Further digging into the Reading Railroad Leesport branch. (4 of 4)

Hello everyone. This is the last of our look at the Leesport branch that broke off the Reading railroad mainline in West Leesport. We are actually walking on the former Pennsylvania railroad Schuylkill division which is now part of the Reading and Northern railroad. This is a dead end line now used for industrial switching.
If you have followed along for all four parts then I am happy to let you know that I believe this was a branch built solely for the Ontelaunee orchard company. Leesport was once covered in orchards and the Schuylkill canal and Reading railroad would have been the main bulk shippers in the 1800's and early 1900's. By the late 1950's route 61 would be the main transportation source and the branch would be abandoned. I will post some map and old aerial photos in the community section of this channel. Thank you for watching. 6/8/24

[@johncaselli9593]

Kevin, You got to love the old-style Mile markers (@ 0:23 minutes), pretty much the standard back-in-the day and still stands the testament of time. Excellent video and thank you for sharing. John

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

John, A pleasure to hear from you. I was tickled pink when I walked up and saw the mile marker. There are a couple of these along this active section of rail. I was on the D&H rail trail this weekend and there are a couple of old ones still in place. I couldn't make heads or tails of them though 😆 Have a wonderful evening John. Kevin

[@keithbednar6814]

Thanks again Kevin, teaching me things I did not know about! One tip on a Reading signature bridge pier. Many of them seem to have the horizontal lines through them about every 4 feet. Good clue for your exploration near Frackville. Cheers

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Wow! That's a sweet tip. Thank you Keith. 😊

[@peterdelestrez8880]

Great video. That milepost is really cool.

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Thank you Peter. Always love coming across these. There are a couple of these still in place along the active line.

[@StantonsJourneys]

That milepost is cool to see and looks like that good have been a diamond going across.

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Thank you Stanton. Apparently there was a diamond and a picture exists somewhere. I will hunt this picture down somehow.

[@johnnicoline7632]

4 amazing videos, the original EmBUTTments were amazing, those granite slabs man. Kevin said Mr. Toad and Foliage.

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Thank you John! When I was younger I was fortunate enough to have gone to Disney World. Mr. Toads Wild ride was my favorite. Now every toad I see is Mr Toad 😆🤣

[@johnnicoline7632]

@@kevinsalsbury2118 that’s the Ruleingest buddy. Love it.

[@nickmad887]

Thank you.

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Thank you very much Nick.

[@JBB4118]

There was a diamond crossing with a tower, there is a photo of it somewhere. I was told that the bridge was dismantled for reuse in the Joanna mine spur construction.

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

This is the tip I've been waiting for. Thank you so much. Now I'm on a mission to find this picture.

[@MillersRailfan]

That’s great that the R&N has assumed control of old PRR lines

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Steve, would you believe that the Schuylkill division of the PRR is the only trackage they really had in my area. The Reading, Lehigh Valley, CNJ were all the big players around here. Crazy to think how much trackage they had yet so little in Central East and northeast PA.

[@MillersRailfan]

@@kevinsalsbury2118 wow

[@davestrang8585]

4 for 4 🎉

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Thank you very much Dave!!

[@justin8894]

Where do you find old maps? 🤔

[@kevinsalsbury2118]

Hey Justin. Wikipedia has worked really good for me. Reading, PRR, Lehigh Valley, any major road usually has a great map on Wikipedia.