Re: (erielack) DL&W/O&W in Scranton

[Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com]

Dear Chuck Y,

From what you describe, the Diamond Branch is what Steamtown (or the
Delaware Lackawanna) uses for access to the former D&H to Carbondale.

Chuck W



                                                                                                                                      
                      RAILDATA_@_aol.com                                                                                                
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                                            Subject:                                                                                  
                      03/15/2005 05:20 PM           Re: (erielack) DL&W/O&W in Scranton                                               
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The DL&W had a freight house on Green Ridge St. in Scranton. As I remember,

the Diamond Branch went that far after passing the Scranton Lace. Co.
Theink it
crossed Green ridge St. to serve a copule of lumber yards, etc.

The Diamond Branch left Scranton Yard just east of Bridge 60 (track is
still
there I think), went under Linden and Mulberry St bridges. Then there was
aswitch that conneted to the D&H track over to their freight hosue on
Wyoming Ave.
This place was a major interchange between the DL&W and D&H.

The Diamond Branch went off to the left and served the Pine Brook Colliery.

Then it descended a grade and crossed the double track D&H main line. This
was
a signalled interlocking that probably was controlled from the nearby D&H
Carbon St Tower.  Branch then went due west crossing the Lackawanna River
on a
truss bridge (still standing last time I was there).  Crossed O&W at grade
to
reach the Diamnd Colliery. I think the Colliery was torn down around 1940
but
there was still some sort of a washery operation there. This site was right
along
the DL&W main line but about 200' lower, hence the complex branch to reach
it.

At the O&W crossing there was a switch where the DL&W headed north parallel

to the O&W for about a mile. Then it recrossed the Lackawanna River went
past
the Lace Works and wound up at Green Ridge St. Somewhere in this area the
DL&W
went over on the O&W to reach some Glen Alden Coal Co. workings at Olyphant

(which at one time might have been reached via the Winton Branch).

To justify all this complex trackage you have to go back to about the huge
coal mining and indestrail complex that existed in the area. The Diamnd was
a
huge coal prodcer for many years, along with the Pine Brook. The Scranton
Nut &
Bolt Co. works and similar industries were located jsut south of the Lace
Co.
Incredible the number of bridges and other works the railroads would put in

to reach a coal mine!

Chuck Y
Boulder CO

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