Reading & Northern Surpasses 1M Tons Of Coal For 3rd Year

Published: February 22, 2026

Port Clinton, PA – Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N), the largest privately owned railroad in Pennsylvania, has shipped more than one million tons of Anthracite coal for the third straight year. This was an impressive feat considering the downturn in export volume in 2025.

Reading & Northern SD40-2s #3055, #3057, #3053, and SD50 #5014 lead a southbound loaded QIT coal train though downtown Tamaqua, PA on July 14, 2011. Doug Kroll photo.

The backbone of R&N’s Anthracite business continues to be the booming domestic market, which mainly supports American steel production. This business segment grew nearly 20% in 2025 with most of the shipments going to electric-arc furnace (EAF) steel mills located across the country.

To support this growing market, R&N purchased additional covered hopper railcars in mid-December with delivery expected in January or February. This equipment will be added to a fleet of nearly 2,000 railcars owned by R&N. With continued growth expected in the domestic market in 2026, R&N will continue to purchase additional equipment to support the demand.

Reading & Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving over 80 customers in nine eastern Pennsylvania counties (Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Wyoming). It has expanded its operations over the last 40 years; and projects 40,000 carloads of freight in 2026 (which removes over
220,000 trucks from the highway), while its Passenger Department welcomed over 410,000 happy customers in 2025. Reading & Northern operates its freight and steam- and diesel-powered passenger excursions over 400 miles of track, owns almost 2,000 freight cars, and employs over 400 dedicated people. Reading & Northern has been repeatedly honored as one of the premier railroads in the nation, including being named Regional Railroad of the Year in 2020 by Railway Age magazine.

About The Reading & Northern

The Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N)—officially known as the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad—has become one of the most successful regional railroads in the eastern United States, blending a strong freight business with one of the nation’s most visible heritage passenger operations. Headquartered in Port Clinton, Pennsylvania, the railroad operates over former Reading Company, Lehigh Valley, and Central Railroad of New Jersey trackage across eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania, serving both modern industry and rail enthusiasts alike.

The roots of today’s Reading & Northern date to 1983, when rail entrepreneur Andy Muller Jr. acquired several lightly used and abandoned branch lines in eastern Pennsylvania. At the time, much of the region’s historic coal and industrial rail network had been left behind in the wake of Conrail rationalization and the long decline of anthracite mining. Muller’s vision was straightforward but ambitious: rebuild these lines into a profitable regional carrier while preserving the area’s rich railroad heritage.

Operations began under the name Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad, later expanded and rebranded as the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern to reflect the growing network. From the start, the railroad focused on reliable short-haul and regional freight service, particularly for customers in the cement, lumber, metals, waste, and energy sectors. One of the railroad’s most important traffic bases has been anthracite coal, including shipments to power plants and industrial customers—an echo of the region’s historic role as the heart of America’s hard-coal industry.

Over the decades, the R&N steadily expanded its footprint through track acquisitions, leases, and rehabilitation projects. Key routes now link communities such as Reading, Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe, Pittston, and Scranton, giving the railroad access to both the Lehigh Valley and Wyoming Valley regions. Interchange connections with major Class I railroads allow the R&N to move freight efficiently beyond its own rails, making it an important regional partner in the Northeast’s logistics network.

What truly sets the Reading & Northern apart, however, is its commitment to steam and heritage passenger service. Beginning in the 1990s and accelerating in the 2000s, the railroad invested heavily in restoring and operating historic locomotives and passenger cars. Today, the R&N operates one of the most ambitious steam programs in the country, with locomotives such as No. 2102, No. 425, and No. 2100 becoming stars of mainline excursion service. Seasonal trains—especially the wildly popular Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway excursions and themed events like fall foliage and holiday trips—draw hundreds of thousands of riders each year to Jim Thorpe and other destinations.

This dual identity—hard-working freight railroad and high-profile heritage operator—has made the Reading & Northern a rare modern success story. It has not only preserved vital rail service in a historic industrial region, but also turned railroading itself into a powerful tourism engine. More than four decades after its founding, the Reading & Northern stands as proof that with smart management, strategic investment, and a respect for history, a regional railroad can thrive in the 21st century.

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