Conrail Valley Junction

This video covers the activities at Valley Junction through the Conrail years 1976-1999. Conrail shortened the name from Lebanon Valley Jct. with the 1979 Timetable and Rulebook change. The tower became redundant with direct dispatcher control in 1987, and thereafter was used as a base for the C&S Dept. While not the "official" D&H run through route, more often than not the D&H trains were routed via the Belt Line (See my "Hill Track" video for more details). In 2004 the entire location was renamed CP Leisey in honor of a recently deceased dispatcher who had worked this territory for most of his career. As in the Reading video, this one also covers scenes approximately 1 mile in radius of the tower on the former Belt Line, Connection and Lebanon Valley Lines.

[@cjrexh875]

The music you added was so chilling 😌❤💙🖤🤍

[@fmnut]

"House of Cards" soundtrack

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

You’ve got the best nostalgia channel bar-none... thanks!

[@enjoyingrailroading1013]

Thanks! As a former Conrailer this brings back good thoughts of projects I worked on and the good folks I worked for & with. As a photographer it brings back fond memories of a Dear Friend who passed away in 2017. He introduced me to this area of Reading and we had some FUN times recording "The Conrail Days". Thanks again!!!

[@iusetano]

A treasure trove of great video. Thank you for the upload.

[@johnsweigart3917]

Wow! A superb video. Excellent content around Valley Junction area. Spent many hours there in the 50's riding my bicycle from Shillington with others. Again in the late 70's and early 80's when working within 1 mile of the junction. this is the best of the mid 70's through the 90's. Wish I had photos.

[@tombarnes7196]

Nice juxtaposing stills with live action. Great lighting too!!

[@scotteakins7203]

1st time I've ever seen a Conrail E units. Interesting.

[@sebastianbarthel2393]

so odd seeing a E unit with ditch lights but an GE wide cab without...weird times back at those days

[@southeastparails8300]

Did the D&H run on those lines too? And several other foreign engines that you wouldn't expect on this line?

[@fmnut]

The D&H gained trackage rights from the Scranton area to Philadelphia and a B&O connection with the formation of Conrail in 1976. The official D&H route was through the city, but D&H trains were often routed over the Reading Belt line at the dispatcher's discretion. The CNW unit seen early in the video was leased during a power shortage. The NW/Southern/NS units seen later in the video were run-through power from Hagerstown on ALNS/NSAL and coal trains. The Chessie units were run through power on CR or D&H trains, and flood detours when Sand Patch was washed out by a hurricane.

[@silurian9420]

Again another interesting video. Thankyou.

[@daniellaubsch1605]

Ahhh! Photos of my favorite road the D&H!

[@ikonseesmrno7300]

When did the demolish the tower? Can't seem to find it on Maps.

[@fmnut]

Not demolished, still there. Google Maps sat view at 40.340244, -75.948770.

[@ikonseesmrno7300]

@@fmnut Thank you! I will check into it this afternoon. Snow is coming & there's a few odds & ends left to do outside. Regards!

[@emeraldsoundproductions]

You won't see a steam engine on those lines these days with NS owning the lines.

[@fmnut]

I agree.

[@johnjablonski553]

i dont recall ever seeing any Chessie or D&H power on that line

[@_mynewcareer]

What was that little railbus thing?

[@fmnut]

It was the LEV 1, or Leyland Experimental Vehicle 1. It was the first of 5 Leyland demonstrators, and was the forerunner of the British Rail classes 141-144 which were 2 car sets. This particular unit was exported to the US to try to drum up sales from US transit agencies (unsuccessful due to poor ride quality). It was en route from SEPTA to PAT (Pittsburgh) when seen in the video. It ran as a track car with a conductor pilot as it was too light to reliably shunt the signal system. It was later repatriated to the UK and is now on the North Norfolk Railway.

[@_mynewcareer]

@@fmnut interesting, thanks for the explanation

[@peterhanahoe4913]

@@_mynewcareer We didn't like the ride quality in the UK either but we got stuck with them as they were cheap. As fmnut states, it was a prototype for UK classes 141-144, the last of which have only very recently been taken out of service. (I think), they were supposed to be barred from working after December 31st this year due to being non-compliant with disability access regulations but I know a number were taken out of service earlier due reduced capacity requirements caused by the Coronavirus. Another casualty but they won't be missed by most travelers..

[@peterhanahoe4913]

Fantastic stuff, astounded by some of the stuff on this video. Jack-Pot.

[@fmnut]

This is the stuff I was shooting when you were getting the liners out of Holyhead and bromine trains out on the Amlwch branch.

[@allanegleston4931]

when did conrail take over the passenger trains ? i know amtrak took over 1970. i rode the sw chief right after the takeover . thanksin advance . great footage .

[@fmnut]

1) Amtrak took over all INTERCITY passenger services (except D&RGW, Rock Island, and Southern) in 1971, not 1970. 2) If you rode Amtrak from Chicago to LA in 1971, it was the Southwest Limited, not the Chief. ATSF did not allow Amtrak to use the Chief name until some years later. 3) Conrail DID operate former PC, RDG, CNJ, PRSL and EL COMMUTER trains from 1976 to 1981, but that's not what is shown in the video. 4) The Conrail passenger equipment shown in this video is from the Office Car fleet on various specials and deadhead moves passing through Valley Junction. No paying passengers on board. Thanks for watching!