Cressona engine facility of the 40's and 50's? Steel or wooden?

[RDG Mallet]

Hello,

I collect photos and books about the area here and Cressona is basically in my backyard. Out of all the photos I have seen of the "Old Roundhouse" and "New Roundhouse" (which still stands) and yard photos... I have NEVER seen a water tower. Plus I have explored the remnants of the yard too. I know the RDG used water plugs in Cressona for sure. They had a water resevior speciffically set up on a hillside just above the current "Lite Yard" feed the water plugs. The RDG did have a coaling and sanding tower in the Cressona engine facilities.

Mike

READING COMPANY "AMERICA'S LARGEST ANTHRACITE CARRIER"

[JJSmith]

Thanks for you reply MIke, I have a 1929 photo of the new roundhouse area showing a wooden water tower.

I also have a slide show on VHS from the Historical Society of Schuylkill County showing a water tower from a distance. In this picture, the tower looks steel. The tower is in the distance and the quality of the photo is poor. I was wondering if the wooden tower was replaced by a steel one. I never considered a resevior.