New Hope Railroad

Last updated
New Hope Railroad
New Hope Railroad Logo 2020.png
NHRR 40 at New Hope Station.jpg
No. 40 at New Hope Station in May 2019
Overview
Headquarters New Hope, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Reporting mark NHRR
Locale Bucks County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Dates of operation1966 (1966)present
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length18 miles (29 km)
Other
Website www.newhoperailroad.com
Route map

Contents

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New Hope
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PA 179
West Bridge Street
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Ferry Street
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Ingham Run
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Ingham Run
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West Mechanic Street
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South Sugan Road
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Ingham Run
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Driveway
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Ingham Run
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Pennsylvania Shale Brick Company
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Reeder Road
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Deer Park
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Aquetong Road
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Lower Mountain Road
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Driveway
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Street Road
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Lahaska
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Holicong Road
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Driveway
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Abandoned quarry spur
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Upper Mountain Road
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PA 413
Durham Road
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Farm Lane
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Upper Mountain Road
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Buckingham Valley
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Lower Mountain Road
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Creek Road
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New Hope Road
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Smith Road
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Mill Creek
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Township Line Road
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Driveway
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Mill Creek
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Mill Creek
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Swamp Road
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Sackettsford Road
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Little Neshaminy Creek
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Grenoble
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Little Neshaminy Creek
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Almshouse Road
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West Bristol Road
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Ivyland Road
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PA 132
Street Road
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Warminster Line

The New Hope Railroad( reporting mark NHRR), [1] formerly and colloquially known as the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad and New Hope Steam Railway and Museum, is a shortline and heritage railroad located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Today, the railroad operates both steam and diesel powered locomotives and is an associate member of Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee.

Services

Heritage

The heritage operations use both steam and diesel powered locomotives for excursion trips out of New Hope. Regular NHRR excursions typically operate between New Hope and Lahaska, with some occasionally going to Buckingham Valley. The railroad mostly uses former Reading Company passenger cars, which date between 1914 and 1932, for excursions.

Freight

NHRR is involved in the import and export of raw materials and manufactured products. Freight customers range from national chemical companies to consumer product manufacturers. NHRR interchanges with Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad in Johnsville, which in turn interchanges with CSX Transportation in Lansdale. NHRR's primary customers are based in Warminster; CRC Industries, Castrol and Double H Plastics are served on a weekly basis.

History

The first train to New Hope in 1891 First train to New Hope, Pennsylvania.jpg
The first train to New Hope in 1891

The line currently operated by the New Hope Railroad was originally known as the New Hope Branch of the Reading Company (RDG), which leased it to the North Pennsylvania Railroad, of which it was a part. The railroad ran as far as Hartsville Station (near Bristol Road, which eventually became Ivyland) until March 29, 1891, when the line was extended to the long-desired terminal of New Hope, Pennsylvania. [2]

In 1932, steam powered trains above Hatboro were replaced with a Doodlebug after electric service was introduced between Hatboro and Philadelphia. In June 1952, Hatboro-New Hope passenger service terminated. In the early 1960s, the RDG's financial situation was precarious. Looking to rid themselves of unprofitable branch lines via abandonment, a group of train aficionados and businessmen led by Philadelphia attorney Kenneth Souser established Steam Trains, Inc. with the goal of operating steam trains on a for-profit basis. [3] Steam Trains, Inc. became organized as the 'New Hope & Ivyland Railroad (NHIR), and on June 20, 1966, the 16.7-mile line was sold for $200,000. [2]

Steam Trains, Inc. started their operations on August 6, 1966 on a high note, often in an extravagant fashion, with the purchase of four steam locomotives and seven passenger cars. The company leased freight locomotives from RDG, and used only hired labor to operate their excursions. The "air rights" over the Southern portion of the line from Ivyland to just north of Almshouse Road, were sold to the former Philadelphia Electric Company (now Exelon) in order to stay solvent. Due to extremely low ticket prices to generate sales that led to no additional income of riders, Steam Trains, Inc. declared bankruptcy on June 5, 1970. [2] Operations continued under a court-appointed trustee.

New Hope Railroad 2-8-0 40, GP30 2198, and SD40-2 5577 NHRR No. 40, 2198, 5577.jpg
New Hope Railroad 2-8-0 40, GP30 2198, and SD40-2 5577

The Bucks County Industrial Development Corporation (BCIDC) purchased the trackage from the Steam Trains, Inc. in early 1974 to "preserve rail service through the center of Bucks County." [4] The county selected McHugh Brothers Heavy Hauling, Inc. to operate freight service over the line via a lease agreement. [2] McHugh Brothers continued hauling freight with Edward L. McHugh as president until his departure in 1989. [4]

By the summer of 1976, the railroad received state funding to rehabilitate crumbling infrastructure that sorely needed fixing. By August 1977, volunteers from the Buckingham Valley Trolley Association [BVTA] (now the Electric City Trolley Museum Association) were operating state-sponsored passenger service connecting the touristy town of New Hope with SEPTA/Conrail commuter trains at Warminster. [2] Bucks County had made a wise investment, as both passenger and freight service flourished during the 1970s once track upgrades were made. Finally, on June 30, 1979, NHRR finally emerged from its decade-long bankruptcy. [4]

Beginning July 3, 1980, volunteers of the New Hope Steam Railway (NHOP) resumed weekend excursion service after the BVTA decided to end it. The NHOP ran trains under a lease agreement with the BCIDC until 1990, when the line and its equipment were once again in a state of decay and disrepair. [4] The McHugh Bros. operated NHIR until 1989 when their lease ended and the Morristown & Erie was contracted to operate the railroad. [3] The BCIDC sold the line outright to the for-profit Bucks County Railroad Preservation and Restoration Corporation (BCRP&RC) in 1990, who slowly began to rebuild the railroad to its current state of good repair. [3] In 1993, the reporting mark was changed to NHRR. BCRP&RC is the official corporate structure, doing business as the New Hope Railroad.

