Reading, PA: Reading Railroad Coaling Tower, Roundhouse and Backshops

(Satellite, the foundation is of the roundhouse is now covered by a material storage pile. The coaling tower was a little east of the turntable.)

Bob Gottschall posting
Reading,Pa. 1985. reading was caboose central for a time
[If the picture was just Conrail's deadline for cabooses, I would not have bothered, but we all know I'm a sucker for coaling towers.]

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
58 years ago. Reading yard and coaling tower with new billboard boxcars as seen from Amity Street Foot Bridge. December 1965 process date on slide. Bill Krug Photo most likely, from my collection.

 

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
56 years ago. The Reading's Reading, Pa. Coaling Tower yard view. July, 1968.  Possibly Bill Krug photo, from my collection.

Raymond Storey posted
The Reading at Reading Pa.
Robert Wanner posted
Reading Company Reading, Pa. North 6th Street at the cement coal tower and ash pit. Class T-1's 2107 and 2108 as I remember after being in use as stationary steam boilers for a industry, forget if it had been Carpenter Steel Company or elsewhere. A 1958 photo. Glad I got this photo before everything in the area was removed and torn down. Photo by Robert Wanner.
Raymond Storey shared

Larry A Schaffer commented on Wanner's post
Both used July 1958 to supply steam pressure to clean new boiler at Metropolitan Edison generating station in Portland PA. Supposedly facing each other to make running of steam pipes easier.
Not my photo or info. All gathered via Google.

Gregory D. Pawelski posted
Coaling Tower inside former Reading Company yard in Reading, Pa. in 1984. (Gregory D. Pawelski Photo)
Austin Johnson: Does anyone know what the top room was used for in these old coal towers?
Dan Konkoly: Austin Johnson hoist motor

Dennis DeBruler commented on Gregory's post
I included the residential streets on the right so that this excerpt can be correlated with a contemporary satellite image. I noticed that the roundhouse foundation is now used as the base of a material pile.
Apr 28, 1948 with a scale of 33,000; https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/.../5e83d.../AR1XP4700040007/

Tim Starr posted
Philadelphia and Reading RR shops and roundhouse in Reading PA. Nearly all back shop work for this major railroad was concentrated here, so they were large and complete, employing 6,000 at one point. (Reading Company Archives)

1957 Reading Quad @ 24,000

Tim Starr posted
The Phiadelphia and Reading (Reading RR) shops in Reading PA. This 1904 map shows the terminal (top), locomotive shops (center), and car shops (bottom). They all were laid out along 6th Street.

Robert Wanner posted two photos with the comment: "Reading Company Reading, Pennsylvania roundhouse area along North 6th Street in the last days of steam locomotives lined up out of service in 1952 or even earlier. Photos by Robert Wanner riding his bike everyday to see what was in town."

David Garrett: Looks like some kind of passenger equipment. Doodlebug??

Robert Wanner: David Garrett Yes, out of service, never to return.

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This photo has been moved to "Philadelphia, PA: Reading Railroad Coaling Tower and Roundhouse."

Robert Wanner posted
Reading Company RR. What it looked like from the small hill out just past N. 6th & Amity Sts in Reading, Pennsylvania in steam locomotive years, 1930's or 40's. Quite the lineup of mostly camelback locomotive sitting dead to the front of the Locomotive Shop and good view of both Power Houses as well as the occupied roundhouse. Trolley tracks in 6th Street lead to Rosedale and Temple, Pa. Paul Hartine or Unknown photographer.
Ruth Haan: Do have any pictures of the P&R Reservoir?

 

Robert commented on Ruth's comment
Here's one of the reservoir on the 5th Street Hill, and another of one of the two out at Kutztown Road & Heister's Lane near George Field.

 

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
Elevated view of Reading steam on the turntable at the Reading, Pa. Roundhouse during the steam era. One diesel there though. Most likely a Reading Company photo, from my collection.

Leonard F Shaner Jr posted

#1251 Reading PA - 05/1961 - {Jim Parker Photo}

Roundhouse.

Daniel C Carroll Jr. shared

Robert Wanner posted three photos with the comment: "Reading Company typical views at N. 6th & Amity Streets in Reading, Pa. during the 1950's were the soon to be disposed of steam Locomotives either on a dead line at the Locomotive Shop or sitting between the roundhouse and coal dock, some still in steam, but not in use at the time (1951-55) Photos by Robert Wanner."

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Tim Starr posted
Elevation and floor plan of the Philadelphia & Reading RR foundry in Reading PA just after it was built in 1903. (American Engineer and Railroad Journal)

Bob Macdonald posted two photos with the comment: "Coaling tower at Reading meeting its maker, 1986?"

Timothy Gierschick: First contractor gave up on the demolition.

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