The Bee Line - Index of Back Issues

Sample issue of The Bee Line.The Bee LineThe Bee Line is our quarterly magazine of articles about Reading Railroad history and modeling information. Back issues are available for purchase as long as the supply lasts. A complete list of major articles in all issues since the beginning in 1979 is provided below.

Ordering Info

Copies of the Bee Line may be ordered from our On-Line Store using the link https://squareup.com/market/reading-company-technical-and-historical-society. For those not having internet access to our On-Line Store, please call our Museum Store Saturdays from 10AM to 4PM or Sundays from noon to 4PM or write to RCT&HS, Attention Bee Line Sales, P.O. Box 15143, Reading PA 19612-5143 and we will assist you with ordering. Note that "s/o" means the issue is Sold Out! Many of these magazines are in short supply, and the economics have so far not supported reprinting old issues. We do not have the ability to make photocopies of out-of-print materials at this time. A fairly complete set of the Bee Line is also available for review at the archives of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania at Strasburg, PA.

 

 

 

Year Issue Price Contents
1979 summer SOLD OUT
• GHw Gondolas, Modeling 40-ft Boxcars
1980 winter SOLD OUT
• M&H Br. Becomes a Shortline
• Minersville Station
 • Modeling RDG Trainmasters in HO
• RDG Trainmasters (history)
1980 spring SOLD OUT
• Sinking Spring Station
• Restored Near RDG		 • World War II Hoppers
1980 summer SOLD OUT
• RDG Trucks ’N Trains • Diesel Histories; RDG FT’s
1981 fall/
winter		 SOLD OUT
Double Issue:
• RDG Steel Cabooses (NE style)		 • Diesel Histories; the GP30
1981 2 SOLD OUT
• Motive Power Development on the P&R (reprint)
• Steam Today on RDG Br. Lines
1981 3&4 SOLD OUT
• Diesel Histories; The FP7’s
• Lebanon Station Restored
• Cushion Underframe		 • The Last Baldwin
• RDG Model News; Decals
1982 1 SOLD OUT
• Diesel Histories; The Green Diesels, Part 1
1982 2 SOLD OUT
• Power Car; (mobile electrical
• generator car)		 • Memos From the Secretary;
• RCT&HS Activities
1982 3 SOLD OUT
• Diesel Histories; The Green Diesels, Part 2
1982 4 SOLD OUT
• RDG Company SW900’s
1983 1&2 SOLD OUT
• RCT&HS Anniv. Banquet, P&R Charter 1833
• P&R Sesquicentennial		 • RDG Company Route Construction Dates
1983 3 SOLD OUT
• RDG Bluebirds in Philadelphia • Model Notes, Caboose Review, Custom Brass
1983 4 SOLD OUT
• 150th Anniv. Rail Rambles
• Decal Set Reviews		 • RCT&HS Picnic Committee Report
1984 1 SOLD OUT
• RDG-ize Your Diesel Units
• Consolidation, Brass Engine Review		 • RCT&HS Modular Layout
1984 2 SOLD OUT
• Wilmington & Northern; Historical Overview
1984 3 SOLD OUT
• FM Demonstrators on the RDG
1984 4 Buy Now
• RDG’s Great American
• Locomotive Class D-8		 • Wilmington & Northern Update
1985 1 Buy Now
• Hist. of RDG Terminal (RT)
• When the US Mail Rode the Rails to RT
• RT Power Plant		 • RT Market
• Reflections on the Last Night of RT
• One RDG Center, the Future of RT
1985 2 Buy Now
• Bert Pennypacker, Railfan
• RDG Brass Models; Class I-8		 • Modena
• Modeling NE Style RDG Cabooses
1985 3 SOLD OUT
• Early Track Engineering on the P&R
• Steam Power Car		 • Modeling RDG Co. Coal Boxes
1985 4 SOLD OUT
• RDG Cabooses; Where Are They Now
• RDG’s Bean Car Trio		 • RDG Brass Models, Class L-7
1985 Special SOLD OUT
• T-1 Commemorative Booklet
1986 1 SOLD OUT
• Rambling in the 80’s; Behind the Scenes
• RCT&HS Loco Shop Open		 • Return of the Iron Horse Rambles
1986 2 SOLD OUT
• Hist. of RDG GP30’s
1986 3 SOLD OUT
• RCT&HS, its Hist.
• RCT&HS Current Activities		 • RCT&HS–The Track Ahead
• RDG OE9 Class Switchers, the EMD NW-2’s
1986 4 SOLD OUT
• RDG Retrospective
• Video Reviews
• Modern Tool Cars		 • We Couple Carefully, Diesel Loco Stenciling
• Modeling Octagonal 2-Stall Outhouse
1987 1 SOLD OUT
• Ancient Hist.; Financing the Early P&R
• Named Centuries; the ALCO C430’s
• Fire Fighting Rail Equip.		 • Joanna Turn
• Modeling Tips “MA” Tower, Lansdale
1987 2 Buy Now
