Old Road Memories

Enjoying the Phoebe Snow discussion lately and recently re-reading "Lackawanna in NW NJ" where mention is made of the oddity of only a westward passenger train #47 in the final varnish days makes me want to share some memories of the freights west of Washngton in the 50's and early 60's.

For several years only a westward "roustabout" (other than the mine run) ran between Washington and Portland. I watched it from the front windows of Oxford Central mid-morning. Powered often by one unit, usually an RS-3, sometimes a 930 FM, rarely a GP, and once I saw an SW- #554, all by itself. The run was Port Morris to Slateford Jct. Old Road and return via the Cut-Off.

The consist wasn't too big, mostly local freight and the empty cement cars plus whatever the Pburger left at Washington.

Then we got a few years of symbol freights with 2/HB-9 afternoon or evening and BH-12 which I remenber in the early morning.

At the end was the turnaround from Scranton with often 3 Baldwin RS's to Washington. The rule was they didn't run it unless there was 2900 tons.

And, strangly enough the computer simulator, Train Dispatcher, has the DL&W 1958 as one of the games. It has that freight to and from Portland/Scranton as well as HB9 going over the Old Road. In the game HB9 is actually running around a maintenance closure on the Cut-Off. In order for the crew to not run out of time before Scranton, they have to run via the Old Road at 40mph.

Thanks for your memories and insights. Nice stuff!

Not getting to ride over the Old Road, especially the gauntlet track through Oxford Tunnel nor through Manunka Chunk Tunnel, either. Did get to see trains along there in the late 50s/eraly 60s on one or two occasions. My last train impression was around 10pm in June of 1962 when I caught a full set of F units heading east just west of Manunka Chunk...the headlight, number boards, truck lights, and port hole lights was all I saw! And what an indelible sight it was!

Does anyone know when the very last freight went via the Old Road? I remember seeing a photo of a train coming out of Oxford Tunnel in 1968...Was this the end????

Thanks,
Steve

Just after I arrived at Hoboken as Asst. Division Engineer in November 1968, Oxford Tunnel developed a serious drainage problem, and the track was removed. That was the end, around early December 1968. I don't think there was any notable "last train" because the damage occurred unexpectedly, but my memory could be corrected if someone has more information.

I have a 1934 Railway Guide that shows some interesting trains on the Old Main Line (as many called it into the 60s).

Train 1 -- no name. Hoboken 8:00 am, up the Boonton Line, to Washington, ending at Binghamton (3:25 pm). Coach only

Train 25 -- no name Hoboken 4:50, through Washington arriving and ending at Scranton at 10:05pm. From DWG to Scranton it ran an hour after #5 and an hour before #7. Coach only.

Train 26 -- Left Scranton 9:00 am with buffet lounge car, parlor car, and coach(es). Through Washinton and arriving at Hoboken at 1:05 pm.

Train #42 -- Shown as a Mixed Train. Left Binghamton at 12:05 pm, Old Main Line, Boonton Line, arriving in Hoboken at 9:15 pm.

In later years the Scranton to Hoboken train was called the Merchants Limited and ran earlier. Too, Train 42 was upgraded and ran the Cut Off and for many years stopped at Morristown and Summit.

Interesting industrial archeology.