Overview | |
---|---|
Headquarters | Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Reporting mark | ESPN |
Locale | Pennsylvania Delaware |
Dates of operation | 2007– |
Predecessor | East Penn Railways Penn Eastern Rail Lines |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Length | 114 mi (183.5 km) |
Other | |
Website | www |
East Penn Railroad( reporting mark ESPN) is a short-line railroad that operates a number of mostly-unconnected lines in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Except for two industrial park switching operations, all are former Pennsylvania Railroad or Reading Company lines, abandoned or sold by Conrail or its predecessors.
East Penn Railroad was formed in 2007 through a merger of East Penn Railways ( reporting mark EPRY) and Penn Eastern Rail Lines ( reporting mark PRL), each of which began operating in the 1990s. The railroad is owned by Regional Rail, LLC, which also owns the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad, Tyburn Railroad, Carolina Coastal Railway, Florida Central Railroad, Florida Northern Railroad, and Florida Midland Railroad. [1]
East Penn Railroad (ESPN) was formed in 2007 by the merger of East Penn Railway and Penn Eastern Rail Lines. Since the merger, the railroad has improved service and infrastructure on lines with customer growth potential; weaker lines were abandoned or sold off. 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of track was returned to service.[ citation needed ] A yard was also constructed in Pocopson, Pennsylvania along the Wilmington and Northern Branch (W&N). ESPN has acquired additional locomotives and replaced older locomotives to handle increased traffic, including two rebuilt EMD GP38-2's from GATX used along the W&N and Octoraro lines. [2]
ESPN attempted to abandon the Colebrookdale line between Pottstown and Boyertown in 2008; it was eventually purchased by Berks County. [3] In 2010, the Chester Valley line between King of Prussia and Bridgeport was abandoned and subsequently sold to Montgomery County and became part of the Chester Valley Rail Trail.
On August 1, 2011, East Penn Railroad took over operations from Norfolk Southern on the York Industrial Track between York and Stonybook. [4] In December 2012, the former Raritan River 40' boxcar #100, stored on East Penn tracks at its Quakertown depot, was restored, representing one of the few surviving pieces of equipment from the former Raritan River Railroad.
Since 2011, a total of eight derailments have happened along the East Penn Railroad in various locations, including northern Delaware, Chester County, and Bucks County. In August 2022, six cars derailed in Chester County, narrowly missing a home. [5]
ESPN operates 114 miles of track in eastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware and 16 commercial locomotives. [6] The railroad operates multiple disconnected segments with locomotives assigned to each segment. Two or three lines have service daily. [2]
They include the following lines:
This line consists of industrial park trackage in the Bristol, Pennsylvania area, interchanging with Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CSAO). [7]
ESPN Bristol Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This line, which is owned and operated by ESPN, runs from Ephrata, Pennsylvania northeast, interchanging with Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in Reading, Pennsylvania, using trackage rights on NS between Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania and Reading. [7]
ESPN Lancaster Northern Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This line consists of owned trackage in the Manheim, Pennsylvania area, interchanging with NS. [7]
ESPN Manheim Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The North East Philadelphia line consists of owned trackage in Northeast Philadelphia, interchanging with CSAO in the Bustleton area of Philadelphia. [7]
ESPN North East Philadelphia Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Octoraro line, which is owned and operated by ESPN, consists of trackage, the former Octoraro Branch, from end-of-track in Sylmar east to Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, where it connects to the Wilmington and Northern Branch. SEPTA owns the passenger rights on the Octoraro Line. [7]
ESPN Octoraro Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Perkiomen line, which is owned and operated by ESPN, runs from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania north, where it interchanges with NS in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. [7]
ESPN Perkiomen Subdivision | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Quakertown Line operates on the SEPTA-owned Bethlehem Line from Quakertown, Pennsylvania south, and interchanges with the Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad in Telford. [7]
ESPN Quakertown Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Wilmington and Northern Branch line, which is owned and operated by ESPN, runs from interchange with CSX Transportation in Elsmere, Delaware north, interchanging with NS in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The Octoraro Line connects with the Wilmington and Northern line in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. [7]
The line operated by ESPN consists of trackage from interchange with NS in York, Pennsylvania to Stonybrook, Pennsylvania. [7]
ESPN York Industrial Track | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Boyertown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2020 census. Boyertown is known for the many painted fiberglass bears that can be found throughout the town and borough.
Reading is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Reading is located in the southeastern part of the state and is the principal city of the Greater Reading area, which had 420,152 residents in 2020.
Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815. In 1888, the limits of the borough were considerably extended. Pottstown is the center of a productive farming and dairying region.
