Steam & Excursion > Last run of Steamtown's CN 3254 (Until?)

Made it a point to catch Steamtown's CN #3254 on Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 - it was the
last run for the year and if you place any merit on the talk both at the park and on line,
perhaps this was the last run for a long, long time.

In short, but not official - it's been said she's a tired engine with lots of little
problems amounting to a problem big enough for the Park to consider rebuilding CP #2317
first, if not B&M #3713 all followed by Baldwin #26 first.

'Course, one has to be amazed that steam runs at all at a government park, let alone a
large mainline engine at speeds much greater then your average tourist line.

Never take anything for granted and next time your at Steamtown - or any tourist train
operation, ask: "Where's the operational steam engine?"

Enjoy these pics from 12-2-12!

1) By Bridge 60 Tower

2) Racing past the former DL&W Station

3) The lit dark side at Elmhurst, PA

/Mitch

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4) Under the former Erie trestle

/Mitch

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5) And how about this - photographed running past the tower between Gouldsboro and Tobyhanna.

Who knew, right? Was this the "Lehigh Tower"?

Interesting thing about this shot - it was overcast, dark and gloomy all day until just
minutes before the train arrived here running a bit late from Gouldsboro to Toby light just
to run around the consist and place the diesel on the point. Odd luck for me!

Wondering why the move to Toby was necessary as I thought previous runs to Gouldsboro did
not require the extra trip to Toby.

/Mitch

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I love all the shots Mitch, but the last one is somehow my favorite one.

Martin

I too like all of them, bu that last one is a bit more special.

Fabulous pictures, as to the future, reminder it is owned by the government. the winds change, but I do know a great many of the staff will state their case.

Theodore Picraux
St. Peters, MO
Shuttletrain's Wanderings

Absolutely like all of the pics except the last one........personally I do not like pics of hulks of towers. One thing if it is an intact shell and you really can't tell it's non functional. But the hulks just look sad to me. There is certainly a time and place that for that, but generally the gutted hulk gets too much play for me. Sorry if I offended you. Just the way I am.

Tominde Wrote:
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> Absolutely like all of the pics except the last
> one........personally I do not like pics of hulks
> of towers. One thing if it is an intact shell
> and you really can't tell it's non functional.
> But the hulks just look sad to me. There is
> certainly a time and place that for that, but
> generally the gutted hulk gets too much play for
> me. Sorry if I offended you. Just the way I
> am.

It would take a lot more then an honest opinion
to hurt my feelings - interesting perspective.

I differ there - I'm happy to see it still standing
and next to a 1917 built steam engine, it's almost
like a reunion of post war relics - just one happened
to find a way back to life. And as long as both still
exist, there's always hope for the future. Tells a
nice story of possibilities and survival.

But - if you prefer:

/Mitch

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Mitch,

Lehigh Tower was located in Lehigh, around MP 114.5; would have been a few 100 yards east of Leigh Road Crossing. There was a wye there; today you'd have no idea that there was ever a wye there. The tower that you have a photo of is it controlled the switches for Gouldsboro Yard; it sits right near the Pike/Monroe County Line. According to my book I have here, it was taken out of service when the line was CTC'd. A ghostly reminder of an older time.

Andy

Your excellent images should remind us all to not take for granted any operation of historic trains, including steam locomotives.

In my humble opinion, your final image which includes the hulk of a tower, is the best. Although its sad that such a structure has been allowed to deteriorate, in most parts of North America, all such structures are long gone, as are many formerly-proprietary signal systems.

Great photos, and yes, take nothing for granted.

Steamtown is a sore spot for me as I made a special effort to visit there a couple of years ago for the first time in over 20 years. While the museum was very, very nice, alas, there was no steam at Steamtown in the middle of the summer. Unbelievable.

aottinger Wrote:
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> Mitch,
>
> Lehigh Tower was located in Lehigh, around MP
> 114.5; would have been a few 100 yards east of
> Leigh Road Crossing. There was a wye there; today
> you'd have no idea that there was ever a wye
> there. The tower that you have a photo of is it
> controlled the switches for Gouldsboro Yard;
> Andy

Run that by me again - which tower is THIS ONE?
I was thinking there was a tower by the station
at Gouldsboro but my mistake. Is this then
"Gouldsboro Tower"?

Are there remnants of the Lehigh tower?

