In a location captured by many photographers of the Reading Company, a Grace mine cleanout train ambles down the Wilmington & Northern branch along the Hay Creek south of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. The iron ore mine, outside of Morgantown, started shipping its product to owner Bethlehem Steel’s main plant in Bethlehem in 1958. The changing steel economy of the 1970’s ultimately rendered the mine economically unfeasible, and it closed in 1977. In 1985, Bethlehem decided to recover remaining stockpiles, and the dormant line from Birdsboro to the mine was reactivated, with a once-a-week 30 car train making the journey. In the Reading days, this was the domain of RS3’s until five GP40-2’s were purchased in 1972. Equipped with controls for constant-speed loading at the mine, I recall reading that the EMD’s were financed by the steel company. The Grace mine train required three of the GP40-2’s, and the two that were not assigned to it generally operated between Reading and Newberry Junction. For Dale Woodland’s view of this location in Reading days, see photo 488979.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
