RBMN MCQA

Two ex-UP SD40-2s in need of a repaint into Reading Blue Mountain & Northern colors cross the Little Mahanoy creek at Gordon, PA, on their way to Tamaqua. My best guess here is that this movement is heading back to Tamaqua (QA) from the International Paper plant at Mount Carmel (MC).

Note the excellent (read "oh dear sweet Jesus where are the TIES?!") condition of the siding, and slightly less ("uhhh, that rail should really be replaced") frightening stick rail on the main. As far as I can tell, this is ex-Conrail (née Reading) territory, evidenced in particular by the construction of the bridge (the lead unit is at the middle of it) and wayside structures, as well as maps I've been able to scrape up referencing the area.

Find the Mahanoy Plane - circled and labeled in pencil - on the linked map, and then look a bit southwest of that to find Ashland and Gordon: [link]

From the condition of the track, I estimated it to be rated at about Class 1, which was more or less confirmed when the movement crept by at something like 10 MPH - if that. Judging by the condition of the track and trackbed, I'd say it's just too costly to actually fix it up to at least be Class 3, so I bet they leave it as is until something fails spectacularly. Honestly, I don't blame them. In the thirty or so times I've been to the area, this is the first train I've seen.

RBMN 3057 EMD SD40-2 (Ex UP 3066 SD40-2 , Née CNW 6901 SD40-2)
RBMN 3058 EMD SD40-2 (Ex UP 3426 SD40-2)
E/B MCQA - "Mountain Job"
RBMN Mahanoy & Shamokin Branch, Gordon @ ~MP 122

Gordon, PA
October 2011



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Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D

© Michael Mueller (Fritzchen | Fotografie). You may NOT use, replicate, manipulate, or modify this image without my permission. All Rights Reserved.</sub>