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Re: (erielack) Lots'o info Re: Erie Wyoming Division Operations

I am very interested in whatever information can be provided on Erie,
Lackawanna
and EL operations in and around Jessup, Pa. My grandparents were all
residents there and I spent many summers there. My grandfather was the
breaker foreman for Pompey Coal Co.until his retirement circa 1972. They
lived on Hill Street just a stones throw literally from the Erie Jessup
yard. Very little appears to have made it to print regarding Erie or
Lackawanna operations there. I hope someone can provide more information.


- -----Original Message-----
From: "Inlinebob_@_aol.com" <Inlinebob@aol.com>
To: "jimg_@_newcommunity.org" <jimg@newcommunity.org>; erielack@internexus.net
<"erielack_@_internexus.net">
Date: Sunday, May 23, 1999 6:31 PM
Subject: (erielack) Lots'o info Re: Erie Wyoming Division Operations


>
>In a message dated 5/21/99 5:18:19 PM, "jimg_@_newcommunity.org" writes:
>
>
>Jim,
>
>Let me see what I can add...
>
><<I've been doing some research on the Erie Wyoming Div. operations in the
>Scranton/Wilkes Barre Area.  Glad to hear that I might be able to take a
>train out there some day for on-site research.
>
>I wouldn't count on this. Maybe the section around the ballpark in Moosic
>will se service, but the rest of the route has little promise. I did think
>years back before DeNaples scrapped the upper end that it would have made
>sense to run a Scranton - W-B or Pittston service on the nights of
ballgames.
>The Erie provided access to Scranton without needing the Laurel Line
tunnel.
>Now the tunnel is the best option.
>
>
>>1.) What was Plains Jct.?
>
> According to my 1939 Erie diagrams, Plains Jct was where the Erie met
CNJ's
>Canal Branch, which followed the Lehigh Valley's Canal Branch. The CNJ was
>east of the LV. Much like how the CNJ main "turned into" the O&W main in
>Scranton, the Wyoming Division rail became the CNJ Canal Branch right
infront
>of the #14 Colliery. Interchange with the LV Canal Branch was perfromed
just
>east of Plains Jct at #14 Junction. From my map, the CNJ had no breakers on
>this line by 1939, just the interchange. The LV crossed the CNJ south of
#14
>to serve the Henry Breaker in Plains. The CNJ Canal Branch left the CNJ
main
>between Gardner's Switch and Miner's Mills and went through the narrows
into
>Plains along with the WB&E, LV, W-B Connecting and the Glen Alden Power RR.
>The Luarel Line went overhead.
>
>I think it's time to see if any of the CNJ grade is evident.
>
>>(CNJ used the D&H
>main to the east at Yatesville and Dupont, I believe, to get to Minooka
>Jct., Taylor, and their own track to Scranton Freight House).
>
>The CNJ used the D&H west from Union Jct. in Laflin all the way to Minooka
>Jct. At Union Jct. the Everhart Branch of the CNJ used to go up the
mountain
>to meet the Wilkes-Barre & Eastern at Westminster Jct. which was west of
>Suscon and above Jenkins.
>
>>Why do some references say that the Wyoming line ended at No. 14
>breaker, not Plains Jct.?
>
>It's the same place.
>
>>2.)  Assuming that the Erie did somehow
>>interchange with the CNJ at Plains Jct., did the Erie through freights
>>from the Jefferson Division to Ashley Yard (AY 90 & 91, I believe) go
>>that way, or did they stay on the D&H line south of Avoca and get to
>>Ashley on the CNJ via the CNJ-D&H connection in Wilkes Barre?
>
>The trackage arrangement in Wilkes-Barre could have supported the move as
the
>switch is facing point for a westbound CNJ train to go up the Canal Branch.
>
>>3.) How close did the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley get to Plains Jct.?
>
>They didn't. Althought the Laurel Line went through the area, there was no
>physical connection with the Erie.
>
>>Did the L&WV serve any of the breakers and collieries down there?
>
>I have to check, I think there were two loaders on the Laurel Line in
Plains.
>
>>Did it interchange with the Erie there, versus the Little Virginia
connection
>closer to Scranton?
>
>Again, I have to check, but my 1939 Erie map does not show the Virginia
>connection. I think that came much later.
>
>>4.)  How far did the Jessup Branch run?  Some maps
>>indicate that it ended at the O&W in Jessup, while employee timetables
>>indicate that it ran a bit further, with one fork continuing north to
>>Jermyn, the other following the O&W and D&H south into Dickson City (to
>>serve more breakers on the hillside?)
>
>The Erie's Jessup Branch, newly rebuilt near Drinker Street this year, did
>the following. Leaving the main at Rock. Jct it corssed Roaring Brook and
>then corssed Little Roaring Brook. At this point was Murray Jct. The
Spencer
>Branch went west here to the Spencer Breaker. Off that branch, the Murray
>Branch crossed the Scranton Electric to the Carney & Brown Breaker. This
was
>NYS&W trackage.
>
>Continuing up the Jessup Branch, the line used to snake west. This was
>replaced pre-1939 by using a piece of the Lincoln Jct. Branch, which
rejoined
>the Jessup Branch a mile or so west. Any idea why the change?
>
>Past Gipsy Grove BReaker was the #1 Colliery. All this is Dunmore.
>
>Crossing into Throop, the next colliery was Penn Coal's Underwood breaker.
>BTW, this whole stretch the DL&W Winton Br is close by. Next up was Jessup
>Yard, followed by Jessup Jct. Here the Moosic Mt & Carbondale branch led
east
>up Moosic Mt to the Dolph Sunnyside Branch to reach Dolph and Sunnyside
>breakers. Back on the Jessup the next area was Winton Jct where the Grassy
>Island RR wnet west to connect with the NYS&W Winton BR over which the O&W
>and DL&W had partial rights. Another line went west from the Grassy Is and
>corssed the Jessup Br to go the Sterrick Creek breaker. The Jessup Br ended
>at the D&H.
>
>In all my materials here, I see no eividence the Erie had it's own line to
>Jermyn. DO the place names in your timetable match the D&H? The Erie did
have
>rights on the D&H Penn Division, right? Wasn't that part of their deal? It
>would also make sense that they went to Dickson City on the D&H. The Winton
>Br also turned south to Olyphant on the west side of the Lackawanna River.
>
>
>Some other thoughts...
>
>My 1939 Erie map has been updated with other materials I have gathered. I
do
>show abandoned lines. I need the exact routing of the gravity south of
>Archbald, that will be a big help.
>
>As you saw from other posts, I was just up that way recently, poking around
>the area of Judge Coal in Jessup and so forth. With the new valley highway
>open, you can get great views of the valley below. I can't wait until
winter
>to check grades from up there!
>
>
>Hope the info helps!
>
>Rob
>
>
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