/Mitch



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/12 20:47 by Mgoldman.

Hope they rebuild it. It is a very good looking engine and has had a history of good service.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Hope they rebuild it. It is a very good looking
> engine and has had a history of good service.


If I recall correctly, it may have had a history of
good service but though I had heard it was not the
most well liked engine - it was a freight engine
with "small" drivers, rode somewhat rough, at least
compared to the CP Pacific #2317 and got rather
cool in the Winter (though that shouldn't have been
much an issue).

I hope it finds its way back in service - it's as
fun to watch, ride and photograph as any special
excursion running anywhere else. If this engine
were to run in Kansas, Idaho or anywhere in Canada
people likely would have been making reservations
for hotels, rental cars and flights.

She's a looker alright!

/Mitch

What surprised me about your tower picture is that the rail line, which appears to be fairly recently and well rebuilt (though seemingly not much used) is built with stick rail. Almost all the other pictures I can recall seeing of decomposing towers next to a rail line, and nothing obvious for the tower to have controlled, are ribbon-rail lines.

Glad to see your shots came out great Mitch! Thanks again for helping me get around.... glad I finally made it up to Steamtown after 4 years. Here's a few...

1: Steaming it up in Scranton.

2. Dunmore, as viewed from I-380.

3. Gouldsboro, at one of the many lakes.

-Mike

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So it sounds like all of Steamtown's engines are out of service. That's really too bad. Hopefully they can get 3713 restored in time for next tourist season.
I personally think Steamtown has a lot to offer. I was very impressed when I first went there back in '97, and I have returned twice sense. They have done a good job removing asbestos and rejacketing all of the steamers that were in the parking lot, such as Reading 2124. 759 got the same treatment in the roundhouse. I think it's really a spectacular site. My only complaint is that they didn't rebuild the roundhouse to look more historical. Half of it looks like '90s architecture... But what ever, we can't have everything.

I just wish the railway museum in Spencer could have so many steam engines. It was great to see 630 there this summer.

Really good work Mitch. I like your artistic touch with #4.

I covered 3254 during the NRHS trip in 2010, and I hope she will be back with us again someday.

Your photos are a fitting farewell....for now.

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

lwilton Wrote:
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> What surprised me about your tower picture is that
> the rail line, which appears to be fairly recently
> and well rebuilt (though seemingly not much used)
> is built with stick rail. Almost all the other
> pictures I can recall seeing of decomposing towers
> next to a rail line, and nothing obvious for the
> tower to have controlled, are ribbon-rail lines.

From around the start of the 20th Century to the beginning of WWI the Lackawanna went about making major engineering improvements to the entire railroad. The most notable were the building of the New Jersey Cutoff from Port Morris, NJ to Slateford, PA and the Nicholson Cutoff featuring Tunkahannock Viaduct. In between Slateford and Scranton there was some improvements but not the major line relocations found east and west of the Pocono Mountain region. As a result of building the New Jersey Cutoff starting in 1909 the Lackawanna became a railroad pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete with its viaducts the most obvious examples. This extended to stations such as Pocono Summit among many and then the towers such as Gouldsboro, Tobyhanna, Slateford Jct., and Mattes Street in Scranton. All are abandoned today although Mattes Street and Tobyhanna are enclosed with occasional tours available inside the empty Mattes Street. Ironically the most preserved and intact tower is the WOOD one at East Stroudsburg! These towers along with several others in New Jersey survive because they are not in the way and frankly would take a lot of work to demolish.

As to the railroad this line was active until about 1979 as a through route for Conrail. There were a lot of twists and turns after that but today this line is operated by the Delaware Lackawanna, famous for its fleet of Alco power. Between the 3 times a week "Portland Turn" to interchange with Norfolk Southern at Slateford Jct. and unit grain trains destined to the grain mill at Mt. Pocono there is usually a train passing through Gouldsboro 5 or so days a week (and yes Gouldsboro was named for Jay Gould who was involved in the tanning industry before his jump into railroads).

Tim

Mitch,

I dont think there's anything left of Lehigh Tower other than photos. It's been gone for a long time; it was a classic DL&W wooden tower. The wye and tower would have been about 1/4 mile east of today's Lehigh Road grade crossing.

The tower at Gouldsboro, the one you took a photograph of, controlled all the switches at Gouldsboro Yard.