Erie Ave. (Freight) Railyard: (
Satellite, the coaling tower would have been near the middle of the freight handling building. The roundhouse was just east of it.)
NQ Tower: (
Satellite, I assume it was close to Erie Street, but I can't reconcile the photos with the topo map.)
Passenger Railyard: (
Satellite, between Fairmount Ave. and Green Street.)
Steamtown National Historic Site
posted three photos with the comment:
Today we recognize the 132nd anniversary of the opening of the Reading Terminal and Market in Philadelphia, PA. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad opened the terminal and its connecting marketplace on January 29th, 1893, at the intersection of 12th and Market Street. Designed by Francis H. Kimball, it would serve as the railroad’s primary passenger station in the city. Combining Beaux-Arts and Romanesque revival styles, the terminal featured a great arched facade with detailed stonework and large windows to allow copious amounts of light into the interior of the structure. An elegant concourse with all the modern amenities of the time greeted train passengers. Joseph M. Wilson designed the train shed which spanned 500 feet [152m] in length by 266 feet [81m] in width and covered 13 tracks and their platforms. The Reading Terminal Market was located beneath the train shed. Fresh meats, seafood and produce along with many other goods were available for both travelers and local residents. The early years of the twentieth century marked the “Golden Age” of railroad travel. The Reading Terminal and Market were an iconic symbol of this era. They were not just a stop along the railroad, but a destination in itself.
Though the last train departed in 1984, the terminal with its train shed and office space have been saved thanks to the efforts of Edmund Bacon, an urban renewal advocate. The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority purchased the terminal in 1993 and turned it into the new Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Market remains in its original location and continues to be a hub of activity within the city.
John L Garcia
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| Jim Lipnitz commented on the above post |
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Pomah Zapk posted
Railroad Name! Reading Railroad. Subject! Steam locomotive. Description Camelback Engine with spoked wheels at Reading Terminal, Philadelphia, PA Location! Philadelphia, PA. From the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. |
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Jim Lamanno posted
Found this on "Historic Photos of Philadelphia". Reading Terminal 1974
Bell Evans posted
Reading Terminal at 12th and Market Street (1974)
Ed Johnson shared
𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘀𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 posted
Reading Terminal at 12th and Market Street • 1974! |
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Historic Philadelphia USA posted
The Reading Terminal, Philadelphia, (1973) In 1973, Philadelphia’s historic Reading Terminal continues to serve as a vibrant market and transit hub, connecting residents with both local produce and commuter rail services. The market, housed beneath the iconic train shed, is bustling with vendors selling fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, and baked goods, drawing crowds of Philadelphians for their weekly shopping. Inside, stalls are filled with an array of colors, sounds, and aromas, making it a lively place where city residents and visitors alike gather to experience the flavors and culture of Philadelphia. With its distinctive arched windows and Victorian-era architecture, Reading Terminal stands as a beloved landmark, preserving a sense of history and community in the city’s heart. |
Randy Voith posted two photos with the comment:
September and November 1983. Reading Terminal in Philadelphia, opened in 1893.
The majestic trainshed stands today as part of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It is now the Grand Hall and ballroom, with meeting rooms and a hallway.
But in 1983, the terminal still served the former Reading commuter lines operated by SEPTA. Some of the original Reading Blueliners, built in 1931-1933 and upgraded in 1963-1965, were also still in service.
The terminal would close in 1984 when the Center City rail tunnel opened, connecting the former Reading and PRR commuter lines. The Blueliners would shoulder on until 1990.
James Churchill: There used to be an attractive curved ticket office in Reading Terminal. An extant attraction nearby is Reading Terminal Market. Don't miss it!
Curtis DeHaven: James Churchill The market was there before the train terminal. Reading had agreed to rebuild the market, including a refrigerated basement and then built the terminal on top of it.
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Historic Philadelphia USA posted
Market Street: Reading Terminal, Philadelphia (1971) In 1971, Reading Terminal on Market Street remained a key landmark in Philadelphia’s transportation and commercial landscape. Originally built as a hub for the Reading Railroad, the terminal was home to the bustling Reading Terminal Market, offering fresh produce, meats, and specialty goods. The terminal’s grand architecture and central location reflected its importance in connecting the city to the surrounding region. By this time, it had become a cherished symbol of Philadelphia’s industrial heritage and its enduring community spirit. James McKee Ridgway Jr.: Very unusual to have so few trains in shed or near Race Street Tower… Richard Hartman: James McKee Ridgway Jr. Maybe A Sunday Morning. Randy Miller: Great photo, must have been a Sunday, not much action. [Some comments indicate that the tunnel that connects this station with the former-Pennsy station was built in 1984 by SEPTA when they assumed all passenger RR operations.] |
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Historic Philadelphia posted
Reading Terminal (1970s)
[The remainder of the description is AI generated platitudes.]
John L Garcia shared
John L Garcia shared |
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𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘀𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 and Ohio posted
The Reading Terminal • Circa early 1950's!
