Please join the King of Prussia Historical Society on March 12 at 2:00 pm when Jim Brazel presents “Reading Railroad’s Chester Valley Line” at Christ Church (Old Swe
des) Church Hall.
In 2006 Jim Brazel and Roger Thorne created an overview of the Chester Valley Railroad (ChVRR) branch of the Reading Railroad, with historical and contemporary photos and maps. Some of those historical photos were revisited, this time with enhanced information supplied by members of the Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society, rail history scholars, and friends. In particular, Roger Thorne worked closely with Jim in preparing this new presentation.
The program included quite a few additional historical photographs of the ChVRR discovered since then and also added some new “then and now” comparisons. Now Jim Brazel brings this impressive work to the King of Prussia Historical Society to share his vast knowledge of this fascinating subject.
Jim Brazel is a new member of the King of Prussia Historical Society, and has been a member of the TEHS for approximately fifteen years – since the organization met in a Sunday school room at Trinity Presbyterian, was a “Club” and had “Teas.” 
He is a graduate of Villanova University, with a B.S. Physics and a M.A. Physics from Temple University. He worked in King of Prussia and Philadelphia at General Electric Space & Re-Entry Systems, which later became Lockheed-Martin, for a combined total of forty-two years. He and wife Sharon have two daughters, Kathryn and Jeanne, who attended T-E public schools.
He has had a lifelong interest in local history, particularly railroads and canals. He wrote his thesis for a Master’s degree in Economic History at Temple University on “The Economic History of The Schuylkill Navigation Canal And Its Competition with The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad.” His thesis advisor said he read it, but Jim says he did not really believe him.
His most favorite railroad interest since childhood has been the Chester Valley Branch of The Reading Railroad. The branch and the Reading mainline were visible from the rear windows of his parents’ home in Bridgeport, providing many interesting hours of “train-watching” for man and boy. Living in Tredyffrin (Berwyn) since 1976 has only amplified that interest because of the many opportunities for further exploration in the Chester Valley, and the generous willingness of other TEHS members, friends and rail history scholars to share their work and materials.
When: Saturday, March 12 at 2:00 pm
What: Reading Railroad’s Chester Valley Line
Who: Jim Brazel
Where: Christ Church Old Swedes Hall, 740 River Road, Swedesburg PA 19405 (Directions)
Meetings are free and open to the public.