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Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania
The Caboose is a place for Reading Modeler members to hang out and discuss topics of general interest, not necessarily rail-related. Come on in, the coffee's hot and the conversation is stimulating!
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TOPIC: Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania

Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4113

As a Jersey boy, I never got to explore north of the Philly suburbs til the late 70's. On the Rdg up in more "traditional" Rdg country (the "Perk", etc,) were there any coal dealers actively using rail in the latter Rdg days-say after 66 or 67? Don't need pix, just want to justify it in modeling a Rdg branchline (proto-freelance) in the 66-76 period...Thanks!
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Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4115

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Mitch,

I think that Shelly and Fenstermacher's in my home town of Perkasie was still receiving coal shipments in their covered trestle in the '60s. I believe that dealers at Souderton and Quakertown were still selling coal in the mid-'60s. Some folks along the North Penn were still heating with anthracite!

I found a feed store with an active open trestle at Chapman on the C&F branch in 1978. I was taking the long was home from from seminary in Gettysburg that time. I photographed the station but stupidly didn't bother taking a picture of the trestle. That same day I also saw a local freight dropping a loaded hopper off at an enclosed trestle at New Holland on the former PRR branch of the same name.

You are justified!
Robin
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The following user(s) said Thank You: Mitch from Maine

Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4116

Ah! Thanks, Robin... I have a beautiful old Model Hobbies covered coal trestle-almost identical to their covered bridge that I want to incorporate as a coal/lumber dealer...Oy, I wish someone would make some of their old kits as laser kits.. they always SCREAM Rdg! Thanks so much-nice to hear from you! (I know you share my affinity for them)
Now "Shelly & Fenstermacher" would take a bit of space up on the side of a coal trestle...I am naming mine "Walmer and Lapp" after 2 families I'm friends with from Bernville PA...
Last Edit: 9 years 2 months ago by Mitch from Maine.
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Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4117

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The FM Brown coal dock at their Lancaster Ave. facility on the Reading Belt Line was receiving hoppers into the eighties... "Somewhere" I have a photo of an HTg sitting on that dock around that time.

I am thinking there was a dealer (Francis Riegel Coal) in Wernersville that was using a dock in Wenersville in the early eighties. Prior to the 80's, they had always just trucked in the coal from the breaker to their bins in Boulder Lake on Galen Hall Road. For some reason the bins and dock in Wernersville were obtained and I believe it was to get hoppers in. That coal delivery business was going pretty strong until the son John had a sudden heart attack and passed away. Not sure what became of it after that.

Rob
Last Edit: 9 years 2 months ago by Rob.
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Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4118

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Moyer feed and grain I think was still getting an occasional load of coal in Souderton.
Butch Curll
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The following user(s) said Thank You: Mitch from Maine

Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania 9 years 2 months ago #4119

Thanks-even more modeling fodder!
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Coal dealers in upstate Pennsylvania
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