FIG rail line...

Hey All,

Does anyone know if a rail line runs into Ft. Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in PA?
I’ve been trying to find some info about this, in particular during WWII…
If anyone could point me in a direction on the net, that would be helpful, TIA.

I've studied old topo maps and been to the post, and I've found no evidence of a rail line entering the site. Topo maps show the Reading once had a loop track and a yard marked "Military Res" to serve the post a couple of miles or so to the east in the northeast quadrant of the Lickdale exit off I-81, but this north-south line has been gone for decades and there are few clues left to indicate a rail line once ran there. Part of the right-of-way is now a hiker-biker trail and the foundation of what was probably the Lickdale station remains.

RailVet wrote:I've studied old topo maps and been to the post, and I've found no evidence of a rail line entering the site. Topo maps show the Reading once had a loop track and a yard marked "Military Res" to serve the post a couple of miles or so to the east in the northeast quadrant of the Lickdale exit off I-81, but this north-south line has been gone for decades and there are few clues left to indicate a rail line once ran there. Part of the right-of-way is now a hiker-biker trail and the foundation of what was probably the Lickdale station remains.

The loop was for turning WWII troop trains. The Gap was an initial embarkation point for troops headed to Europe by ship. The tracks to the post came off the Reading's Lebanon & Tremont branch and, as I recall, lasted longer than that branch itself. FIG has been a National Guard post for many years and features an artillery range and a bombing range.

Thanks guys for replying and the info…

FIG is currently host to the 56th Stryker Brigade and I was wondering how the Army might deploy this brigade if there isn't a rail line into the Fort any longer…
(It’s a long drive to the coast to board ships for over seas travel…)

I used to visit the GAP once a year, but could not remember any rail lines on the Fort grounds, out side the grounds, yes, but not in…

Of course, during WWII, all major Army training bases had rail links. It was the most economical means to transport large numbers of troops and material to and from these facilities.

Mr. Thompson thanks for the Reading lead, I’ll be following that one up soonest…

thanks

Just for information sake, here are two links for FIG history…

http://www.wwiifederation.org/p_index.html (Hit the history tab…)

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Milita ... 070130.pdf

Mil-Rails wrote:Thanks guys for replying and the info…

FIG is currently host to the 56th Stryker Brigade and I was wondering how the Army might deploy this brigade if there isn't a rail line into the Fort any longer…
(It’s a long drive to the coast to board ships for over seas travel…)

I used to visit the GAP once a year, but could not remember any rail lines on the Fort grounds, out side the grounds, yes, but not in…

Of course, during WWII, all major Army training bases had rail links. It was the most economical means to transport large numbers of troops and material to and from these facilities.

Mr. Thompson thanks for the Reading lead, I’ll be following that one up soonest…

thanks

Just for information sake, here are two links for FIG history…

http://www.wwiifederation.org/p_index.html (Hit the history tab…)

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Milita ... 070130.pdf

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Glad to have helped.

Good question about the Strykers. It doesn't make sense that they should be driven to an embarkation port; perhaps they are loaded on something akin to tank transporters for the trip. (I suppose it's possible they could be driven down to Lebanon and then loaded on flat cars, but I doubt there's any ideal place in the NS yards for such a procedure.)

Equipment being shipped by rail is trucked or driven to and from Harrisburg. I have heard a few stories about the Pa. National Guard looking for closer rail access including exploring the old railbed from
Lebanon and looking at some sites in that city.
The old yard for FTIG was located at what is now the area of the Lickdale Campground. I believe hurricane Agnes ended rail service to the Gap.
My father used to ride the troop train from Scranton to FTIG and said it would take a full day. Many hours were spent sitting yards in between.
Once they made it to Lickdale they would march a couple of miles into the Gap. Each soldier had to carry his duffel bag on his back. A company was allocated 1 boxcar for the company equipment.

Hey All,

Heidelbergbreaker, thanks for adding another piece to the puzzle.

Did your Dad serve during the War when he made the trips from Scranton?

I still haven't found any photos of trains going to or coming from the Gap,
but that's the way it can go sometimes, still looking…

Heidelbergbreaker wrote:Equipment being shipped by rail is trucked or driven to and from Harrisburg. I have heard a few stories about the Pa. National Guard looking for closer rail access including exploring the old railbed from
Lebanon and looking at some sites in that city. I believe hurricane Agnes ended rail service to the Gap.

It would be nice if rail service were restored to the Gap; however, how much of the RoW is reclaimable? Agnes certainly ended Pennsy service to Lebanon, but -- and I know my memory ain't what it was -- I think the Reading trackage to the Gap survived that storm.

From the impression I received the ROW is not reclaimable.
I don't remember what the time period was for the troop trains from Scranton but believe it continued after WWII. I also remember seeing pictures of M68 tanks being loaded on flatcars to be shipped from the Gap. The most vivid one was an engine compartment on fire while loaded on the flatcar.
There is a museum at FTIG that may be able to shed some light
about rail service.
I remember the Reading line being washed out near the Ravine exit of I-81 aftern Agnes and never being repaired. You could be correct that the line from Lebanon to Lickdale survived. Portions of that ROW north of Lickdale are now a hiking trail thru Swatara State Park. In the early 70's a large dam was planned for the state park. That could have been the reason for the abandonment of the branch. The dam was never built. The National Guard also supposedly tranported some of the salvaged rail to the Railroad Museum at Strasbug.

28th Division "Roll On"[/quote]

While the railroad never went to ITG proper, ITG came to the railroad. The 15-minute series map show a section of the Lickdale/ITG Station yard complex as a "Military Installation" indicating that at one time rail support was considered important.