A few GP-7's from 1974.READING COMPANY
THE ALLENTOWN AND BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA AREA
The Lehigh Valley area was a focal point of several Northeastern railroads. Beside the Lehigh Valley railroad, the area was served by the Reading, Jersey Central, Lehigh and New England, Pennsylvania, Lehigh and Hudson River and the Lackawanna ( later the E-L ). The Reading entered the area from both the south direct from Philadelphia via Quakertown and from the west from Reading, PA. The Reading maintained at one time two yards other than the Jersey Central's Allentown yard which it shared. One was next to the large Bethlehem Steel plant in Saucon and the other smaller yard across the river at a place commonly called 'BURN'. This was where the short branch to the Jersey Central passenger station swung off and where a connecting track to the Lehigh Valley Railroad was located. This remains a favorite railfan spot today!
The Bethlehem engine terminal was THE place to be through the 1960's and 1970's. Diesels from the CNJ, Reading, Lehigh Valley ( after 1972 ), Lehigh and Hudson River, B & O, D & H and others could be found. A true hobby shop in 1:1 scale!
The pictures below are generally from the mid-1970's just prior to Conrail. It should be noted that the entire engine terminal area except for a few newer buildings has been demolished. NS keeps their diesels on the west end of the yard.
A few GP-7's from 1974.
The GP-30's and GP-35's were common power here. 3640 was the only GP-35 painted in the new colors.
Alco fans were never disappointed here.
Big C-630's and smaller C-424's and C-425's were common at Bethlehem. The big units would usually power the heavy ore trains to the steel mill.
A rather popular train with the local railfans was HB-8, also known as the "Star". This train ran direct from Harrisburg to the Bethlehem Steel plant. Pictures below are on the former CNJ track near "JU" tower in Bethlehem.
3408 leads HB-8 past a crowd of fans on 11-23-1975.
Enroute to Saucon yard on the south side of Bethlehem, HB-8 passes the mill.
On another day, big C-630 5300 leads HB-8 
January 1975
The Reading operated passenger trains from Bethlehem to Philadelphia using RDC cars during the late 1970's.
1974. 
1978. 
1979.
Septa continued the service for a few years and then dropped all non-electrified train service in the early 1980's
The Reading had 5 SD-45's and 5 U30C's
The last new power were 20 GP-39's numbered 3401-3420. They went to the D & H on Conrail day, 4-1-76.
3625 in the yard and 
RS3 503 by 'R' tower. Both photos Paul Carpentino.
GP-35 3637 gets ready to head west in the Allentown yard.
3622 leads AH-9 at 'BURN'. The train is crossing Susquehanna St. Conrail
and the city of Allentown had an underpass built here in the 1980's to eliminate
the traffic delays caused by the slow moving freights leaving the yard.
West from Allentown the Reading passed through several small typical Pennsylvania towns.
Emmaus Macungie 3622 w. of Macungie Mertztown Fleetwood