John Duminiak: The Blueliner paint scheme didn’t come until 1964. [Another comment indicates that it is the passenger cars to the left that are the Blueliners.] |
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Del Conner commented on the above post
I drew this in 1968 or 69 for a perspective class at Hussian School of Art then at 13th and Arch. |
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Mitch Goldman commented on John's first share
And today… part of it survives: |
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Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
Erie Avenue on the Reading in Philadelphia, Pa. May 2, 1964, New GP30s, RS3s, FP7s (904), GP7s and more.
From my collection. |
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Kyle Finsel posted
Picture from the Reading Railroad Magazine December 1928. Airplane veiw of the freight station, yards and engine house at 3rd. street and erie avanue Philadelphia Pa. |
I learned from a topo map for the
coaling tower in Reading, PA, that the empty black rectangle to the west of the roundhouse was probably the location of the coaling tower. But I can't reconcile the buildings in Gerry's photo with the topo maps. Because of all of the tracks to the left of the coaling tower in the photo, I think we are looking north. So why don't we see a roundhouse instead of some backshop buildings on the right side of the photo?
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1952 Germantown Quad @ 24,000
I included part of the New Cathedral Cemetery because cemeteries tend to be a fixed point in time.
The 1967 map looks basically the same. That is, it also shows a roundhouse to the east of the coaling tower. |
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Tim Starr posted
Floor plan for the Reading Railroad roundhouse with attached machine shop at Philadelphia, soon after it was constructed in 1919. (Railway Review)
Bob Wolters: What was the streets location's? |
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Tim commented on his post
Overview of the facilities at Philadelphia. |
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Dennis DeBruler answered Bob's question
southwest quadrant of Luzerne and 2nd Streets, 1952 Germantown Quad @ 24,000 |
I tried finding an old aerial photo to confirm the roundhouse location, but the oldest I could find was a 1973 photo. The yard had already been converted to a road freight operation.
Darren Reynolds
posted four photos with the comment:
Does anyone know who owns this tower?
"NQ" tower (Erie Ave.)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
[The comments agree that it was Reading.]
Bob Wittmaier: There also was a tower at the North End of Erie Ave yard and was still in use in the late 1960’s. It was between two Street Bridges( 5th Street and Hunting Park Ave). From 5th street you could look into the second floor of the tower. It was cool as I could watch tower operations from a public street. I lived about 5 blocks away. I rode my bike there. Now there’s nothing there. No track either.
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Darren Reynolds posted
PRR Eng#3907 Pushes a cut of cars(And Caboose)
Passed "NQ" tower in Norristown, Pennsylvania
Photo & Date: Unknown |
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Historic Philly posted
Reading Terminal under construction. (1890s)
Ed Johnson shared |
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John Semola commented on the above post
Was there working a show. |
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John Semola commented on the above post
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Passenger Service (Depot and Railyard)
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Robert Wanner posted
Reading Terminal in Philadelphia, Pa 1960-70's. Photo by Howard Pincus with my thanks and respect.
Howard Pincus: I recognize that photo- I took it in 1970, with a 4x5 camera. This was probably copied from a book or magazine, where it was originally published.
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Robert Wanner posted
Headhouse at the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia, Pa. 1960-70's. |
Robert Wanner
posted two photos with the comment: "Train time at the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia when things were humming there in the 1970's. From the Headhouse to outside along the platforms people arrive and exit to and from downtown before the SEPTA tunnel. Just a reminder of good times gone by. Photos from collection."
Bev Smith: The 13-track train shed is the largest single-span train shed remaining in North America.
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Robert Wanner posted
Reading Company, Reading, Pa. Outer Station. Main Line train from Reading Terminal in Philadelphia drifting on to Platform #1-2 with a Class G-2 4-6-2 locomotive for motive power. Long afternoon shadows would place this as either Train 95 or 35 in late 1951. Standing on a baggage cart for this photo by Robert Wanner. |
The Reading headquarters were in the upper stories of the headhouse.
The trainshed still has its arched roof.
I didn't look at all 54,363 photos, but every interior shot I saw showed a low ceiling. And you don't need those big green rivited steel columns to support a free-standing shed. So I'm confused. If I every go to Philadelphia again, this shed gets priority over the Liberty Bell.
There was a railyard a little north of the station that had three turntables.
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| 1949 Philadelphia Quad @ 24,000 |
Now the tracks use the length of that passenger yard to go from an overpass of Fairmount Avenue to a tunnel. This must be the SEPTA tunnel. As implied by some comments, this tunnel takes commuter trains on the former-Reading Route to the
Suburban Station. Since commuter trains have a lot of horsepower so that they can accelerate quickly from their station stops, they can handle the grade of going from an overpass to a underpass in just a couple of blocks.
When I tried to figure out how these tracks connected with the tracks that go through the Erie Street Railyard, I discovered that they don't connect. This excerpt has the Erie Street Railyard at the top and the passenger terminal at the bottom. The freight yard supported industries west of American Street and
docks on the Delaware river.
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| 1949 Philadelphia, 1949 Camden and 1952 Germantown Quads @ 24,000 |
Don Crabtree posted four photos with the comment: "Race Street Tower in Phila. Controlled all train traffic in to and out of Reading Terminal. Being restored at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg PA."
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