Some Lehigh Valley Transit Pictures

[daveklepper]

From Richard Allman:

Broad Siding was the longest on the Liberty Bell line-around a mile- and there was almost always a meet there. The Reading line overhead was the Stony Creek branch, which ran south from the main line to Bethlehem. Attached is a William Watts photo of a southbound Lansdale-Norristown local, one of the 1906(?) St. Louis-built cars that were the backbone of the LVT local operations until the 1938-39 modernization when the ex-Steubenville, Liverpool and Beaver Valley cars replaced them on local service on the Liberty Bell line. This area today is unrecognizable!

 

[daveklepper]

It took lots of work to get a respectable image from a very deteriorated negative, but I think the meet at Broad Siding is worth the effort.  The photo was snapped just after the one framed by the Reading bridge, with the ex-C&LE Liberty Bell car running through at speed.  This explains why it leans less from the super-elevation of the curve than does the fan-trip car, which is stationary.

The question could be asked:  Why super-elevation for the siding as well as for the main?  The answer is both tracks are main tracks.  Like most single-track trolley lines, most passing sidings on single-track sections of the LVT had spring switches at both ends, and cars and trains always took the right-hand track, regardless of whether there was a meet or not.

[daveklepper]

Doesn't mention LVT-Liberty Bell until 1956 on the other side of the station, streeet-running.

[Flintlock76]

Lansdale!  I've been there, several times.  Nice town, and a lot of fun.

The old Reading station's still there in all it's majesty, and here it is...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansdale_station#/media/file:Lansdale_SEPTA_station_October_2018.jpeg  

Here's the whole story...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansdale_station  

[rcdrye]

From what I can find it's the Stony Creek line, actually owned by SEPTA. It wanders south from Lansdale to Norristown.  There was some movement to restore passenger service 15 or so years ago, but it hasn't happened yet.

[daveklepper]

Thanks.  Name of the branch when operated by the Reading, and where does it go now?

[rcdrye]

It's Broad Siding on the south side of Lansdale.  The former Reading line is owned by CSX and operated by Pennsylvania Northeastern which contracts for CSX, interchanging in Lansdale.

[daveklepper]

Richard Allman told me the location of this photo of mine, but I seem to have lost the email.  Something like Broad Valley siding, with me under a Reading branchline bridge.  I someone knows the name of the branch, and does someone still operate it, please post.

The ex-Dayton and Troy Cincinatti lightweight is approaching the Town Green loop in Easton, the Easton Limited terminal.

1010 is not approaching the 69th St. Terminal but is on the LVT layouver siding there.

[daveklepper]

Ex-Dayron & Troy Cincinnati Curve-Side as Easton Limited, no discharge stops Allentown to Bethlahem, no pickup stops Bethlahem to Allentown, in Allentown

Ex C&LE Liberty Bell car loading at 8th & Hamilton in Allentown

Ex-C&LE Liberty Bell approaching 69th St. Terminal on the Philadelphia and Western

[daveklepper]

And the first picture in front of the Landsdale LVT Station/

[daveklepper]

Richard Allman identified the "meet" at "Broad Siding."

[daveklepper]

Someone else can provide the exact locations.

 

I assume the standing operator is Charlie Houser.