Heading for Shamokin

In August I plan on taking a trip out to Shamokin to visit friends. I know that there is a line going through the center of town, but I would like to know the frequency of freight traffic on this line. Also, are there any good locations in PA past the DWG where I can take some good pictures? I will be taking 287 to RT 78.

Some excellent photos to be taken around the old Bethlehem Steel Plant (78 west to 412 North). Private property, but many good locations around town. Recommend Lehigh Pizza or the little Pub down by the Steel Mill entrance for good viddles...

The Selinsgrove Branch (west of Shamokin) provides some excellent photo opportunities (as do the co-eds at Susquehanna University).

Shamokin is a ridiculously depressing town to either exist in or photograoh, but if you are into photographing America's decaying glory days, then it'll fit like a glove. The clock from the old railroad station is lying on the ground amidst a pile of rubble. Looks like something more fit for urban Detroit than small town, PA.

Sunbury, also west of Shamokin has some excellent photo locations through the center of town.

Some old DLW MUs are rusting away in weeds just south of Route 11 near a tank a farm just northeast of Sunbury. Good ribs (excellent ribs, really) available at BJs in Danville, PA as well as Selinsgrove, PA.

PPL Shamokin Dam plant maintains an in plant switching operation to move hopper cars loaded with coal.

Recently reactivated rails between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg provide some beautiful scenery replete with local Dutchman or Menonites atop horses or riding behind them in buggies.

Enola yard by Harrisburg is very interesting and is worth a visit.

An abandoned coal operation in Treverton, PA (just west of Shamokin) has rails and some machinery intact and would probably be worth a gander.

Centralia, the famous site of an underground coal fire burning to this day, is quite interesting, and more than a touch creepy.

That's all I can think of. Hope it helps some. Many thanks are due for my ex-wife for having shown me all of these things and tolerated me actually being interested in trains.

SemperFidelis wrote:Some old DLW MUs are rusting away in weeds just south of Route 11 near a tank a farm just northeast of Sunbury.

In Nothumberland, on the North side of the river from Sunbury, are more DLW MUs on the freight station house tracks. They're part of a Tuscan Red restaurant.

SemperFidelis wrote:
Recently reactivated rails between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg provide some beautiful scenery replete with local Dutchman or Menonites atop horses or riding behind them in buggies.

That's all I can think of. Hope it helps some. Many thanks are due for my ex-wife for having shown me all of these things and tolerated me actually being interested in trains.

Hold on, recently reactivated rails between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg?

Are you sure? and if so when were these reactivated?

Brooks

There's also a very large model railroad club layout in Shamokin that captures the 'flavor' of the coal region in its heyday. Worth a visit as well. It's across from the track so convenient.

Here's the link to the Lower Anthracite Model RR Club in Shamokin.

http://www.trainweb.org/lamrrc/

There's also some additional links at the bottom of their page that may be useful.

The last time I drove past, a few months ago now, several of theold washouts had been filled in. I had assumed this meant reactivation to some extent. I could be wrong, though.

Most NS mainline east-west traffic between Harrisburg and the NY-NJ Metro area uses the former Reading main via Allentown and its namesake city. One of the best spots for viewing is at Macungie, where the line crosses Penna Route 100. The community has provided a park-like setting, and it's become a gathering-place for local railfans.

North-south traffic to Upstate New York, Buffalo, and Canada follows either the former CNJ main from Allentown to Pittston, or the former PRR Wilkes-Barre Branch, now identified as the Sunbury Line. The CNJ sees 4-6 moves daily, and the former division point at Jim Thorpe has a number of tourist attractions, some-rail-oriented. The Sunbury Line sees 6-10 daily moves, with both CP and NS power. The portion between Catawissa and Nanticoke is generally easy to access.