I am slowly chiseling away at my sighting list of NS's heritage fleet. This morning I had 3 left to see, this evening I am down to 2. Now I know it is not leading, but I still think it is neat to see these no matter their position in the consist.
First up is a shot of the ex Reading bridge over the Lehigh Canal at the west end of Allentown Yard.
Next is the 8074 leading the 38G out of the yard.
Last is the 8099, my 18th heritage unit.
Enjoy!
PA Dan
Is the ex-Reading bridge still in use?
Quote from: Matt L on February 18, 2014, 07:41:03 PM
Is the ex-Reading bridge still in use?
It sure is. This is where the Reading Line enters Allentown yard, and just to the right (east) out of frame is where the ex CNJ enters the yard. To the west of here (and across the Lehigh River) about 3/4 mile is where the ex LV main connects with the Reading line at CP Burn (named for Auburn St).
Here's a screen shot from Google maps of the area (without snow). I was standing on the bridge over the canal near the bottom of the photo.
PA Dan
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F14%2F02%2F19%2F5ugybybu.jpg&hash=fc9b94c2d39b9687d544a05519037308a7056e03)
Oh cool! Thanx for the explanation. I'm still trying to figure out what is left in Allentown, which was a busy maze of CNJ, LV and Reading lines back in the day.
Quote from: Matt L on February 19, 2014, 08:02:41 PM
Oh cool! Thanx for the explanation. I'm still trying to figure out what is left in Allentown, which was a busy maze of CNJ. LV and Reading lines back in the day.
One of these days I want to get a railfan guide together for the Allentown and Reading areas, but at my rate it'll be ten years from now.
As for Allentown, the ex LV on the West Bank and the ex CNJ passenger main, where intact north (RR west) of CP Burn, are operated by RJ Corman, but I don't know their schedule.
NS uses the ex CNJ main from Allentown yard to Lehighton (Lehigh Line), the ex RDG from Allentown to Reading (NS Reading Line), the ex LV from Allentown to Bethlehem as a bypass around the yard, and the ex LV from Bethlehem to Easton (Lehigh Line).
The CNJ from Bethlehem to Easton was ripped up in the mid 80's, and the LV main north (RR West) was ripped up around the same time from the Catasaqua area to Lehighton.
The RDG from Bethlehem to Quakertown was abandoned in the 80's after CR stopped commuter operations, but wasn't ripped up until about 5 years ago (the ROW splits my employer's property in Coopersburg, it was neat and sad to watch the rails torn up).
The ex Lehigh and New England line from Bethlehem up to Nazareth is served near daily by NS, there's several cement plants on the line.
I am sure I'm missing something from Allentown proper, but I think I covered it pretty well.
If you ever head to the area let me know and I'll give more detail off line.
PA Dan
Thanx again, Dan. I'm part of a group of LV fans from upstate NY and PA who like to tour the remnants (both active and abandoned)o f the Route of the Black Diamond. I'll take you up on that offer if we head down that way.
BTW, this year's LV tour is in greater Buffalo.
Quote from: Matt L on February 20, 2014, 08:06:25 PM
Thanx again, Dan. I'm part of a group of LV fans from upstate NY and PA who like to tour the remnants (both active and abandoned)o f the Route of the Black Diamond. I'll take you up on that offer if we head down that way.
BTW, this year's LV tour is in greater Buffalo.
The Black Diamond was a class act from everything I know about it. My mom grew up in Slatington and remembers seeing it roll through town when she was a kid in the 50's and early 60's.
Also, when I was growing up in Kutztown there was a guy named Landis (I can't remember his first name, Ed maybe?) who retired from the LV. My dad used to drive him to The LV retiree's annual banquet each year and he would always bring back cool stories. The guy was a LV passenger conductor, and is remember him bragging about the LV streamlined Pacifics (2100 series??).
Of course I was a kid and didn't pay as much attention as I should have.
He passed away in the mid 90's while I was in the Air Force.
I would like to explore Buffalo sometime, it seems like it was/is a really neat railroad town.
PA Dan
We are lucky enough to have a retired LV employee in our LV fan group. I'll have to ask him about Landis- maybe I'll get some good stories. 8)
My mother rode through Allentown on the Black Diamond when she was a kid (late '40s). She loved that train.
Nice. 8099 just left Delaware this morning on a 13G to Coway, PA. DE Dan