East Penn Railroad SW900 No. 52 leads the last train of cars on the Venice Branch north of Philadelphia on April 4 over the Schuylkill River. The branch will now sit idle from lack of business.
Gary Pancavage
The East Penn Railroad locomotive crew pose for a final run photograph with No. 52 on April 4.
Gary Pancavage
PHILADELPHIA — Another chapter in railroad history came to a close on April 4 when the final train to operate over the Venice Island Branch in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia pulled the last three empty cars out of PaperWorks Industries. Built by the Reading Co. in the 1890s to serve line-side industries out of nearby West Falls Yard, the branch became part of Conrail and later Norfolk Southern before the East Penn Railroad took over as designated operator.
A long standing tradition of placing a commemorative sign on the locomotive denoting the final run was upheld as Engineer Mark Wilson and Conductor Robert Bishop took train VEN-04 down the branch for the last time.
The crew posed for pictures on the locomotive after arriving back at the plant.
