New Hope and Ivyland Railroad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New Hope and Ivyland Railroad (AAR reporting marks NHIR) is a class III railroad in Pennsylvania. It also operates a heritage railroad, offering passenger excursions.
The NHIR provides contract track and locomotive services to freight and passenger railroads in the North America and has been involved with various film and TV commercial projects.
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[edit] Freight service
NHIR provides a variety of industries with transportation services and is involved in the import and export of raw materials and manufactured products. Freight customers include national chemical companies to consumer product manufacturers.
NHIR interchanges with CSX to provide its customers access to rail freight service anywhere in North America. Its largest customer is CRC Industries of Warminster, a large manufacturer of chemicals used in the auto repair industry.
[edit] Heritage railroad
Excursion passenger trains are operated on a regular-schedule during the tourist season using steam and diesel locomotives. Excursions depart from the passenger station in New Hope or at the passenger station in Lahaska. Passengers may get off at either station and take a later train back to their originating station. Passenger trains depart the New Hope Station on the hour and from the Lahaska Station 20 minutes past the hour. The last train of the day ends in New Hope.
In addition to the regular New Hope-Lahaska excursion trains which operate daily between Memorial Day and late November and on weekends all year round, the NHRR also has several special event trains throughout the year. Special seasonal trains include Easter, Fall Foliage, Halloween and Santa trains. Additionally, rare 35-mile round-trip trains operate as the Spring and Fall Foliage trains to Warminster.
Special passenger trains are operated in charter service providing dinners, brunch and wine tasting trains through the rolling hills and valleys of beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The NHIR has established a volunteer group to augment the railroad's shop employees in the restoration of the steam locomotives and historic passenger rolling stock.
[edit] History
The NHIR was originally known as the New Hope Branch of the Reading Railroad Company. The Reading sold the line into private hands in 1966.
In 1914, a segment of the classic silent film The Perils of Pauline was filmed on the tracks used by the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad today. The site is still called Pauline's Trestle.
[edit] Roster
Locomotives used in the excursion passenger service is usually provided by steam locomotive #40, which is a 1925 Baldwin with a 2-8-0, or Consolidation, wheel arrangement. #40 (ex Cliffside Railroad, exx-Lancaster and Chester Railway), is supplemented with a variety of diesel powered locomotives which are used primarily in the railroad's busy freight business.
Diesel locomotives include EMD GP30 #2198 (ex-CR, exx-PC, nee-PRR), and modern six axle C30-7 and SD40-2 locomotives. During the winter months (January, February, and March) #40 normally receives her annual tune-up, which leaves one of the diesels to resume passenger operations. The railroad also owns 3 other steam locomotives, Canadian National 4-6-0 #1533 was the railroad's workhorse until December, 1975 when it was partly dismantled and stored behind the New Hope engine house, it's tender is stored on the deadline north of the depot. US Army 0-6-0 #9 had several careers on the New Hope, she ran in 1966 but was stored and replaced with #40 in 1967whoch was withdrawn from service in 1968. In 1969 and 70 #9 ran but was retired, in 1976 she was yet again resurrected and ran until 1981 when her flue time ran out and is now stored with her tender on the deadline north of the depot partly dismantled. NdeM #3028 is a QR-1 4-8-4 which is on long term lease from the Great North Eastern Railway Foundation in New York, she has been under overhaul on and off scene 1996 and as of 2008 is stored dismantled her overhaul on hold on the deadline with her tender behind the engine house next to #1533.
| Number | Model |
|---|---|
| 40 (ex-Cliffside, exx-L&C) | 2-8-0 |
| 2198 (ex-CR, exx-PC, nee-PRR) | GP30 |
| 5577 (ex-CP) | SD40-2 |
| 7087 (ex-CSX, exx-L&N) | C30-7 |
| 1533 (ex-Canadian National) | 4-6-0 |
| 9 (ex-Virginia Blue Ridge, exx-US Army) | 0-6-0 |
| 3028 (ex-NdeM) | 4-8-4 |
