Royersford-Spring City, PA

[RV History Buff]

Does anyone have any information or photos about the Reading lines through Royersford and Spring City. There were tracks on both sides of the Schuylkill River, and there is a bridge across the river just past the station. The Royersford station is still standing, and is now being used for commercial purposes. Was there a station on the Spring City side?

[delvyrails]

The Reading's Main Line on the east bank through Royersford (now Norfolk Southern) is the only surviving railroad in that area of the Schuylkill valley. On the west bank. the PRR's Schuylkill Branch passed through Spring City close to the river's bank. PRR had a station near Bridge Street which is long gone, and the area is redeveloped.

A Pennsy spur crossed the river diagonally a few blocks north of the highway bridge. The Phoenixville quadrangle topographic map shows that this PRR served a few industries in Royersford along the river north of the bridge. Apparently there was no PRR-RDG connection.

The Reading had a short branch a few blocks north of the station (Fifth Avenue Branch) which climbed a creek valley to serve Oehlert Brothers, a building supply house.

[AlexC]

I had never heard of the Reading side branch... looking at google, not much evidence left of it.

The PRR did have a branch over the river to Royersford, but they also had their own branch up to a glass works in Spring City.... i believe that the present day Plum Alley is built on it's ROW. The passenger station was on the northside of Bridge Street, across from where the BK is now. The freight house was on the southside.

Not much left of either.

[Schuylkill Valley]

Hi all,
I'm a local historian of Spring City. The Pennsylvania Railroad came though in 1884. The Passenger station stood on the east side of Bridge Street and was there until 1982 when it was torn down after it cought of fire from kids playing, there was a switch tower that stood down from the station about 50 yards that was known as SC interlocking. The Freight station was on the west side of Bridge St. where the Printer Company is now. there was a small six track yard there once with a spur going in to Keystone steel Co. and the spur that went to the Spring City Quarrie , the class works came after. The PRR also had a spur into Spring City Knitting Co. on South Main St. The spur that crossed the Schuylkill River was built in 1898 and went down First Ave. The PRR also had a spur that went to the Spring City Bleach and die works, the site of Burger King now. and they had a coalling trussle for Buckwalter Feed Co. now the ( Car Quest) Auto Parts Store

The Reading Railroad also used that spur to service the glass company and other companies. The (Fifth Avenue Branch) serviced Can & Soul Steel Company . The Reading also serviced the Buckwalter Stove Company .
The Reading's Passenger station was built June 12,1931 the freight station stood above with a switch tower.

Hope that helped

Leonard F. Shaner, JR.

[Pacobell73]

The Pennsylvania Railroad came though in 1884. The passenger station stood on the east side of Bridge Street and was there until 1982 when it was torn down after it caught of fire from kids playing.

When was the line ripped out? Early 80s during the Conrail era?

[Schuylkill Valley]

June 22, 1980 is the date it was declared abandon and July of 1982 is was rip out.

Len.

[Pacobell73]

Great, thanx for that date. Had a feeling it was early 80s.

Does anyone have pix of the PRR Schuylkill Valley line north on Ivy Ridge in the 70s/80s? Curious see what the line looked like during its final days. Thanx!

[JimKeil]

Although I since relocated, I was born and raised in Spring City. To share some further information about the railroads there, a connection did exist between the PRR Schuylkill branch and the Reading mainline. This connector track could be seen by looking west between the Royersford Foundry where the switch was located atop a steep grade. (Always sand piles around the hill). To the right the single track served as a connector and siding and went about a mile along the river passing Buckwalter Stove and an old warehouse among the industries served finally connecting to Reading well above the signals that were near the freight station. To the left the track went over the trestle where as boys we used to jump into a deep pool on the Spring City side or hold onto a rope in the rapids on the Royersford side of the railroad span. In 1979 there was a Penn Central Geep that flipped on its side leaving a lone gondola car sitting on a switchback to Keystone Steel and fed the Glass Works branch. The Geep's roof ended up in the Mill Pond and was righted that same day. I was with the Spring Ford Rescue Squad at the time and we transported the crew to Phonenixville Hospistal. Years earlier an Philadelphia bound train spilt the switch on the PRR sending tank cars of dangerous Vinyl Chloride onto the testle and the rest of the train dragged down the river embankment. Ernest Shaner was the fire chief I believe. Any relation, Len? The Glass Works branch crossed the canal on a neat curved bridge over the Schuylkill canal crossing Main Steet in Spring City between Andy's Bar and the Valley Forge Flag Company which had its own short siding. Ray Willauer who used to work at Latshaws Bakery hasa brief video of a derailment at the road crossing in the era when steam powered cranes were still used. I'm sorry I don't have the URL but perhaps you can find it. I'm guessing it was around 1940. There was an ice house above that which Shep's Auto occupied abot 25 years ago. I don't recall a quarry, but I remember the Glass Works and Plum Alley and the "milk bottle" farm. I guess most of this is gone today. After transporting the crew to the hospital, I had many a cab ride and they even left me run the switch engine once from the switch at E.L. Gruber andspot a gon at Keystone. Those were the days. I had a "fort" in an abandoned boxcar as a boy. It was left sitting in the small yard around where the carwash is today. Well, just wanted to share some memories of the PRR around Spring City/Royersford. Bet it's different today! Jim Keil P.S. Sure wish I had a track diagram of the area gone by.

[Schuylkill Valley]

Hello Jim,
"Ernest Shaner was the fire chief I believe. Any relation, Len?" Yes he was a cousin. "Ray Willauer who used to work at Latshaws Bakery has a brief video" Acutely that was Ray's Father Ray W Willauer who took the 8mm movie film of the wreck at the Flag Co. I'm the one who posted the video on Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJxuuvmn ... annel_page He also took film of the wreck at Frick Locks in December 9, 1941 where locomotive #4030 rear ended a freight parked on the Frick siding one foggie morning around 1am. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zev0c7BR ... annel_page
My Mother was from Spring City she was a Harris her Father was known as Reds Harris who worked at Grubbers . My Mother worked at Grubbers and at Jim Roan's Cup on Rt.724. My Late Father was born at Fricks Locks in 1929 right next to the PRR/Canal. He was one of 12 children, his Grand Father William Shaner was a Cop in Spring City and rode horse back, His Son was Preston and that was my Grand Father.
William Shaner had 10 Children Harry (Had), Ethel Roberts, Eve Miller, Florance Setzler, Edna Windle, Grace Fryer, Preston , Thomas , Clayton . I guess you know of Cap Fryer's gas station at the end of News street, well that's Grace's Son.
William Shaner had Three brothers Clayton, Joe and Emus. Joe was Lawrence L.W. Shaner's Father and Joe who worked for the Reading Railroad as a passenger condutor for 35 years. Clayton moved to the Boyertown area and started the Shaner cland out there. Emus own a Butcher shop on Schuyllkill Road (724) behind where the Catholic church is now. William's Father was Emus Shaner,Sr. and he had Two Bothers John and Ken. John started Seven Stars Inn on Rt.23 he called it Seven stars because he had Seven Dauthers. Ken moved to the Pottstown area and his sons started Shaners Gas Company. Emus Sr. His Father was Alvin Shaner of Ciderville ( North Coventry Township)
So that's perry much how I know the history of the Spring City area.

Len.