Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

It was just before noon when we reached the bridge over Stafford's Meadow Brook at Little Virginia. The sun was pretty intense.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

On Monday we were finally able to take our hike down the Erie. Most of the snow and ice were long gone by then. This view is near milepost 13, tracks are on the left.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

The snow and ice in the big cut was melting off in yesterday warm weather. It was pretty wet in many places along the right-of-way.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

We walked part of the Erie yesterday, here's the snow covered West Junction branch, near Matthew Street in Scranton.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls, this morning around 10:45.

Nay Aug Park

A view of Nay Aug Gorge from this morning.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

On Friday we attempted to walk down the Erie tracks, but gave up because of the icy conditions. This is just east of milepost 13.

Merry Christmas

A postcard of the Sterling-Lindner Tree in Cleveland Ohio.

Nay Aug Park

Another view of a snow covered Nay Aug Park, from last Sunday.

Nay Aug Park

A snow covered roadway in Nay Aug park, yesterday morning.

Nay Aug Park

Looking down into Nay Aug Gorge yesterday morning.

Nay Aug Falls

A snowy Nay Aug Falls this morning, about 11:15.

Nay Aug Park

The Brooks Model Coal Mine in Nay Aug Park.

Nay Aug Park

A view of Nay Aug Gorge from last Sunday.

Laurel Line

A view of the trolley from the Spruce Street Complex. The University of Scranton soccer field is in the background. This area was once the site of the Laurel Line's Scranton passenger station.

Steamtown

The 2317 with a couple of passenger cars passes under the observation bridge, heading east down the Lackawanna mainline.

Steamtown

The 2317 roars down the mainline with a short passenger train. These views are from the observation bridge leading up to the Steamtown Mall.

Steamtown

On Saturday the 6th, we caught Canadian Pacific 2317 passing Canadian National 3254 down in the Steamtown yard. The 3254 is waiting for its 11 AM departure to Moscow. A little while later we caught the Moscow excursion passing the DL&W Station, see below.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls was really roaring this morning, about 10:45, after all that rain the other day.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

As the train heads east towards Moscow, Lackawanna Station becomes visible.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

Another view of the train passing us, last Saturday.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

Another view as the train races east along the Lackawanna main. In the distance is the University of Scranton.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

Canadian National 3254 racing past us on the former Lackawanna mainline, last Saturday. Note the Christmas wreath.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

A Christmas wreath is visible on the front of 3254. The former DL&W Express Building is seen at right.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

On Saturday morning we caught Canadian National 3254 running down the former Lackawanna mainline. The Moscow bound excursion is passing the Mattes Street Tower, behind Lackawanna Station in Downtown Scranton. The former DL&W Locomotive Shops can be seen at left, behind the tower.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls this morning, at about 10:40. There was a light dusting of snow this morning.

Steamtown

2317 hauling a short train up the former Lackawanna mainline, passing the Steamtown Mall.

Steamtown

Canadian Pacific 2317 backing through the former Lackawanna yard. From a couple weeks ago.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

This portion of the wall has these two vertical cuts in the wall, not sure what this was for.

Information on the LI&S RR is on my other site at:http://remnantsofthepast.piczo.com/?g=1&cr=5

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

On the recent expedition to trace the remains of the Lackawanna Iron & Steel Company Railroad, we came across this stone retaining wall just below the Erie tracks. Since we'd never walked along the level below the Erie, we never noticed this.

Steamtown

2317 storming down the mainline, as 3254 waits for its 11AM departure to Moscow.

Steamtown

On Saturday morning we caught Canadian National 3254 at the boarding platform. 2317 is steaming away in the background.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls, this morning about 10:45. The weather was rather unpleasant this morning, so we didn't stay down here for too long.

Number 5 Dam

On the second expedition, I was able to get a better photo of the Number 5 Dam. On an old map from 1888, this was simply shown as the New Dam.

Laurel Line: Minooka Branch

One one of the ore mine expeditions, we spotted this stonework alongside the Minooka Branch. None of us had any idea of what this was part of. All that is certain is that it appears to be part of a foundation.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

A little further east, new ties were placed alongside the tracks. This was part of a tie replacement project, which has since been completed. In the background is Lackawanna Station, to the right, the University of Scranton.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

We spotted this tracklaying equipment behind Lackawanna Station a couple weeks ago.

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division

Winter is settling in early along the Erie. The big rock cut between milepost 14 and West Junction is covered in ice.

Pennsylvania Coal Company RR: A Rock Cut

Another view, looking down into the rock cut. A few drill marks in the rock are visible.

Pennsylvania Coal Company RR: A Rock Cut

I think I figured out what this cut was from. Looking at an 1877 map, this appears to be a cut through the rock for the loaded track from the Pennsylvania Coal Company's gravity railroad. This is just a short distance north (towards Dunmore) from the unnamed creek. It's also just below the Erie tracks, which were once the location of the light track back to Plains Junction.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls, about 10:30 this morning. It's starting to ice up down here.

Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co: Ore Mines

We suspect that at some point after the mining operation was abandoned, charges were placed on the mountainside, blasting heavy rocks down across the mine openings. Sticking the camera under one of the large rocks shows a jumble of rock and debris.

Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co: Ore Mines

On Tuesday the expedition team made the third trip down to the Lackawanna Iron Ore Mines. There was a light dusting of snow when we got down there. Here's a view of one of the mines.

Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co Railroad

Once the line crosses the Erie's right-of-way, it runs along this path, just below the Erie's tracks, for probably close to a mile. The Erie tracks would be on the top of the embankment on the left.

Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co Railroad

Last Friday we searched out the remaining parts of the Iron Ore railroad. Once the right-of-way comes around the corner of Moosic Mountain, it runs along this ridge just above the Erie's Wyoming Division trackage. As near as we can figure, this line opened in 1842 to provide iron ore to the Scranton Iron Furnaces. It ran by gravity inbound, and mules hauled the empty cars back to the mines. This line not only predates the Erie's Wyoming Division, but also the Pennsylvania Coal Company's gravity road.

Steamtown

We also saw Canadian Pacific 2317 at Steamtown on Saturday from the observation bridge. In the background is the former Lackawanna Railroad roundhouse. In the distance is Scranton's west side.

Lackawanna Railroad: Scranton

On Saturday we saw this train idling along Ridge Row in Scranton. The railroad is replacing alot of ties in this stretch of track, hence all the new ties along the right-of-way. In the distance is the Community Medical Center. The University of Scranton is on the left.

Nay Aug Falls

Nay Aug Falls, just before 11 o'clock this morning. All that rain yesterday sure has made Roaring Brook really Roar.

Lackawanna Ore Mine Expedition Team

This is the group that came together to locate and explore the Lackawanna Iron Ore mine and railroad. Mike, Steve, Frank and Carl. We all have different areas of expertise, covering railroads, mining, geology, and local history. Individually we couldn't have done these trips, but together we could.

Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co Railroad

A stone foundation along the right-of-way. The actual railbed would be to the right of the stone.