Equipment

Locomotives

Locomotive details [5] [6] [7]
NumberTypeImagesWheel arrangementBuilderBuiltFormer OwnerStatus
40 Steam New Hope Railroad No. 40.jpg 2-8-0 Baldwin Locomotive Works 1925 Lancaster and Chester Railroad Operational
1533Steam CN 1533 4-6-0, a 10-wheeler on the New Hope and Ivyland RR, at New Hope, PA in August 1971 -- 2 Photos.jpg 4-6-0 Montreal Locomotive Works 1911 Canadian National Railway Stored, awaiting possible restoration
8218Diesel(B-B) Plymouth Locomotive Works 1957 Canadian Pacific Railway Operational
2198Diesel New Hope and Ivyland Railroad GP30.jpg (B-B) Electro-Motive Diesel 1963 Pennsylvania Railroad Operational
5577Diesel New Hope and Ivyland 5577.jpg (C-C)Electro-Motive Diesel1972Canadian Pacific RailwayOperational
7010Diesel Pennsylvania Northeastern GP9RM No. 7010.jpg (B-B)Electro-Motive Diesel1959Canadian National RailwayOperational

Former units

Locomotive details [8] [9] [10] [11]
NumberTypeImagesWheel arrangementBuilderBuiltFormer OwnerCurrent Owner
9Steam New Hope and Ivyland Railroad New Hope, Pennsylvania. 1978 colourized.jpg 0-6-0 American Locomotive Company 1942United States Army SMS Rail Lines
3028Steam New Hope and Ivyland 3028.jpg 4-8-4 American Locomotive Company1946Nacionale de MexicoALCO Technical & Historical Society
7087Diesel New Hope and Ivyland Railroad 7087.jpg (C-C) General Electric 1981Seaboard Coast LineNone (scrapped)

Rolling Stock

Rolling stock details [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
NumberImagesTypeBuilderBuilt
72 CNJ RPO 72.jpg Baggage CarAmerican Car & Foundry1923
870CoachBethlehem Steel Company1932
983 NH&I 983.jpg Coach Central Railroad of New Jersey 1923
1096Tool CarPullman-Standard Corporation1960
1127 Passenger Car 1127.jpg CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1924
1220 Passenger Car 1220.jpg CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1922
1424CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1914
1430 Dining Car Harlan & Hollingsworth1914
1505CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1916
1525 New Hope and Ivyland Open Air Car 1525.jpg Open Air Car Harlan & Hollingsworth1927
1536 NH&I 1536.jpg CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1927
2817Event CarLong Island Rail Road1955
4907 Passenger Car 4907.jpg Dining CarCanadian Car & Foundry1919
9123CoachBethlehem Steel Company1932
800301Dining CarAmerican Car & Foundry1949
303 NHRR 303.jpg Hopper CarPullman Standard1955
1606 Tank Car.jpg Tank CarFleischmann Transportation Company1948
1753Tank CarPennsylvania Tank Car Co.1927
3752Tank Car Union Tank Car Company 1936
6622Tank CarACF1940
8435 Boxcar, New Hope & Ivyland RR.jpg BoxcarMagor Car Corp.1931
1113 NH&I 1113.jpg CoachHarlan & Hollingsworth1924
1366 NH&I 1366.jpg Open Air CarHarlan & Hollingsworth1918
8570BoxcarMagor Car Corp.1934
9005BoxcarDespatch Shops Inc.1942
9811BoxcarPullman Standard1952
12153HopperBethlehem Steel1944
38009FlatcarMagor Car Corp.1951
53033Dump CarEastern Car Ltd.1957
480047FlatcarPennsylvania Railroad Samuel Rea Shops1959
C127Caboose Laconia Car Company 1921

See also

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References

  1. "Reporting Mark Search". Railinc. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Pawson, John R. (1979). Delaware Valley Rails: The Railroads and Rail Transit Lines of the Philadelphia Area. Willow Grove, Pennsylvania: John R. Pawson. pp. 115–117. ISBN   0-9602080-0-3.
  3. 1 2 3 Balkin, Marc (2007). Ride the New Hope Line!. Mark I Videos.
  4. 1 2 3 4 New Hope Railroad. "History." Accessed 2011-01-22. archive
  5. "Steam Locomotive No. 40". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  6. "Diesel Locomotive No. 8218". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  7. "Diesel Locomotive No. 2198". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  8. Bryer, Alan (November 25, 2023). "SMS Rail Lines 0-6-0 returns to steam, certified for operation". Trains.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  9. Lassen, David (April 27, 2022). "SMS 0-6-0 returns to steam". Trains.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  10. M.T.Burkhart and Justin Franz (August 10, 2021). "Switchers Steam Again in New Jersey and California". Railfan.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  11. "NEW HOPE RR GETS ENGINE LOCOMOTIVE WILL OPERATE AFTER FIXUP" . The Morning Call . January 30, 1995. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  12. "The First Class Fleet". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  13. "The Open-Air Car". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  14. "The Coach Fleet". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  15. "Baggage Car No. 1096". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  16. "The Vintage Freight Car Fleet". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.
  17. "The Caboose Fleet". New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.