Reading Railroad: Map, Logo, History, Rosters

Last revised: October 17, 2024

The Reading Railroad (pronounced "Redding"), officially known as the Reading Company, was another of the many Northeastern anthracite carriers and arguably the most famous.

Unfortunately, despite its celebrity the carrier relied heavily on a commodity which precipitously declined after World War II.

Before the fall, it was a powerful system that, at one point, nearly cornered the lucrative coal market by holding stakes in virtually all of the region's major railroads.

Its goal in this endeavor ultimately failed and the company settled into operating a haphazard, tentacled network radiating out of Reading, Pennsylvania.

Its system was largely devoid of a main line except for a small spine west of Philadelphia. Following Penn Central's collapse the Reading fell into bankruptcy in 1971.

With a reeling situation in the Northeast, Conrail was formed to clean up the mess. The Reading was included in the new government-sponsored operation, which ultimately retained many of its principle lines.

Photos

An American Locomotive builder's photo featuring freshly outshopped Reading C630 #5305 in June of 1966. Warren Calloway collection.

History

When the clean-burning fuel, known as anthracite coal, was discovered in northeastern Pennsylvania during the mid-18th century individuals began studying ways of transporting the product for commercial use. The first to do so successfully was the Lehigh Coal Mine Company of 1792.

Into the early 1800s the idea of waterway transportation, better known as canals, drew increasing support. It was New York which proved the concept's viability by opening the famous Erie Canal on October 26, 1825, running across the state from Buffalo to Albany, then down the Hudson River into New York.

According to Jim Shaughnessy's book, "Delaware & Hudson: The Bridge Line," on April 22, 1828 the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company first entered revenue service.

It was one of Pennsylvania's earliest such operations and became a profitable venture handling anthracite from near Honesdale to Kingston. From that point the coal was transported down the Hudson into New York. The origins of the Reading Railroad began just this way.

At A Glance

Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Reading Terminal)
States Served	Pennsylvania, Delaware (Wilmington), New Jersey
Dates Of Operation	1838 - March 31, 1976
Charter Date	April 4, 1833
Route Miles	1,582 (1930) 1,286 (1950)
Track Gauge	4 Feet, 8 ½ Inches
Principal Lines	Philadelphia - Jersey City Philadelphia - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Philadelphia - Reading, Pennsylvania Philadelphia/Camden - Atlantic City, New Jersey Manville - Port Reading, New Jersey Reading - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Reading - Allentown, Pennsylvania Reading - Newberry Junction, Pennsylvania Reading - Wilmington, Delaware Harrisburg - Hagerstown, Maryland (Western Maryland)
Diesel Locomotives Owned (1963)	337
Rolling Stock Owned (1930)	Freight Cars: 43,298 Passenger Cars: 910
Slogan	Bee Line Service
Reporting Mark	RDG
Successor	Conrail

Its earliest predecessor was the Little Schuylkill Navigation, Railroad & Coal Company, which was granted a charter by the state of Pennsylvania on February 28, 1826.

It planned to move coal from mines near the Panther Creek Valley at Tamaqua to Port Clinton (about 20 miles) where the product would then be transferred to the Schuylkill Navigation Company's canal linking Reading and Philadelphia.

Logo

The Reading Railroad logo. Author's work.

The route's construction began in earnest during 1830 and it was opened in 1831 utilizing horses pulling carts over wooden rails with iron straps.

The rudimentary operation was slow and ground to halt during the late fall through early spring when frigid temperatures kept the canals frozen and unnavigable.

Still, as the D&H operation proved, demand for anthracite was so great there remained a bright future in the business. To overcome the obstacles of winter the state legislature authorized construction of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad on April 4, 1833.

This newfangled technology could run in every type of weather as the Baltimore & Ohio, Mohawk & Hudson, South Carolina Canal & Rail Road, and others were all proving.

An A-B set of handsome Reading FT's were photographed here at Jersey Central's Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, circa 1955. American-Rails.com collection.

The P&R was the earliest ancestor of the Reading's railroad operations. It was envisioned to replace the canal, connecting Pottsville with Philadelphia via Reading running parallel with the Schuylkill River.

During this era railroads struggled to gain a footing in the face of stiff canal opposition; backed with money and political connections canal owners were effective at delaying construction efforts of the Lehigh Valley, Erie, and Mohawk & Hudson (an early New York Central predecessor).