• RDG Retrospective; 1850’s Description
• Passenger Roadswitchers
• Review of Bethlehem Car Works
• HO RDG Coach Kit		 • Golden Gate Flatcars
• Modeling Lansdale’s “MA” Tower
• Modeling Octagonal Outhouses
1987 3&4 SOLD OUT
Double Issue: Crusader Train
• Features of New #117 and #118
• RDG’s Streamlined Train Takes the Rails
• Instructions for Handling
• Streamlined Train		 • Lily Pons Christens Crusader
• Crusader on “Leave of Absence”
• Crusader Sold to Canadian National
• RDG Retrospect; the Crusader/Bob Linden
1988 1 Buy Now
• RDG Retrospective; early operations
• Boiler Explosion at North Line Breaker
• “BE” Tower, Birdsboro		 • ALCO S-2 Switchers
• Modeling the Crusader in HO Scale
1988 2 SOLD OUT
• RDG Retrospective
• Century 630’s, ALCO’s Last on the RDG		 • Saving a Century
• Modeling an ALCO C630
1988 3 SOLD OUT
• RDG Retrospective, Blizzard of 1888
• Snow Fighting Rail Equip.
• Modeling Tips, Flanger Boxcars		 • Diesels and Snowplows
• Modeling Pilot Snowplows
• Was There a Rotary on the RDG?
1988 4 SOLD OUT
• How Important Was the RDG
• GP35’s, The Cadillacs
• Coatesville Yard		 • Writing on the RDG (railroad paperwork)
• RDG Helps Carpenter Steel Celebrate 100 Years
1988 sp  
• Commemorative Booklet, First Train to Norristown
1989 1 SOLD OUT
• Coal and Consolidations • Cavalcade of RDG 2-8-0’s
1989 2 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Elverson
• Fuel Instruction Car		 • GP7’s–The Favorites
1989 3 SOLD OUT
• RDG Retrospect; The Outer Station • RDG “DC” Office
1989 4 SOLD OUT
• America’s Last Pacifics; Class G-3
• 216 Hits Fuel Truck at Port Carbon		 • Wrecks of the G-3
1990 1 SOLD OUT
• Auxiliary Tenders
• RDG Retrospect; G. A Nicholls Funeral
• Catawissa Br. Hist., Part 1		 • RDG’s Central Division in HO Scale
• Status of Freight Cars with RDG
• Reporting Marks
• New Britain Station
1990 2 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Retrospect; Overview of 20th Cent.
• RDG Co. Non-Revenue Equip., Part 1
• Catawissa Br. Hist., Part 2		 • Exploring the Bethlehem Br., Part 1
• RDG Equip. Register, FMh Heavy-Duty Flatcars
1990 3 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Retrospect, RDG Terminal
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 3
• RDG Co. Non-Revenue Equip., Part 2		 • Exploring the Bethlehem Br., Part 2
• RDG Equip. Register, XAPd Boxcars
• Building RDG Style Caboose Steps in Brass
1990 4 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Retrospect; Shops/Managers in 1930’s
• Catawissa Br. Hist., Part 4
• Exploring the Bethlehem Br., Part 3		 • Postcards From the Bethlehem Br.
• Nocturnal Interstate Express, Train 301
• RDG Equip. Register, GHo Gondolas
1991 1 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Retrospect; Daly Engine
• First RR Schuylkill Co.
• Diesel Era on the Bethlehem Br.		 • Remembering RDG Terminal
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 5; West of Lofty
• Hard Rock Part 1, Intro. to Coal Fields
1991 2 SOLD OUT
• RDG in Retrospect; Shamokin Div. Hist.
• Hard Rock Vol. 2; Zerbe Valley RR,
• Kathryn Colliery		 • Harrisburg Stations of the RDG
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 6; Dark Run Trestle
• RDG Equip. Register, HTwa Hoppers
1991 3 Buy Now
• RDG in Retrospect: Various Topics
• Philadelphia’s Freight Crossroads, Part 1		 • Hard Rock Vol. 3, Trevorton/N. Franklin Collery
• RDG Weigh-in-Motion Scale
1991 4 SOLD OUT
• Philadelphia’s Freight Crossroads, Part 2
• Hard Rock Vol .4; Cameron,
• Glen Burn Collery		 • RDG’s First Centuries
• Modeling the XLl Boxcar in HO Scale
1992 1  
• RCT&HS Fifteenth Anniv. Dinner
• RDG & Columbia Story; Part 1
• Hard Rock Vol. 5; Carbon Run Br.		 • Catawissa Br. Part 7, Ringtown Derailment
• Wheel Cars
• Rear-end Collision at Vastine
1992 2 SOLD OUT
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 8, Ringtown
• RDG & Columbia Hist.; Part 2		 • Hard Rock Vol .6; Carson/Star/Eureka Operations
• Chalfont Station
1992 3&4 SOLD OUT
• Double Issue:
• RDG’s Ballast Cleaning Car
• Modeling the RDG’s Refrig. Boxcar in HO
