Interchange Operations at Easton / Phillipsburg

[DElder]

First, my apologies to those who monitor several of the LV discussion sites for this multiple-list posting.

I am interested in learning more about how the interchange traffic with the PC, EL, L&HR, and CNJ at Easton / Phillipsburg was handled during the early 70s (prior to the closing of Richards Yard). I’ve been looking at Mike Bednar’s excellent “New York Division” book and his Fall 2003 article on Richards Yard in TRP, and it seems apparent from those references that LV delivered interchange cars directly to the various foreign roads. However, does anyone know how traffic from the other roads to be interchanged to the LV got to the Valley? Did the LV have reciprocal switching/transfer agreements with the other roads such that they would both deliver to the foreign road and also pick up any cars to be interchanged to the LV? If the other roads delivered the interchange cars directly to the LV, what was the delivery point (Easton yard, to be picked up later and hauled to Richards for classification & pickup?).

Thanks in advance for any information that you may be able to provide on this!

Doug Elder
Olathe KS

[DElder]

I located an answer to my own question (at least regarding the EL and L&HR transfers) while looking through the archives of the LV section of Railfan.net. Mark Nolan posted information on this subject back in March 2000 (thanks Mark!); I’ve repeated his original post below for those that may be interested in this subject:

Doug Elder
Olathe KS

Original Message:
I was wondering the same thing a few months ago. I figured out some of it myself and then asked Mike Bednar & Jim Kerner to confirm & clarify these operations. Here is what I learned.

The EL operated out of Phillipsburg yard and ran trains to Washington. These trains were called the "P'burger". The branch connected with the EL mainline at Dover & Port Morris. The LV would run over to the EL yard as STA (short turn around) trains. They would deliver cars to the EL. The EL would deliver cars to the LV from Phillipsburg to Easton yard. Both RR could pick up interchange cars on the return trip. The EL & LV did not exchange a great volume of cars at Easton.

The L&HR also ran to Easton yard to interchange cars. The LV ran over
to the L&HR Hudson yard. The L&HR ran trains NE84, HO6 & CB-2, Allentown to Maybrook & NE-3 & OA1- Maybrook to Allentown. The PC sent over ore trains from the Bel-Del line on trains call ZBB's. The CNJ in the 70's, after PA pullout, had only two trains into Allentown. JH-1 Elizabethport to Allentown, HJ-2 Allentown to Elizabethport. Mike covered the E&N trains in his book. These trains ran mostly out of Easton, with locos based at Easton.

[wis bang]

I located an answer to my own question

Original Message:

Mike covered the E&N trains in his book. These trains ran mostly out of Easton, with locos based at Easton.

Yup. My grandfather worked as a conductor out of Easton, often on the E&N. My father used to tell stories of catching cab rides on steamers going up the E & N; he used to walk down w/ his dad's lunch...

Said the engineer used to back across into P'burg and get a running start to make the E & N bridge over the lehigh river!