Locating the E&N Branch

Google satellite maps now allows you to see the arial satellite map (instead of just a blur) from Easton all the way north. I thought this would be great so I could finally trace the E&N branch from Easton station north to Stockton. The line has been oblitereated in so many places you can't trace it so well. I'm surprised to see those two huge ancient wooden trestles are still in place in over Spring St at the W Easton Community Park. I saw them 10 years ago and it looked like the wind could blow them over. They were a reason for the line's abandonment.

Mike Bednar's book says that even in the late 1970s there were 3 jobs a day, then down to once a week or as-needed by '83. When it was discovered that the bridges were so bad and unsafe CR decided to abandon the line. They told the online customers to use trucks; party's over.

I'm surprised because from the north part of the line where it starts in Stockton, there are still quite a few would-be customers. I don't understand why CR just didn't serve the line from the north???

A lot of new housing developments too. I wonder how many of these home owners know a RR literally was in their back yard! You can clearly see where the 13th St Jct was (where the line turned north and the original line continued along Rt 22). There is a defined split in the red factory buildings to make way for the RR. There are even ties in place. Incredible!!!

The E&N is one of the many lines I wish was still around. I also learned a lot about it from Mike Bednar's books. Unfortunately I don't have any shots of the line in operation, but I have pics all along it after it was abandoned. I also shot most of the crossings that were still in place a few years back. I think it was about 3 years ago now that they paved over the Bushkill Drive crossing which still had signs up which I took pictures of, but I regret not getting any shots of the Northampton St. xing in Wilson which was removed about 2 years ago. And just over the Summer, I took some detailed shots of the wooden trestles in West Easton. My pics are on rrpicturearchives if interested. Man, what I'd give to see a unit coal drag with LV pups heading up to the EL at Belfast Jct. going over those trestles!

Bryan

[quote="carajul"] I don't understand why CR just didn't serve the line from the north???[/quote]

They did.

Cars were shipped to Wilson via Stockertown for many years.

Only the eastern couple of miles were abandoned because of the bridges. The rest operated well into Conrail. I never did get to chase that line.

JH

carajul wrote: I don't understand why CR just didn't serve the line from the north???

They did.

Cars were shipped to Wilson via Stockertown for many years.

Only the eastern couple of miles were abandoned because of the bridges. The rest operated well into Conrail. I never did get to chase that line.

JH

From old maps, it seems that from Wilson there was a branch of
this line that went southwest to connect with the CNJ on
the north side of the Lehigh River. There is a recreation trail over most of it now. So if the bridges/trestlesbetween Wilson and the LV connection on the south side of theriver were out, is there any reason under conrail that the Wilson area wasn't served off this branch from the CNj, as opposed to going via Stockertown?

Or maybe this part of the CNJ was already abandoned by then
because of the joint operating agreemetn with LV?

Who knows? Thanks, JS

The only surviving CNJ lines in the area was the old main to Freemansburg from Bethelehm and the Minsi Trail Branch. There were customers into the 1980's. Read this link for details: http://www.freewebs.com/jerseycentralli ... ilcorp.htm

I do not know how or if the CNJ connected with the E&N near Wilson. I do know that when the last customer was lost at Wilson, that was the end for the E&N. It seems recent, but I bet that was 10 years ago now. The line was acquired for a rail trail in 1998. http://www.lvpc.org/NorthamptonCountyParks.pdf

I am not sure how the trail has progressed, but the CNJ and E&N lines in question are or are all slated to become trails.

JH

pumpers wrote:From old maps, it seems that from Wilson there was a branch of
this line that went southwest to connect with the CNJ on
the north side of the Lehigh River. There is a recreation trail over most of it now. So if the bridges/trestlesbetween Wilson and the LV connection on the south side of theriver were out, is there any reason under conrail that the Wilson area wasn't served off this branch from the CNj, as opposed to going via Stockertown?

Or maybe this part of the CNJ was already abandoned by then
because of the joint operating agreemetn with LV?

Who knows? Thanks, JS

Upon further review, it seems that the Minsi Trail Branch was NOT the CNJ line that went towards Wilson. Not sure of the name of that branch.

JH

John_Henry wrote:Upon further review, it seems that the Minsi Trail Branch was NOT the CNJ line that went towards Wilson. Not sure of the name of that branch.

JH

That same web site you mention has the answer -- it was the Easton
and Western(E&W), a CNJ Branch. http://www.freewebs.com/jerseycentrallines/cnjewjct.htm
Because it was between Freemansburg and West Easton, it presumably ended when service on the main line between those points ended, ~ 1973, before Conrail.
JS