PENNSYRR.COM by Jerry Britton

Shrader John Reed Photo

Heritage: Mifflin & Centre County Railroad

CT 1000, 1945: Eastern Region, Eastern Pennsylvania Division, Middle Division, Milroy Branch

Middle Division ETT, 1954: Eastern Region, Middle Division, Milroy Secondary

Shrader, a small village named after a family who occupied one of the earliest houses in that section of the valley

Valuation Maps

PRR.v16.01.PA 09 1918c27 12 Sunbury Div Milroy Branch Honey Creek.low 1918 valuation map 16.01.PA-9 updated to 1927.

  • West End connection is indicated just to the right of the label "Honey Creek".
  • East End and No. 3 connections are indicated to the right.

PRR.v16.01.PA 09 1918r39c49 Sunbury Div Milroy Branch Honey Creek Shraders.low 1918 valuation map 16.01.PA-9 updated to 1949.

  • No. 3 connection no longer indicated
 

1918 valuation map 16.01.PA-10 updated to 1920.

  • No. 1 connection indicated at far left.
 

1918 valuation map 16.01.PA-10 updated to 1949.

  • No. 1 connection no longer indicated.

From PRR Comptrollers Office listing of Map Revisions:

  • Map 9 Pass Shelter (504.93) and Toll Ho. Removed (505.02) February 29, 1928.

Notes from a 1939 field check:

  • Map 9: Station Platform removed sta. 509.93 Honey Creek
  • Map 9: Siding removed . RR Station 250' including one turnout. P.S. 506 .92 1939
  • Map 9: Station Platform removed sta. 539.26 Shraders
  • Map 9: Siding removed . RR Station 147' including one turnout. P.S. 535.26 1939

 

Bridge 8.33 Shraders 2015 photo of the remnants of bridge 8.33.  

 

National Limestone Co. No. 3 

Listed in 1923 CT1000. Not in 1945 CT1000. 

This entity survives today as Glenn O Hawbaker.

Station

Listed in 1923 CT1000. Not in 1945 CT1000.

Removed in 1939 per valuation map.

National Limestone Co. -- East End

Listed as National Limestone Co. No. 2--East End in 1923 CT1000. Listed in 1945 CT1000. 

National Limestone Co. No. 1

Listed in 1923 CT1000. Not in 1945 CT1000. Removed in 1939 per valuation map.

Honey Creek Lime Company

Apparent successor of National Limestone due to its location. It was identified on the "Mifflin County Pennsylvania Memories" FaceBook group by Ferrol Fultz (photo used with permission).

John Reed indicated that his father, Bob Reed, purchased the business from Jim Havice in the 1950s.

The building was at the intersection of Honey Creek Road and the railroad. It was razed in 2005. The foundation remains today.

Shrader razed 2005 shrader2
Shrader John Reed Photo This view, railroad-west, has to be between 1939 and 1945. Siding No. 1., as seen here, was removed prior to 1945. Siding No. 3, not seen here, was removed in 1939. John Reed photo.  

 

This excerpt from the 1919 track chart illustrates four connections.

The "East End" is seemingly obvious and is identified within the Honey Creek article.

The "West End" is equally obvious.

There are two other customer spurs here, and I have tentatively labeled them "No.3" and "No.1". Sidings are listed in the PRR CT 1000 book in the order they appear, travelling west to east in this case, so "No.3" would precede "No.1".

Shrader 1919 Detail

This excerpt from a topographic map puts the linear track chart (above) into perspective.

The track connecting the "West End" and "East End" rides along the bottom of the hill on the south bank of Honey Creek. Up hill from this track remains an abandoned quarry. Aerial photos (below) show a loader along this line.

What I have identified as "No.3" leads to the property that contains the quarry still in operation as Hawbecker's.

Shrader Topo 
All four connections are listed in the PRR CT1000 as of 1923.  

1938 aerial view.

"No.3" and "No.1" are visible.

shrader 1938
"No.3" and "No.1" had been retired prior to the PRR CT1000 of 1945.  
1957 aerial view. shrader 1957

1975 aerial view.

Rail service had been severed in 1972 due to hurricane Agnes.

shrader 1975
Closeup of 1975 aerial view. shrader 1975 closeup