This was no different for the P&R, which fought local canal interests for years until opening its first segment between Reading and Pottstown in 1838.

As time passed and railroads proved their superiority the resistance evaporated. One year later, on December 5, 1839, the P&R completed its line into Philadelphia while the final extension to Pottsville opened in 1842.

Interestingly, this 93-mile route was the only true main line the Reading ever operated. The rest of its network consisted primarily of branch and secondary lines.

The RS3 was quite popular on the Reading. Seen here is #482 at Cressona, Pennsylvania on April 11, 1971. Charles Houser, Sr. photo. Author's collection.

Dale Woodland notes in this book, "Reading Diesels: Volume 2, The Second Generation," the opening of a coal terminal at Port Richmond along the Delaware River in Philadelphia on May 17, 1842 provided the railroad with an eastern outlet for its anthracite.

The P&R proved, once more, that rail transportation was superior to the canal. According to Mike Schafer's book, "Classic American Railroads: Volume III," in 1844 it handled 42,843 tons of coal, surpassing the Schuylkill Canal.

The Reading Railroad's ""Bee Line Service" logo. Author's work.

As the P&R's success blossomed it expanded by acquiring other railroads, most of which branched in every direction away from Reading.

This city ultimately became the P&R's primary hub where its major shop complex was located. Its growth into the modern-day Reading Company unofficially began on January 1, 1850 when it acquired a portion of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad between Philadelphia and Columbia.

It then purchased the Lebanon Valley Railroad on March 20, 1858 which linked Reading with the state capital at Harrisburg (the LVRR opened on January 18, 1858).

Reading FP7 #907 was photographed here by Walter Matuch at Jersey Central's Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey in December, 1963. Trailing in the photo is a CNJ Train Master. Rick Burn collection.

The P&R's other notable acquisitions included the following:

In 1869 it added the East Pennsylvania Railroad to Allentown; in 1870 it picked up the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad via lease running to Norristown (a Philadelphia suburb)

1872 saw the takeover of the Catawissa, Williamsport & Erie extending to Williamsport and Newberry Junction

On May 14, 1879 it purchased the North Pennsylvania Railroad which extended service to the important steel-production center at Bethlehem and that same year added the Delaware & Bound Brook Railroad (D&BB).

Reading F7s, with #282 closest to the photographer, layover at Jersey Central's Jersey City, New Jersey terminal, circa 1960. American-Rails.com collection.

The D&BB had been incorporated on May 12, 1874, opening a line five years later from Yardley (interchanging there with the North Penn Railroad) to Bound Brook Junction (near Manville, New Jersey) where it connected with the Central Railroad of New Jersey.

The D&BB later completed an extension to Woodbridge, New Jersey where Port Reading was opened in 1889 along the New York Harbor. At this location a vital deep water port was built for the transportation of anthracite onto Transatlantic ships.

Reading FA-1 #302 and a cabless mate have what appears to be a string of empties heading westbound through Allentown, Pennsylvania during the 1950's. Author's collection.

These systems were the most important components of the P&R's network although, as Mr. Woodland points out, nearly 100 predecessors ultimately comprised the modern Reading Company system. As the 1800s came to a close the railroad continued to prosper with demand for anthracite soaring.

The P&R was not the only carrier to flourish by handling hard, or stone coal. Other successful anthracite systems included the aforementioned Delaware & Hudson, Lehigh Valley, and Delaware, Lackawanna & Western as well as the Jersey Central, Lehigh & New England, Lehigh & Hudson River, and New York, Ontario & Western.

The road truly came of age when Franklin Gowen was elected president in early 1870. He looked to corner the coal market by establishing the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company in 1871.

This subsidiary worked to acquire mines for the railroad and was so fruitful that Mr. Schafer notes it controlled nearly 30% of the anthracite market before overextending itself and falling into bankruptcy in 1880.

After a series of presidents, Archibald McLeod took the reigns in 1890 leading the Philadelphia & Reading through what could arguably be described as its greatest period. The new president aimed to transform his company into the dominant anthracite carrier.

Backed by the P&R's overflowing wealth the beautiful Reading Terminal in downtown Philadelphia opened in January of 1893 (another McLeod endeavor), symbolizing the company's power.