• Denver: RDG Steam in Early 1900’s		 • LOf Covered Hoppers
• RDG & Columbia Hist.; Part 3
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 9; Ringtown Bridge/Fill
• Hard Rock Vol. 7; Sterling Operation
1993 1 SOLD OUT
• Diesel Memories of the Bethlehem Br.
• Hard Rock Vol. 8, Burnside Colliery Area
• Stables For Iron Horses (steam-era roundhouses)		 • Doylestown Yard and its Steam Locos (1943-48)
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 10; Ringtown
1993 2 SOLD OUT
• List of Steam-Era Roundhouse
• Stables for Iron Horses, Part 2 (steam roundhouses)		 • Hard Rock Vol. 9; North Line Coal Co.
• Retired Chief Shipper–Locust
• Summit Breaker
1993 3 Buy Now
• Catawissa Br. Hist. Part 11,
• Grade Crossing Collision
• RDG Company Express Messenger Cars		 • Commuting on the RDG to RDG
• Hard Rock Vol. 10; George Fales Colliery
• Hump Motor Cars
1993 4  
• Hard Rock Vol. 11; Bear Valley Colliery
• Huntington Street Coach Yard, a Night at Port Kennedy Interlude		 • Bear Valley Colliery/the Disappearing Cupola
• Crane Derailment at Port Clinton
• Scale Test Cars
1994 1 Buy Now
• RDG’s Continuous Welded Rail Train
• Hard Rock Vol. 12, Flat Vein/Clinton/Webster
• RDG Belt Railroad		 • Locos seen in RDG Terminal (mid-1940s)
• Memories of a Telescope Maker
• Return of RDG Terminal
1994 2 Buy Now
• Transportation in Kimberton
• Modeling End Protect./Rail Runoff Cars in HO		 • Hard Rock Vol. 13; Frank Gowen/Marshall Collery
1994 3 Buy Now
• RDG Retrospective; Schuylkill Canal vs. P&R
• Steam Memories of a Tank Town, Monocacy		 • Many Faces of RDG Steam Engines
• Advertising on Bridges
1994 4 Buy Now
• RDG’s Changeable Ten-Wheelers
1995 1 Buy Now
• Lebanon Scene Part 1, L&T Mixed
• Epilogue, Other L&T Fan Trips
• West End Excursion–Fan Trip Story		 • Hard Rock Vol. 14–Royal Oak/Alpha Colliery
• Details That Will Make a Difference
• Derailed at Granogue
1995 2 Buy Now
• The Gordon Plane
• Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven RR		 • Lebanon Scene Part 2–Exploring Lebanon
1995 3 SOLD OUT
• Mahanoy Plane and Surrounding
• Collieries		 • Table of T-1 Data and Roster
1995 4 SOLD OUT
• Wilmington & Northern Br.
1996 1&2 Buy Now
• All Gas-Electric Double Issue
• Fatal Wreck of 4066		 • Steam Powered Doodlebug
• Working Days on a Doodlebug
1996 3&4 Buy Now
• Double Issue:
• Pride of the Crossline; K1 Steam Locos		 • Rutherford Classification Yard
1997 1 Buy Now
• Report of Accomplishments for 1940 • Wilmington Memories
1997 2 Buy Now
• RCT&HS 20th Anniv. Banquet
• ICC Valuation of 1917		 • Port RDG Coal
1997 3 Buy Now
• The Leesport Wreck
• Explosion of W&N Number 10		 • RDG Class XMt Boxcars
1997 4 Buy Now
• Tracking Six Wheelers (0-6-0 switchers)
• RDG’s Class B7a Switchers		 • Build a Kitchen Table B9a
1998 1 Buy Now
• Penn Avenue Wreck
• Exploring the Burning Question		 • 53 Years With the RDG
1998 2 Buy Now
• Boardwalk Flyer Takes a Ride on Boardwalk
• Clearance Measuring Cars		 • RDG’s Wheel Truing Machine
• Wheel Truing in the RDG Shops
1998 3 Buy Now
• Hurricane Diane Strikes Tamaqua • RDG’s XMu Boxcars
1998 4 Buy Now
• Full Coverage Class E 0-8-0 Steam Switchers
1999 1 Buy Now
• Gettysburg Freight House Fire
• Class GHn Coil Steel Cars		 • Bethlehem Br. Memories of Charles Smith
• Engine House Symbols
1999 2 Buy Now
• Amazing Longevity of #765
• Forrest Trittenbach
• Hard Rock Vol. 15, Henry Clay Colliery		 • Working in the Dispatchers Office
• Wheat Smut Control Train
1999 3 Buy Now
• Abrams Yard in the Diesel Era (in color!)
• Mail on the Atlantic City Railroad		 • Early Train Service on the Catawissa
• Fort Point Lighthouse Keeper
1999 4 Buy Now
• Wreck of 2105 at Lebanon Valley Jct.
• Down the Main Line (employee reminiscence)
• Hard Rock Vol. 16–Big Mountain Colliery		 • Perkiomen Br. Siding List–1900
• Little Schuylkill Operations–1862
2000 1&2 Buy Now
Double Issue: RDG 2-8-2’s
• Powerful Mikados on the RDG
• RDG’s Universal Mikados		 • Mikado Modifications
• Erie Avenue Boiler Explosion
• Myerstown Troop Train Wreck
2000 3&4 Buy Now