Pennsylvania Route 100 is a 59.4-mile (95.6 km) long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 near West Chester north to PA 309 in Pleasant Corners. The route runs between the western suburbs of Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley region of the state, serving Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lehigh counties. PA 100 intersects several important highways, including US 30 in Exton, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) near Lionville, US 422 near Pottstown, US 222 in Trexlertown, and I-78/US 22 in Fogelsville. Several sections of PA 100 are multi-lane divided highway with some interchanges, including between US 202 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Chester County between south of Pottstown and New Berlinville, and between Trexlertown and Fogelsville.
Schuylkill River Passenger Rail is a proposed passenger train service along the Schuylkill River between Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, with intermediate stops in Norristown, King of Prussia, Phoenixville, and Pottstown.
North Pennsylvania Railroad was a railroad company which served Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Northampton County in Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1852, and began operation in 1855. The Philadelphia and Reading Railway, predecessor to the Reading Company, leased the North Pennsylvania in 1879. Its tracks were transferred to Conrail and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in 1976.
The Brandywine Valley Railroad is a class III railroad operating in Pennsylvania.
The Schuylkill Branch was a rail line owned and operated by the former Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in Pennsylvania. The line ran from the Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line at 52nd Street in Philadelphia north via Norristown, Reading, and Pottsville to Delano Junction, about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) northeast of Delano. From Delano Junction, the PRR had trackage rights over the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Hazleton Branch and Tomhicken Branch to Tomhicken, where the PRR's Catawissa Branch began.
The Manayunk/Norristown Line is a commuter rail service in Southeastern Pennsylvania between Center City Philadelphia and Norristown, and one of the 13 lines in SEPTA's Regional Rail network. It has the second highest operating ratio (19.9%) on the SEPTA Regional Rail network.
The Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad is a short-line railroad operating on trackage mostly in Bucks and Montgomery counties to the north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was created in 2011, taking over former operations from CSX Transportation. The Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad interchanges with CSX in Lansdale, the East Penn Railroad in Telford, and the New Hope Railroad in Warminster.
The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad is a short-line railroad in Pennsylvania that runs from Boyertown south to Pottstown over the Colebrookdale branch, where it interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway. The railroad was operated by U.S. Rail Partners until 2013, when the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust took over.
Eshbach is an unincorporated community in Washington Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Eshbach is located at the intersection of Old Route 100 and Stauffer Road.
The Lehigh Line is a railroad line in Central New Jersey, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. It is owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway. The line runs west from the vicinity of the Port of New York and New Jersey in Manville, New Jersey via Conrail's Lehigh Line to the southern end of Wyoming Valley's Coal Region in Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania.
The Colebrookdale Railroad, also known as the Secret Valley Line or colloquially as The Colebrookdale, is a tourist railroad located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The railroad operates between Boyertown in Berks County and Pottstown in Montgomery County.
The Allentown and Auburn Railroad is a short-line railroad located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that operates as both a freight and tourist railroad. The railroad runs between Kutztown and Topton in Berks County.
The Wilmington and Northern Branch is a partially-abandoned railway line in the states of Delaware and Pennsylvania. It was constructed between 1869 and 1870 by the Wilmington and Reading Railroad, a predecessor of the Wilmington and Northern Railroad. At its fullest extent it connected Reading, Pennsylvania, with Wilmington, Delaware. The Philadelphia and Reading Railway leased the line in 1900. With the Reading Company's bankruptcy and the creation of Conrail in 1976 the line's ownership fragmented, and the section between Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, has been abandoned.
The Anthracite Railway was a short line railroad in the state of Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1983 to operate various former Reading Company lines that it leased from the state. The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad took over the leases in 1988–1989.
The Colebrookdale branch, also known as the Colebrookdale spur, Colebrookdale industrial track or Colebrookdale line, is a railway line in Pennsylvania. It runs 8.6 miles (13.8 km) from a junction with the Harrisburg Line in Pottstown to Boyertown. At its fullest extent, the line continued another 4 miles (6.4 km) to Barto. The line was built between 1868 and 1869 by the Colebrookdale Railroad and part of the Reading Company system until 1976. Berks County has owned the line since 2009. The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad operates freight service; heritage passenger services are run under the Colebrookdale Railroad name.
The Pottsville Line was a commuter rail service in the Delaware Valley, connecting Pottsville, Reading, and Pottstown with Philadelphia. It was the last vestige of passenger service on the former Reading main line. The service lasted into the SEPTA era and was discontinued in 1981. SEPTA continues to operate Manayunk/Norristown Line commuter trains between Philadelphia and Norristown.