System Map (1940)

An official, 1940 system map of the Reading Railway. Author's collection.

Beginning in late 1891 it leased the Lehigh Valley and soon afterward held stakes in the Jersey Central, Lackawanna, and even Boston & Maine.

At this time the P&R controlled over 70% of the anthracite business and appeared would enter the 20th century as the region's largest railroad. Alas, the financial Panic of 1893 brought down the McLeod empire although the P&R did maintain control of the CNJ.

The company was forced into receivership and all of the rail and non-rail properties under its control except the CNJ were reorganized as the Reading Company.

System Map (1969)

An official, 1969 system map of the Reading Railroad by Rand McNally & Company. Author's collection.

Less than a decade later Reading was acquired, through stock ownership, by the much larger Baltimore & Ohio. The 1893 collapse relegated it to regional status, operating right around 1,300 miles within eastern Pennsylvania and its New Jersey commuter lines.

Because of the company's condensed, spaghetti-like network it could not enjoy the lucrative, long-haul movements of merchandise freight that trunk lines like the B&O, NYC, and PRR enjoyed. Its absolute furthest run over home rails was 202 miles from Newberry Junction (near Williamsport) to Philadelphia.

It did, however, go on to join the "Alphabet Route." This consortium included a group of railroads that offered through service for shippers in the ultra-competitive New York/Boston - Chicago corridor as an alternative to the B&O, NYC, and PRR.

In a further corporate reorganization it shed all of its non-rail interests in 1923 due to antitrust issues. During the next few decades the Reading maintained a highly profitable and well-managed operation thanks to its rich sources of coal.

Commuter Services

When the vacationing market to New Jersey's beaches sprang up after the Civil War the P&R looked to expand into the region. In 1884 it purchased the narrow-gauge Camden, Gloucester & Mt. Ephraim Railway, which connected its namesake cities in New Jersey.

The little operation was soon standard-gauged and through a series of other acquisitions the P&R consolidated all of its southern New Jersey properties into the Atlantic City Railroad in 1889.

As the popularity of beach goers exploded through the late 19th century the ACRR was double-tracked along an arrow-straight main line linking Camden with Atlantic City.

In 1933 the ACRR joined Pennsylvania's West Jersey & Seashore Railroad to form the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, a successful commuter operation linking Camden with the Jersey Shore.

The PRSL faded over time but survived until the formation of Conrail in 1976. Today, some of its lines remain in use by various agencies handling both freight and passenger assignments.

One of the Reading's numerous RS3's, #471, is seen here at the company's shops in Reading, Pennsylvania on October 8, 1972. Author's collection.

Outside of commuter operations the Reading also operated a fleet of successful regional trains. Its best-remembered was the steamlined Crusader.

The train was tailored towards business clientele connecting New York/Jersey City (in conjunction with the CNJ via Jersey City Terminal) with Philadelphia.

In its initial streamlining the train was powered by a pair of overhauled 4-6-2's (these Pacifics, classed as G-1sa were rebuilt at the Reading Shops) and matched to a lightweight consist of five cars (built by the Budd Company), bedecked in stainless steel.

It was a very classy and successful operation, remaining in service through the 1960s.

There were also other notable trains such as the King Coal, Queen of the Valley, Schuylkill, and Wall Street. Considering its dependence on coal the road surprisingly operated extensive commuter services within the Philadelphia suburbs.

By the 1930s it had electrified these lines, extending from Reading Terminal to Norristown, Chestnut Hill, Doylestown, Hatboro, and West Trenton. Amazingly, even as late as the 1960s the Reading was continuing to expand these operations!

As the years passed, however, these operations lost increasingly more money, a problem facing all other Northeastern carriers. Unfortunately, it was inescapable requirement that most railroads were unable to shed until the early 1980s.

Finally, there was the Iron Horse Rambles. These popular excursions became legendary and became a fondly remembered part of Reading's history.

The event began in 1959 and eventually showcased four of its 4-8-4s leading the trips over the next five years including #2100, #2101, #2102, and #2124. Their popularity kept the trains running far longer than the railroad had originally envisioned!

The Rambles were not only a successful public relations campaign during an era when railroads were far more friendly, welcoming, and open to the general public but also demonstrated the importance steam power once played.

