Anthracite Railway

Not to be confused with Anthracite Railroads Historical Society.

Anthracite Railway EMD SW1 No. 735 at Boyertown in 1987
Overview
Headquarters	Pennsburg, Pennsylvania
Reporting mark	ATRW
Dates of operation	1983 (1983)–1989 (1989)

The Anthracite Railway (reporting mark ATRW) was a short line railroad in the state of Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1983 to operate various former Reading Company lines that it leased from the state. The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad took over the leases in 1988–1989.

Lines

The Anthracite Railway operated three railway lines. All three were former Reading Company lines:[1]

• the Allentown Branch, between Topton and Kutztown
• the Colebrookdale Branch, between Pottstown and Boyertown
• the Perkiomen Branch, between Pennsburg and Emmaus

The company commenced operations on July 31, 1983, succeeding Conrail as operator. Pennsylvania owned all three lines.[2] The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad replaced the Anthracite Railway as the operator of the Perkiomen Branch in 1988 and the other two branches in 1989.[1][3]

References

1. Lewis, Edward A. (1991). American Shortline Railway Guide (4th ed.). Waukesha, WI: Kalmbach Publishing. p. 300. ISBN 0-89024-109-0. OCLC 25150373.
2. Erdman, David M. (July 31, 1983). "Local rail lines get new owner". The Morning Call. p. 21. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Elrick, M. L. (May 22, 1989). "Railroad rolling up two new lines". The Morning Call. p. 16. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading

• Sharpe, Bob (March 4, 1984). "Life after Conrail". The Morning Call. p. 71. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.