Steam & Excursion > Steamtown's excursion to the Delaware Water Gap

On Sunday, a Steamtown excursion ran from Scranton (PA) to the Delaware Water Gap. The trip was to celebrate "Founder's Day". It is a town-wide series of events held in honor of Antoine Dutot, who founded Dutotsburg, now Delaware Water Gap, in 1793. The weather certainly didn't cooperate as it was a overcast day with occasional drizzle. Motive power for this trip was Lackawanna 663 and CNJ 1554 with a consist of two Central RR of NJ coaches, three Lackawanna coaches and bringing up the rear markers was a Lehigh Valley business car. Judging from the number of passengers seen in the coaches, ticket sales must have been brisk since every seat seemed to be occupied. The video shows the excursion approaching the Forge Road grade crossing in East Stroudsburg. That bridge in the background is eastbound I-80.

Image 1: After allowing the passengers to disembark at the DL&W station, the excursion heads down to Slateford to switch the power around for the train's return departure at 3 o'clock.

Image 2: With the power reversed, CNJ 1554 leads the train back to the DL&W station. That mountain seen off to the left would be NJ's 1,526 foot tall Mt. Tammany. Since there was no sun to be seen I can't say that the train is passing in the shadow of Pennsylvania's 1,460 foot tall Mt. Minsi. This image was taken across the Delaware River on the NJ side from Kittatinny Beach. Not too far down river from this train's location is the site of a September 11, 1975 train derailment that ended up in the river. The website Diver Buddy.com has this account "... two engines and thirteen cars of a freight train went into the river. The train’s crew was unhurt in a third engine. Most of the wreckage was cleaned up, but several cars remain, including a closed boxcar in 14 ft of Miller Beerwater, and nearby a flatbed car with a semi-trailer full of real Miller beer bottles In the CNJ tables of the FRA database, this wreck is listed. The specifics are: Lead unit CNJ 3068, nearest station is listed as Slateford Junction, temperature was 62 degrees, train speed was 37 mph, train number was 99 (ES-99), with 2460 tons, 17 loads, 41 empties, equipment damage was $546,840, track damage was $11,243, for a wreck total of $558,093. It also lists the time as 8:18 pm."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/17 06:59 by Pattenburg.

---

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Your video was a most delightful way to start my day. GREAT looking train. Like the Lackawnna F3 paint scheme and its single note air horn . The RS-3 looks very fine ,too, in its dress. THANKS for posting.

The rear car is a Lehigh Valley BUSINESS car NOT a coach!

I take it that the RS3 is subbing for the other F7 which I heard was ailing. But this is a great combo.