Originally, the South Penn's Eastern terminal was in Harrisburg, but it ran within sight of the PRR's Cumberland Valley line to Carlise. During the 1930's, PRR upgraded this section of the line and electrified it, and the South Penn negotiated trackage rights which allowed them to downgrade their line for local service only and abandon their Susquehanna River bridge. This was fortunate, because the bridge had deteriorated to the point that a 10mph speed limit was in effect and more than a couple of cars had lost into the river!
I know I am not the only modeler to recreate the South Penn. Model Railroader magazine has featured at least two South Penn Layouts over the years; one constructed by Neal A. Schurr models a contemporary Conrail railroad (May 1990 MR), and another by Jeff Madden shows what the South Penn might have been like in the Steam era if the B&O had gained control (March 1990 MR).
In the mid 1960's, the Eastern Railroads were in sad shape, and the South Penn was no exception. There was enough online business to keep the line profitable, but with there are concerns that the upcoming Penn Central merger is going to have severe impacts on the long-term viability of the line. Never the less, the operations are carried on, and while orders from Philadephia are followed, it is no secret that there is much disdain for the "Standard Railroad of the World".
The model railroad was started in its present location in 1994. Some interesting facts are:
| Time period modeled: |
May 1967 |
Control System: |
CVP's EasyDCC |
|
| Signal System: | 3-aspect ABS driven by Bruce Chubb's CMRI | |||
| Car Routing: | Card System | |||
| Number of Locomotives: | More than 50, less than 70. | |||
| Number of cars: | Something like 300. | |||
| Mainline: | Mostly single track, some 2 and 3 track sections. | |||
| Length of mainline: | 300' (9.2 scale miles) | |||
| Layout Design: | Around the walls, with 3 pennisulas | |||
| Size of room: | 24'x20' | |||
| Primary businesses: | Coal, Iron ore, steel products, industrial products (Firehunters, etc) | |||
| Number of Yards: | 2, Keystone and Bedford |
Unlike most other PRR properties, the South Penn was never fully assimulated into the PRR. This is attributed to the relatively late date of control, and due to the fact the war never allowed PRR's management the time to worry about trival issues such as the South Penn. Like the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRR 67% - RDG 33% ownership) local management is in full control of day-to-day operations. For the most part, Philadelphia doesn't care how things are run. While there are PRR run-throughs (trains which are interchanged intact), and Reading trackage rights traffic, all other freight trains originate from South Penn Yards at Keystone on the east end, and Port Perry on the west end.
In 1967, there are still 2 passenger trains, the overnight South Penn Limited, which has full connections to New York and Chicago, and the #11 and #12 mail trains which provide limited accomdation service along the line during the day. In addition, both PRR and RDG provide local connections to South Penn's primary passenger station at Keystone.
The South Penn owns no locomotives as all are leased from the parent company. The run-through trains will get newer power from PRR's main line pools, but normally all South Penn originated trains are saddled with 2nd (or 3rd) rate power which the PRR doesn't care for. In some cases, locomotives actually retired by the PRR by this date are still in regular use on the South Penn. The main shops in Keystone still have some PA1s, FA1s, and even 4 Baldwin Shark units in operable condition. Most ALCO RS1s, RS2s, and RS3s call the Keystone engine terminal home, while the shops in Bedford are able to keep a number of Fairbanks-Morse units going.
Most South Penn customers are serviced with PRR owned freight equipment. The South Penn has purchased some used equipment, and in the last year, the South Penn found it had to finance some specialized cars for their important customers, so a number new steel coil cars proudly show the "SP Keystone" logo.
Since the PRR east from Keystone is electrified, long distance PRR interchange freight and passenger trains are often pulled by GG1s and other electric motors. The local Enola and Harrisburg trains will use anything that is available, including PRR diesels which are needing overhauled. Since the South Penn is Reading's western extension, trains will run straight through uthe Keystone Interchange without changing power. Occasionally P&LE power is pooled on trains which are interchanged with the P&LE at Port Perry.
During the massive Depression-era PRR electrification project, the Cumberland Valley Line from Harrisburg to Carlise was electrified. In realitiy the wires stopped just west of the Susquehanna bridge, but this gives me an excuse to run my GG-1s. The South Penn had a parallel line and its own bridge over the Susquehanna, but by 1932 the bridge was in poor shape. The South Penn negotiated trackage rights over the high-capcacity PRR line, which also allowed the Reading to retain access to the South Penn. Since the 1938 takeover by the PRR, all interchange is handled at Keystone yard (just south of Carlise).
The Pennsy maintains local passenger service from Keystone to Harrisburg with MU equipment (MP-54s) and the Reading extended their Reading-Harrisburg passenger service, which uses RDC's, to Keystone to connect with the South Penn passenger trains.
Just east of the Leymone station, the PRR line from Enola to York Haven is crossed at grade, and the PRR's ex-Northern Central line, which follows the Susquehanna is crossed over. The Enola line connects with the Cumberland Valley, but few trains are interchanged here as the prefered route is through Harrisburg. The line then crosses the Susquehanna on a concrete arch bridge and connects with the PRR Harrisburg-Philadelphia main line.
At East Keystone interlocking, trains headed for the yard can cross-over to the yard lead, while westbound through trains can take any of the three tracks through the Keystone station. This is where the diesel/electric engine changes are performed, and the third track allows high priority trains to run around trains of lesser importance.
Also at East Keystone, PRR has a electric motor storage yard, where the GG-1s are serviced between runs. The old South Penn line to Harrisburg, now just an industrial lead devirges here at the interlocking.