The decline of this traffic began in the 1920s and hastened after World War II. Mr. Woodland notes that in 1946 the Reading still handled 16 million tons of anthracite with roughly 30 million tons in other freight.

Unfortunately, the loss of its key traffic source quickened through the 1960s and by 1975 it was handling less than 2 million tons.

As the 1960s unfolded the anthracite market had almost entirely dried up resulting in the Reading depending heavily on bridge traffic. The entire Northeastern industry was seriously hurt by the formation of the Penn Central Transportation in February of 1968.

Almost immediately the PC began to crumble and along with it most other carriers. On June 21, 1970 the PC declared bankruptcy followed by the Reading on November 23, 1971. Things went from bad to worse as the PC threatened total shutdown if some assistance was not provided.

The Reading relied on some very large and powerful wheel arrangements during its heyday such as 2-8-8-2's, 2-8-8-0's, 2-10-0's, 2-10-2's, and others alongside the 4-8-4's (rebuilt from former 2-8-0 Consolidations).

Into the diesel era it experimented with examples from all of the major manufacturers, including Fairbanks-Morse's unique H24-66 "Train Master" of the 1950s.

Passenger Trains

Crusader: (New York/Jersey City - Philadelphia)

Harrisburg Special: (Jersey City - Harrisburg)

King Coal: (Philadelphia - Shamokin, Pennsylvania)

North Penn: (Philadelphia - Bethlehem)

Queen of the Valley: (Jersey City - Harrisburg)

Schuylkill: (Philadelphia - Pottsville)

Wall Street: (Philadelphia - Jersey City)

A pair of Reading GP35's were photographed here at Morrisville, Pennsylvania during the mid-1960s. American-Rails.com collection.

However, it generally relied on examples from Electro-Motive and American Locomotive. There were first-generation GP7's, F7's, and RS3's while second-generation variants included models like the C630, GP30, and GP40-2.

The early examples wore a striking livery of black with green and yellow pinstriping while later locomotives were clad in a bright green and yellow scheme featuring a large black diamond below the cab with the company name.

Diesel Roster

American Locomotive Company

Model Type	Road Number	Date Built	Quantity
HH-900	40-41	1937-1938	2
S2	42-47	1946-1947	6
Boxcab	50-51 (First)	1926, 1928	2
S1	50-54 (Second)	1940-1941	5
FA-1	300A-305A	1948	6
FB-1	300B-305B	1948	6
RS3	444-450, 460-475, 481-524	1951-1953	67
C424	5201-5210	1963	10
C430	5211-5212	1966	2
C630	5300-5311	1966-1967	12

Baldwin Locomotive Works

Model Type	Road Number	Date Built	Quantity
DS-4-4-1000	26-39, 700-729	1946-1949	44
VO-660	36, 61-70	1939-1942	11
VO-1000	55-59, 71-89	1940-1944	24
AS16	530-554, 560-563, 576-589	1951-1953	43

Electro-Motive Division

Model Type	Road Number	Date Built	Quantity
SW	10-15	1937	6
SW1	16-24	1939-1941	9
NW2	90-92, 100-104	1940-1947	8
FTA	250A-259A	1945	10
FTB	250B-259B	1945	10
F3A	260A-265A	1948	6
F3B	260B-265B	1948	6
F7A	266-283	1950	18
F7B	266B-271B	1950	6
GP7	600-636, 660-666	1952-1953	44
FP7	900-907	1950-1952	8
SW900	1501-1515	1961-1963	15
SW1001	2601-2625	1973	25
SW1500	2750-2770	1966-1969	21
MP15DC	2771-2780	1974	10
GP39-2	3401-3420	1974	20
GP35	3626-3656, 6501-6506	1963-1965	37
GP40-2	3671-3675	1973	5
GP30	5501-5520	1962	20
SD45	7600-7604	1967	5

Fairbanks-Morse

Model Type	Road Number	Date Built	Quantity
H24-66 (Train Master)	800-808, 860-867	1953-1956	17

General Electric

Model Type	Road Number	Date Built	Quantity
U30C	6300-6304	1967	5

A Reading 4-8-4 (T-1) assists a westbound coal drag passing the massive slag pile at Locust Summit, Pennsylvania, circa 1950. American-Rails.com collection.

