Lehigh Valley in Pottsville, PA

[Highball116]

The Lehigh Valley system maps show that there was continuous trackage from Pottsville to Delano, but I've looked at maps and aerial photographs and see nothing of the sort. I know the LV and the PRR had a straight-line junction near New Boston, and that the PRR used trackage rights over the Lehigh Valley, but did the LV also use trackage rights over the PRR between Pottsville and Delano? What is the system map referring to? Thanks!

Toby

[GOLDEN-ARM]

you have looked at this, haven't you? LVRR POTTSVILLE BRANCH
there isn't a direct route from pottville to delano, without making multiple moves through multiple junctions.

*when you get to pages with pictures, spend some time, and wait for the slide show to start.

* on the timeline page, move the cursor to the red dots on the upper right of the screen. hold down your mouse button, and drag the red dots down the page. this will scroll the page up. regular scrolling doesn't seem to work.

[Highball116]

I have seen that website -- lots of great pictures. It sounds like the system map doesn't accurately represent the system as it was.

Toby

[pumpers]

On that Pottsville Branch site, on the maps page, the lower left map shows an all LV (bold) connection, but the lower right map shows that Pottstown to New Boston was via the PRR rails, which was the way it really was.
This site has all the old official guides where you can look at old schedules. http://www.northernfield.info/schedules.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you go to 1923 for the LV, Table 16, there are trains to/from Pottsville and Catawissa, but above the train numbers at the top of the timetable is says "Pa". So I assume that means that these are actually PRR trains.

For 1922 on page 372, it also seems all trains from Delano to Pottsville are labelled "PRR".

For 1888 (the third year I tried), on page 186, it also lists Pottsville/Delano trains but WITHOUT PRR mentioned (or any train number, for that matter). So that could be one example of LV service on that stretch.

Regarding freight, I've read that PRR actually sent some coal, from Minersville for example, up the Frackville grade (over 3%!!) and then via New Boston and the LV to go north (presumably on the PRR eventually), but not for LV coal. For example, I would imagine anything from Blackwood would have run all the way back to main on the Potttsville Br.

But at least there is one example of an LV train running Pottsville to Delano.
JS

[Highball116]

Thanks for the link -- the timetables are much clearer than the system map. In the aerial photos from Penn Pilot, it looks like there was a track that looped around from the Minersville Highway eastward to the PRR main. It joins the PRR south of the west portal of the tunnel to Saint Clair. I can't tell for sure if that's the Lehigh Valley, but it sounds likely that it is.

Toby

[pumpers]

Thanks for the link -- the timetables are much clearer than the system map. In the aerial photos from Penn Pilot, it looks like there was a track that looped around from the Minersville Highway eastward to the PRR main. It joins the PRR south of the west portal of the tunnel to Saint Clair. I can't tell for sure if that's the Lehigh Valley, but it sounds likely that it is.
Toby

Another great web resource is http://www.historicaerials.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; If you look at the topos in the 1950's time frame, you see that line you I think are talking about - and it is labelled PRR. (I'm not sure what you mean by Minervsvile Highway, but I am referring to a PRR line that east of Minersville has a big dip to the south and then back up before going to Pottsville.)

The LV did have a branch to Pottsville that came off of their line to Blackwood, coming up from Schuylkill Haven following the West branch of the Schuylkill River, and then entering Pottsville from the west side, on the north edge of town. But this line ended in Pottsville (maybe called the 19th St or 16th station?) and did not continue east or connect to the PRR.

JS

[JCitron]

You might find this interesting...

http://www.abandonedrails.com/Pottsville_Branch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I found this today while looking for something else.

John

[nomis]

More info & thread ... http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 82&t=62714