The Keystone Terminal is located just outside the city of Carlise. Both the PRR Cumberland Valley Branch and the South Penn converged at this point, and had a small yard where interchange was performed. The South Penn enlarged the yard to allow classification of of all westbound traffic. Since the Reading has trackage rights into Keystone, it's interchange work is also done here.
The South Penn has a diesel shop where routine work is performed on the leased PRR locomotives. Any major work is sent to the system shops in Altoona. There is also a small car shop, but again any major work is handled elsewhere. The remains of the steam era roundhouse and turntable still exist, but it is likely they will be torn down and the land sold off as money get tighter. A couple industries are located just east of the yard, which keeps a yard crew busy 3 shifts a day.
In addition to serving the east yard lead of the yard, the original South Penn line to Lemoyne and Harrisburg divirges from the main here. Doungraded when trackage rights into Harrisburg were obtained from the Pennsy, this line supports many industries, including the Bethlehem Steel plant down bu the Susquehanna. Two local trains each day are called to handle this traffic, so the line is busy almost 24 hours a day.
The CV Jct interlocking is located at the west end of Keystone Yard. Besides controlling access to the west yard lead, this is also the point where the South Penn main and the Cumberland Valley Branch connect. The Cumberland Valley branch provides the PRR with access to Hagerstown Maryland and a connection with the N&W. While most traffic on this line originates/terminates at Enola Yard, one PRR train will actually originate from Keystone yard with traffic off the South Penn.
Leaving CV Jct and the PRR connection to the east, the South Penn follows a valley south of Blue Mountain, steadily gaining elevation. At West Carlise, an older coal-fired PP&L power plant is served which gets 5-10 loads of coal a day. Just west of the farming village of Mt. Hope, the line turns north and tunnels through Blue and Kittatinny Mountains.
At Willow Hill, a large cement plant is served, along with a couple of smaller industries. The South Penn was originally built as a double track railroad, but over the years one track was removed in most places. In Willow Hill, remenants can be seen, now in use as a siding for the cement plant and the house track. Not far from the west side of Willow Hill is Tuscaroaa tunnel. Besides the savings in maintenance costs for having 2 main tracks, another advantage of single-tracking the line was the opportunity to center the remaining track in the tunnels giving more overhead clearance for modern equipment without the need for expensive excavation in the tunnel.
When the South Penn was being built, the East Broad Top narrow gauge RR had decided to extend its Shade Gap branch down to Burnt Cabins to meet it. While this never developed into a major interchange point for the EBT, a coal processing plant was built here and coal mined on Broad Top Mountain would be cleaned and shipped to eastern markets on the South Penn. By this point in time (1967), the EBT had ceased hauling freight, but the rails are still in place, and a group of crazy railfans has plans to reopen the south end of the line someday. The coal processing plant now gets its coal by truck, and they have removed the small EBT yard to give their truck drivers a place to unload coal and turn around.
There's a major passing siding at Ft. Littleton, and a short branch to an active mine. Sidling Hill and Ray Hill tunnels are next and at milepost 90, is Everett. Everett, and neighboring Mt. Dallas is where the Huntington and Broad Top Mt railroad connected with a PRR line from Bedford. While the H&BT was suppose to die in the 1950's when the Raystown resevoir flooded most of the north end of the line into Huntington, the south end was not immediately scrapped. With the renewed interest in the low sulphur coal reserves in the area, the railroad found itself back in busines. The interchange at Mt Dallas was rebuilt and a small engine terminal was constructed. Now, at least one train load of coal is interchanged here and the South Penn takes it to a powerplant just south of Harrisburg.
The PRR line from Mt Dallas to Bedford along the Raystown branch of the Juniata was not built to the same standards as was planned for the South Penn. But by the time the South Penn construction crews made it this far, the work was being funded by the Pennsy, and they decided to use the original line the 8 or so miles into Bedford. However, the South Penn regretted that decision as there have been continueing problems with rock slides in the Narrows. A couple other places along this section seem to be at the mercy of the river during the winter runoff. Just east of Bedford, the former PRR branch to Altoona enters town. By this time, there is no active business on the south end of this line and it is out of service as a through route. In fact, an enterprising businessman man has located a coal loader here and ships a couple loads a week.
The majority of the trackage in Bedford is still officially operated by the PRR. And hence the yard jobs and State Line branch are operated by PRR train crews. Bedford is also a division point for the South Penn, so all trains stop at the brick depot to change crews. While Bedford was a farming community when the South Penn arrived, since that time, a number of industries have located there. The Figal brewery is by far the largest employer in town, and it is here that famous brands of beer like Keystone are brewed.
The South Penn Western Division is modeled as far as Allegheny Mountain. Alleghany Mountain is the highest point on the entire South Penn and is the divide between the Atlantic and Mississippi river watersheds. Not far out of Bedford, there is a junction for the PRR line to Cumberland, Maryland. Traffic on this branch is primarily B&O and Western Maryland interchange traffic, and the South Penn uses this as a bridge route for shipments headed to the South.
A little further is the town of New Baltimore and the spur which accesses Anspach Mine. The mine is one of the newer iron ore facilities operated by Bethlehem Steel, and the South Penn can count on a couple train loads each week. Usually this traffic is interchanged with the Reading and is shipped to Bethlehem, PA, although sometimes the ore is destined to other locations.
At New Baltimore siding, the grade gets increasingly stiffer, and helpers are sometimes used on heavy westbound trains from here to the west end of the tunnel. Just before the entrance to the tunnel, the line crosses the Three Lick Viaduct. Upstream is the Deeter's Gap Resevoir and dam which reduces Three Lick Run to a trickle most of the year.
The author would like to hear about any other South Penn Railroad -based model railroads, and it would also be nice to document what others have done. Email Bill Kepner with your plans.
This page was last updated on January 14, 2002.