Lackawanna Cut-off

I recently got my copy of CPR's company news magazine, "Momentum". There was an article in it about restoring the cut-off. It was written by a Railway Age columnist. He pointed out that it would save the D&H 50 miles, vs. the LV line via Allentown. At the end there was a disclaimer this may not be CPR"s opinions. Why would they print this if they did not at least think about it? There are many other things going on at CP that the magazine could have printed.

I thought the cutoff was going to be passenger only. I'm sure though this project could move further along if CPR got involved.

How would CP(D&H) access Oak Island Yard by using the DL&W Cutoff?

A new tactic:

Alleging New Jersey officials might not have Pennsylvania’s best interests in mind, the congressional delegation from Northeast Pennsylvania is asking Gov. Ed Rendell to form an “impartial tri-state authority” to oversee passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City — taking the interstate rail project out of the hands of New Jersey Transit.

http://www.scrantontimes.com/articles/2 ... 6_top5.txt

Was recently re-reading Dave Sweetland's LACKAWANNA book and noticed 2-3 great color photos - circa the early/mid 1950's - taken at Slateford Junction that caught my eye and prompted questions....

The pics show an Eastbound freight passing the Westbound Phoebe Snow adjacent to the tower, this same freight in a going away shot climbing upgrade on the Cut-Off as well as a beautiful shot of a freight leaning into the curve just West of the Delaware bridge.

Now the questions :

Both mains were in place/active at this time. However, both the Westbound Phoebe and the Eastbound freights are pictured running on the opposing mains ! AFAIK, the Cut-Off wasn't signaled for bi-directional running, was it ? Where would the Westbound Phoebe Snow have crossed over to the normally Eastbound main....the only guess I'd have is Greendell, which is quite a distance East on the NJ side. As to those Eastbound freights, they would have been re-directed to the normally Westbound main at the crossovers at E. Stroudsburg, correct ?
How common was this and what would prompt this operation back then ?


Also, there are crossties neatly in place for a then recently lifted 3rd track that the pics show ran West around past the tower and East for some distance upgrade toward the Delaware bridge. Can anyone fill in the blanks on this passing siding or stub siding usage ?

Much thanks !

This is, be it a notch or 2 below ARC, at the top of NJT's re-activation/expansion plans. Remember, they have dual modes coming..... NYC to scranton.... Nice.

- A

We know. This thread is about the historical operations. The threat about the rebuilding/reactivation is over in the NJT forum. That's where any comments about it belong.

I'm looking for pics of any trains on the cutoff preferably the later years (50's thru Conrail years) anyone know of any? I found one picture of an EL unit on the cutoff but it doesn't specify where, and most of the other pics are from the early years.

oknazevad wrote:We know. This thread is about the historical operations. The threat about the rebuilding/reactivation is over in the NJT forum. That's where any comments about it belong.

Ok, excuse me for not being able to find it in the million threads here. A PM would have done, so would a plain & simple link to the thread you mentioned (which i still can't find). I don't need the attitude, thanks!

- A

The NJTransit Forum thread on the Lackawanna Cutoff is http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... =69&t=1580 Please keep this thread for discussion about the route selection, design, construction, and operation of the Lackawanna Cutoff. Please keep post operation (1984-present) conversation limited to helping those trying to go out and view the route. The NJT Forum thread is the place for all reconstruction discussion/controversy.

NYSW2 wrote:I'm looking for pics of any trains on the cutoff preferably the later years (50's thru Conrail years) anyone know of any? I found one picture of an EL unit on the cutoff but it doesn't specify where, and most of the other pics are from the early years.

Well this 1940 aerial is ten years before the date you wanted - but here's an east-bound steam freight just clearing Belcher Road, in Blairstown Township (at Kalarama). In the upper left corner is "Rocco's Villa Sunset ( http://www.adventuresingoodeating.org/2 ... unset.html ) On the north side of the tracks - near the 15th car visible emerging from the steam plume at the right - you can see a small white dot and its shadow, which I believe is a water tank - from there is a very fine line heading north past the open fields/orchards into the wooded area at the top of the photo. That is a trench in which it appears that a 12" (?) cast iron pipe conducted water from a pumping facility on the western end of Cedar Lake - which is at least 120' lower than the track elevation. The remains of the pump station are still there with '1911' stamped in the concrete on the southwest corner. The trench runs as deep as 4' on its path down the hill - so I suspect the pipe was removed once steam power ended. I'm wondering if this system fed a track pan - since the Cutoff's heralded attribute was its high speed it doesn't seem to follow that trains would stop to take on water - 2 miles west of Blairstown Station. Anyone have any info on that?

RE: my January 2, 2011, post in which I asked whether anyone had info on the use of track pans for steam engines on the Cut Off - the Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad Historical Society kindly answered my question: "There was indeed a water tank and stand pipe at Blairstown. Blairstown was the only regular stop for mainline passenger trains on the Cut-Off and so locating a stand pipe there was expeditious. The Lackawanna never used or even experimented with to the best of my knowledge, track pans." There you have it!

Picture of the water tower remains:




The trench behind is still very visible but I have never followed it too far. I will next time.

Thanks, Mikedc3! I almost made it up to the tower walking up the pipeline trench from Cedar Lake but ran into a bunch of fellows hunting and didn't want to ruin their day anymore than I already had, so went back down.

for vintage photos of the cutoff visit the Library of Congress Website. There is planty of pics of Scranton, Tunkhannock, Martins Creek, Roseville, Greendel, and The two Viaducts. I searched specific towns, and not CutOff as the keyword.