Wilkes-Barre "Cannonball" Tunnel?

I'm from Wilkes-Barre and my father took me hiking one time when I was a kid somewhere nearby and showed me what he called the "cannonball" tunnel, where he said a passenger train used to come into town from NYC or Scranton, I cant remember which. The tracks have been pulled up but the path was still graded and it led to the unfinished cavelike entrance to a tunnel. My father grew up in Wilkes-Barre in the 50's and my grandfather grew up here as well, so I believe he had a good idea of what it was since he did manage to find it and have an explanation. However I have searched extensively online and have found little about passenger service in Wilkes-Barre, and nothing mentioning this tunnel. It also has been 10 years since he took me out there and hes passed away since then so im stuck trying to remember. Im almost positive it was somewhere on the east side of the valley either east of or very close to 81 but I cant remember if it was near the Hanover-Warrior Run-Nanticoke area (which would seem to indicate NYC) or more towards Parsons (in which case Scranton). I believe he said something about it coming into the valley mostly on gravity power since it came at such a steep incline. I'm wondering if anyone out there has some knowledge of this or of Wilkes-Barre rail lines of the past in general? (a decent historical rail map of the city and surroundings would be great). The talk of the Lackawanna Cutoff has led me to take an interest in this again, since I currently am a student NYU and have to suffer through the 3 and a half hour Martz Bus rides to get home. Thanks

There were several name trains through Wilkes-Barre. The CNJ had the Bullet in the early 1930s. The Lehigh Valley had the John Wilkes. The CNJ had a operation using planes in Ashley to get cars over the hill but with dieselization this operation was closed in 1948. (It can be seen in the video "Big Little Railroad") The new diesels were able to move CNJ traffic over the "back track". I am not sure of a tunnel though. For more information online on the area check out the following http://www.gingerb.com/central_railroad ... jersey.htm

This may have been the old Lehigh Valley RR passenger line that came down the mountain from Mountain Top to Wilkes-Barre. Do not know if this line had a tunnel, however.

The tunnel in question is probably the Wilkes Barre Hazelton Railway tunnel under Penobscot Mountain which coincidently Route 81 runs over.
This is also located east of Nanticoke.

Brian

http://www.trainworks.net/

I've been all the way in the WB&H tunnel a few times, I-81 goes over the North end. It is very drippy.

Map of tunnel:

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=41. ... =nad83&u=7

JimBoylan wrote:I've been all the way in the WB&H tunnel a few times, I-81 goes over the North end. It is very drippy.

According to some people in the area, the tunnel is blocked a quarter of the way through the mountain. It sure looks from the map like I-81 construction destroyed the North end. Also, I (through pure happenstance) took a perfect re-creation shot of where the old station used to be just south of the tunnel at Nuangola: http://blog.russnelson.com/railroads/nu ... ation.html

On a slightly different note, the Lehigh Valley line which is climbing up the mountain in the opposite diagonal from I-81 crosses I-81 just a little bit up the hill from the WB&H tunnel. If you climb down the hill just a little bit the railbed is easy to spot.

RussNelson wrote:According to some people in the area, the tunnel is blocked a quarter of the way through the mountain.

In the late 1970s, I walked all the way through to the pile of dirt and drain pipe at the North end under I-81. Only the South end was wet. In 2002, I walked more than half way in, past the top of the hill and started down towards the North end. All the way was wet, and there was standing water beyond the "hump". I'd like to go back, but with higher boots.

The south end of the WB&H tunnel ...

In 1900:



And in 2005:



This Geocache page has some information. Unfortunately, I think you have to be a member anymore to see the detailed information, but if anyone's interested, just ask; I can provide maps and coordinates.

Zhanna

ps mhig9000, I went to college near NYC as well ... I hear you on suffering through the long Martz bus rides.