Passenger
Reading Company Silver-Liner II, Class REB-13, MU Car #9001
The City of Philadelphia announces the purchase of 55 new MU cars for Commuter service.
Known by Budd Company as Pioneer III cars, and by Septa as Silver-liner II’s, the latest in electric multiple unit cars were coming to the South Eastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia. Fifty Five of the cars were purchased, with 38 of the cars to be leased to the PRR, and the remaining 17 cars to be leased to the Reading Company. Both railroads provided regional rail commuter service under contract by SEPTA.
9001 prepares to board passengers at Ryers
(Photo from Facebook)
The 17 Reading MU Cars were numbered 9001 thru 9017 and were given Reading Class REB-13. The silver-liners were so named due to their unpainted stainless steel body panels. The cars became a popular fixture on Septa’s regional rail system for their smart appearance and comfortable interiors.
At the end of its service life, all of the silver-liner II’s were retired and sold for scrap except 9001. Designated as worthy of preservation, Septa put 9001 aside. Crews at SEPTA did an environmental clean-up on the car, and the car was offered to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA. The museum declined to take the 9001. It sat at Wayne junction out of the way with SEPTA hoping to save the unit. RCT&HS tried for many years to acquire the 9001 by donation from SEPTA, but a state law prevented a direct donation to RCT&HS. Finally, SEPTA wanted the unit removed from their property and offered the 9001 for sale, likely as scrap. Due to a generous donor, RCT&HS was able to bid on the car.
In January 2025, RCT&HS was finally able to announce that the 9001 now belonged to the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society.
Now another chapter of the story begins. Moving the 9001 from SEPTA to our museum in Hamburg. The car was inspected by Norfolk Southern personnel and deemed serviceable and ok to move by NS. Unfortunately, upper management at NS have declined to allow the movement of the car, even with special couplers loaned to us by SEPTA.
Stay tuned for the rest of the story of getting the 9001 to the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, PA.