• 1940’s Bridge Strengthening Program

• History of the Reading FP7s

• All-Time Bee Line Article Index

• The P&R in Maryland
2001 1 Buy Now
• Coatesville–Heart of the W&N
2001 2 Buy Now
• Monocacy Water Station • P&R in the Nittany Valley
2001 3 Buy Now
• RDG’s New GP30
• Winslow Junction Wreck		 • 1886 Locomotive Coal Usage
2001 4 Buy Now
• Early Catawissa RR Hist.
• Tamaqua Wreck of NP-10		 • 1940 Locomotive Assignments
2002 1&2 Buy Now
Double Issue:
• Complete Hist. of the RDG’s 4-6-2 Steam Locomotives
2002 3&4 Buy Now
Double Issue:
• Hist. of Grace Mine–Part 1
2003 1 Buy Now
• 1940s-era railfanning
• Montoursville wreck
2003 2,3&4 Buy Now
Triple Issue
•History of 16th Street Junction, Philadelphia
2004 1&2 SOLD OUT

Double Issue:
• Hist. of Grace Mine–Part 2
2004 3 Buy Now
• Laureldale and the Low Grade
• Letters from 1875		 • Train-Trolley Collisions in the 1940s
2004 4 Buy Now
• Quinter's Bridge Wreck
• History of Quinter's Bridge		 • Reading Terminal Coach Cleaners
2005 1&2 Buy Now
Double Issue:
• Philadelphia-Gordon Rail Ramble
• Blandon and the Lowgrade
• Passenger Car Data Sheets		 • Saint Clair Photos
• Superintendent's Letters of 1846-47
• Coaling Steam Locomotives - 1950
2005 3&4 Buy Now
Double Issue:
• Valley Forge Scenic Railroad
2006 1 Buy Now
•Seven O'Klocker's Klub
2006 2 Buy Now
• Tonnage Freight Trains
• Reading on the Reading		 • Milk Train Circular - 1883
2006 3 Buy Now
• Wernersville Wreck of 1942
• Rembrance of the Reading		 • World War II Defense Plants
2006 4 Buy Now
• Pawnee-class Locomotives • Newberry Fast Freight
2007 1&2 Buy Now Double Issue:
• Boy Scout Jamborees at Valley Forge
2007 3 Buy Now
• "F-Car" ore hoppers
• Lebanon ore concentrator
2007 4 Buy Now • 150 Years on the Reading's Bethlehem Branch
2008 1&2 Buy Now Double Issue:
• Reading Railroad Passenger Trains
2008 3 Buy Now • Gardening on the Reading
• Reading RDCs
• Next Station - Phoenixville
2008 4 Buy Now • 1908 P&R Veteran's Association Trip to Eagles Mere
• NP-10 Wreck at Barnesville
• Career of H.S. Keppelman
2009 1&2 Buy Now • Grace Mine - Part 3 – Search for an Ore Car
2009 3 Buy Now • Catawissa Branch Trestles
• Sleeping Car Ottawa
2009 4 Buy Now • Iron Horse Rambles Part I – 1959
2010 1&2 Buy Now • Rocklyn Collision of 1963
2010 3&4 Buy Now • Iron Horse Rambles Part II – 1960
• Rocklyn Station History
2011 1&2 Buy Now • Reading Locomotive Shops
2011 3&4 Buy Now • Iron Horse Rambles Part III – Fall 1960
2012 3   • Jim Holton Paintings
• On The Road With Train #5

Index compiled by Rick Bates, Publications chair.