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RE: (erielack) Bridge Numbering of the DL&W in Pennsylvania

My 1947 Timetable shows Scranton as 133.17 miles from Hoboken via Cut Off,
and Delaware Water Gap as 77.21 miles from Hoboken. That's the closest point
I could find that was about 60 miles away from the bridge. This is all
speculation, however, in the absence of something from the railroad
engineering department.

Michael Mang

> Joshua,
> 
> Rough guesses here without the benefit of a timetable here in front of
> me...Scranton is roughly M.P. 131-132, Binghamton M.P. 199-200 (with
> Hoboken as M.P. 0).  I don't recall if the Bloomsburg Branch mileposts
> were
> based from Scranton or Hoboken.  These mileages, of course, are post NJ
> and
> Nicholson (PA) Cut-Offs.  The NJ Cut-Off (opened 1911) decreased the
> Hoboken-Buffalo mileage by 11 miles, the Nicholson Cut-Off (opened 1915?)
> by about 4 miles.  I don't know if the bridge numbering scheme preceded or
> followed the building of the Cut-Offs.
> 
> Chuck
> 
> 
> 
> 
>                       "mail_@_joshuakblay.c
>                       om" <mail
>                       Sent by:            To:     Pat_McKnight_@_nps.gov
>                       erielack-owner_@_list         EL List
> <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
>                       s.elhts.org                 erielack-
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> 
> Gordon.Davids_@_fra.dot.gov
>                                           cc:
>                       11/02/2005 10:25 AM Subject:
>                       Please respond to           Re: (erielack) Bridge
> Numbering of the DL&W in Pennsylvania
>                       "mail_@_joshuakblay.c
>                       om"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Reading Co. bridges were numbered according to mileage from the start of
> the division.  And there are other railroads that numbered their bridges
> sequentially, like the NYO&W.  Any ideas on how to figure what would be
> 60 miles from the tower/bridge either towards Binghamton, Hoboken, or
> Bloombsuburg?  What DL&W milepost is Scranton?
> 
> Joshua
> 
> > The initial question about why Bridge 60 is called Bridge 60 has gotten
> me
> > looking into the archives and other resources at Steamtown.  While I
> have
> > not been able to find the "silver bullet" answer to this question (a
> list
> > detailing each of the bridges from 1 to the last one) I have found some
> > references to bridges.  One source I have found are Bunnell's photos,
> where
> > he used the bridge numbering system.  He has photos of bridges in and
> > around Scranton (60, 62, 64, 66, 67, and 68).  Bridge 79 is listed as 2
> > miles east of Henryville, while bridges 81 and 82 are listed "West of
> > Analomink".  I am sure a review of other photos by Bunnell might turn up
> > other bridge numbers.
> >
> > In addition to these photos we have engineers field books dating from
> the
> > 1890s to the 1920s.  Many of them dealt with surveys and work related to
> > the cut-off north of Scranton.  Bridges are noted in these field books
> both
> > by bridge number and some by mileage.  Bridge 29, for example is listed
> > near Alford, PA.
> >
> > It appears that the bridge numbering system was done in the early 1900s,
> > perhaps as part of the initial assessment of the line by the Truesdale
> > administration.  I suppose it made more sense numbering the bridges than
> > using their location on the main line since it appears there were plans
> to
> > improve the line, thus changing the mileage.  I predict other parts of
> the
> > DL&W had similar bridge numbering systems.  The only reason we know
> Bridge
> > 60 is called Bridge 60 is because the tower kept the name, thus spurring
> > the current interest.
> >
> > It would be an interesting research project to come up with a list and
> > location of the bridges.  I wish I had the time.  If anyone would like
> to
> > come to Steamtown and do the research, I think we have the information
> > buried in our archives.
> >
> > Patrick McKnight
> > Historian/Archivist
> > Steamtown NHS
> > 570-340-5193
> >
> > We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past,
> but
> > to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
> > possible.-Alan Bloom
> >
> >
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> >
> 
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