Steam Roster

To handle its significant anthracite coal traffic, the Reading relied on large wheel arrangements in the modern steam era such as 2-10-2s, 4-8-4s, and even 2-8-8-2s (which worked helper service along the northwestern lines west of Reading, Pennsylvania).

For general freight service the Reading utilized heavy 2-8-0s, notably the Class I-9s, while 2-8-2s worked fast freights. Interestingly, the railroad purchased all of its new engines only from Baldwin while the Reading Shops built more than 600 itself between 1845-1948.

Its last new engines were a group of ten 4-6-2s (Class G-3) completed in 1948. Its most famous were the thirty T-1 4-8-4s, #2100-2129, which were built using the boilers of former I-10sa consolidations.

From a historical perspective - during the very early 20th century - the Reading was known for its large fleet of Camelbacks - the famous centercab steam locomotives equipped with very large fireboxes to burn culm, a byproduct of anthracite coal.

Switchers

Wheel Arrangement	Class	Road Number(s)	Quantity	Builder	Completion Date	Retirement Date	Notes
0-4-0	A-5a	1147-1184	38	Baldwin, Reading	1906-1913	1929-	Camelback
0-4-0	A-4a	1187-1200	14	Baldwin	1902-1903	1935	Camelback
0-4-0	A-4a	1246-1250	5	Baldwin	1902	1935	Camelback
0-6-0T	B-4a	1251	1	Reading	1918	-	-
0-6-0	B-6a	1311-1315	5	Reading	1903	1929	-
0-6-0	B-8a	1316-1318	3	Baldwin	1907	-	Camelback
0-6-0	B-7a	1321-1356	36	Baldwin, Reading	1906-1913	-	Camelback
0-6-0	B-8b	1393-1399	7	Reading	1913, 1921	-	Camelback
0-8-0	E-3a	1400-1409	10	Baldwin	1905	1937	Camelback
0-6-0	B-9a	1451-1470	20	Reading	1917-1918	-	-
0-8-0	E-5sa	1490-1499	10	Baldwin	1924-1925	-	-

Freight Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement	Class	Road Number(s)	Quantity	Builder	Completion Date	Retirement Date	Notes
2-6-4T	Q-1	376-385	10	Baldwin	1903-1904	1930-1936	-
2-8-0	I-2e, I-2f	701-802 (not sequential)	53	Reading	1906-1910	1923-1940	-
2-8-0	I-7a thru I-7c	961-1020	60	Baldwin	1898-1900	1923	-
2-8-0	I-7c, I-7d	1023-1097	75	Baldwin	1901-1903	1926-	-
2-8-0	I-6a thru I-6c	1101-1125	25	Baldwin	1905, 1907	1935-1941	Camelback
2-10-0	J-1sa	1126-1129	4	Baldwin	1917-1918	1935	-
2-8-0	I-8a	1501-1617	117	Baldwin, Reading	1905-1914	1937-1945	Camelback
2-8-0	I-9s, I-9b	1625-1699	75	Baldwin	1918-1921	-	-
2-8-2	M-1sa, M-1sb	1700-1756	57	Reading, Baldwin	1912-1917	ca. 1949	-
2-8-0	I-9sb	1900-1924	25	Baldwin	1922	-	-
2-8-0	I-10sa	2000-2049	50	Baldwin	1923, 1925	-	Numbers 2020-2049 rebuilt as 4-8-4s (Class T-1) between 1945-1947.
4-8-4	T-1	2100-2129	30	Reading	1945-1947	1957	-
2-10-2	K-1sa	3000-3010	11	Reading	1927-1939	1954	Rebuilt from 2-8-8-2s.
2-10-2	K-1sb	3011-3020	10	Baldwin	1931	1954	Rebuilt from 2-8-8-2s.

