Mountain helper veteran 6655 doing its thing, but much farther east as the assigned pusher in Reading, PA in early December 1984. Conrail started assigning a single SD45-2 for helper service out of Reading in late 1984 with the 6655 being the first and later replaced with the 6663 in mid-December. Up to that point one, two or three units sets of whatever was around served as helpers making for some interesting combinations. The end of December marked the re-opening of the Blandon low grade, which had been closed since July of 84 when some of the ROW slid into a quarry and thus ended through freights on the former Reading East Penn branch using the Temple Hill track. Here the 6655 begins the push up Temple hill towards Blandon of PGAL at Pike Interlocking in Reading.
Photographer