Passenger Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement	Class	Road Number(s)	Quantity	Builder	Completion Date	Retirement Date	Notes
4-6-0	F-2d	29/1025	1	Reading	1903	1916	-
4-4-2	–	100	1	Reading	1913	1929	-
4-4-0	–	100	1	Baldwin	1902	1925	Renumbered as 102 in 1912.
4-4-0	–	103	1	Reading	1903	1912	-
4-6-2	G-1sa	105-129	30	Baldwin	1916-1923	-	-
4-4-4	C-1a	110-113	4	Reading	1915	-	Built as an experimental for high-speed passenger service. Rebuilt to 4-4-2s #350-353 in 1916.
4-6-2	G-1sa	130-134	5	Baldwin	1924	-	-
4-6-2	G-2sa	175-179	5	Baldwin	1926	-	-
4-6-2	G-1sb	200-204	5	Baldwin	1925	-	-
4-6-2	G-3	210-219	10	Reading	1948	1957	-
4-4-0	D-8b	242-246, 250	6	Reading	1903, 1907	1922-1934	Camelback
4-4-0	D-5f	260-279	20	Baldwin	1901-1902	1928-1936	Camelback
4-4-0	D-5h	280-294	15	Baldwin	1906	1925-1940	Camelback
4-4-2	P-6a	300, 303	2	Reading	1911, 1909	-	A three cylinder design.
4-4-2	P-6b	301, 302	2	Reading	1911	-	Camelback
4-4-2	P-2a	304-310	7	Reading	1907-1911	1934-1936	Camelback
4-4-2	P-2a	315-317	3	Reading	1907-1911	1923-1934	Camelback
4-4-2	P-1c	318-321	4	Baldwin	1900	1930, 1933	Camelback
4-4-2	P-3a	322-327	6	Baldwin	1900	1930, 1933	Camelback
4-4-2	P-4a	328	1	Baldwin	1902	1933	Camelback
4-4-2	P-3b	329	1	Baldwin	1902	1933	Camelback
4-4-2	P-4b, c	330-339	10	Baldwin	1903-1904	1933-1935	Camelback
4-4-2	P-5	340-349	10	Reading	1906	1944	Camelback
4-4-2	P-7sa	350-353	4	Reading	1916	-	Rebuilt as experimental 4-4-4s.
4-4-0	D-10a	378	1	Reading	1904	1930	Camelback. Rebuilt from 4-2-2s.
4-4-0	D-10b	385	1	Reading	1905	1933	Camelback. Rebuilt from 4-2-2s.
4-4-0	D-8c	400-409	10	Reading	1911	1932-1940	Camelback
4-4-0	D-11s	410-419	10	Baldwin	1914	1941-1945	-
4-6-0	L-4b	571-580	10	Baldwin	1900	1928-	-
4-6-0	L-5a	587-601	15	Baldwin	1902-1903		Camelback. #593-597 sold to the Jersey Central.
4-6-0	L-6b	299	1	Reading	1905	1927	-
4-6-0	L-7a	602-615	14	Baldwin, Reading	1905, 1910	1936	Camelback
4-6-0	L-8b	650-654	5	Reading	1911	1944	Camelback
4-6-0	L-10a	675	1	Reading	1911	-	Camelback. A three cylinder design.
4-6-0	L-10b	676	1	Reading	1911	-	Camelback
4-6-0	L-8a	691-700	10	Baldwin	1906	-	Camelback

Articulated Designs

Wheel Arrangement	Class	Road Number(s)	Quantity	Builder	Completion Date	Retirement Date	Notes
2-8-8-2	N-1sa, N-1sc	1800-1810	11	Baldwin	1917-1918	-	Rebuilt to 2-10-2s between 1927-1939.
2-8-8-2	N-1sb, N-1sc	1811-1830	20	Baldwin	1918-1919	-	Rebuilt as 2-8-8-0s between 1940-1944.

Reading FA-1's and FB-1's layover at the Erie Avenue Yard in Philadelphia during the 1950s. American-Rails.com collection.

Conrail

As trustees at Penn Central tried to unravel the mess it became clear there were simply too many variables to turn around the company's waning fortunes.

These problems ranged from an incompatible management team to constricting regulations which had harmed the industry for decades.

Realizing the severity of the situation the federal government stepped and setup the Consolidated Rail Corporation, Conrail.

The new carrier comprised the skeletons of several bankrupt Northeastern carriers, including the Reading, and it launched operations on April 1, 1976.

While some systems like the Lehigh Valley and Jersey Central were predominantly scrapped, interestingly, much of the Reading was retained by Conrail.

In 1999 the system, which finally returned to profitability during the early 1980s, was split between Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation.

Today, these large Class I's continue to operate segments of the old Reading while others sections have been spun-off to short lines (notably the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern, a successful Class II regional).

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