Eastern Railroad Discussion > Train Trip between Bethlehem and Scranton, PA

In last months railpace magazine I saw that it advertised a train trip between Bethlehem and Scranton, PA. Any word or info on this that any may have to share would be great help. I'm sure I'm not the only curious person about this trip.

It will run Sat & Sun with Bennett Levins PRR E8's, probably follow the former LV through the Lehigh Gorge as the bridge on the DL may not be finished in time to run the trip that way.

Which Sat and Sun. and if and where can we buy tickets?

Are you sure this is in Railpace? I looked thru the April and May issues and saw nothing mentioned about this, unless I'm REALLY blind...

When is the trip? What time and where is the train departing from? Is it going to occour durring Lackawanna fest? Any info will do.

RDG630 Wrote:
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> It will run Sat & Sun with Bennett Levins PRR E8's, probably follow the former LV through the Lehigh Gorge as the bridge on the DL may not be finished in time to run the trip that way.

ANY PICTURES OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK AT BELLS BRIDGE?? ANYBODY??? BEULLER? BEULLER??

Last I heard there wasn't any work started on that bridge.

Sat the 3rd, Sun the 4th, it is part of the Lackawanna Railfest. Ticket prices will be announced later this week.

RDG630 Wrote:
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> Sat the 3rd, Sun the 4th, it is part of the
> Lackawanna Railfest. Ticket prices will be
> announced later this week.


Would that be the 3&4th of September or December?
According to my 2011 calender the 3&4 fall on Saturday and Sunday in September and December.
Jim

Lackawanna Railfest is always Labor Day weekend

That sounds like it we be a great trip, whether its through the Lehigh Gorge or along the Delaware River and through the Pocono Mountains. I'll keep my eyes on Steamtown's website through the latter part of this week and early next week.

If that trip takes the route through the Lehigh Gorge and Glen Summit I'd be absolutely thrilled! :)

Is this a one day trip or a two day trip? If it's that same train that ran a few years ago on a 4 day trip from Philly through Scranton, etc. that only the rich could afford, will this trip be affordable? As in under $200 or under $100 a ticket? It will truly be a rare event as other than the Emmaus excursions that ran in Oct 2009, this will be one of the few opportunities to board a train in Lehigh Valley area.

The last time would have been on June 30, 1981 from Union Station, Beth. to Phila. on the Conrail operated commuter service operated under contract with SEPTA. The only "regularly scheduled" passenger trains near the LV area are the SEPTA Doylestown line, NJT Raritan Valley line, and the Phillipsburg, NJ steam train as well as WK&S in Kempton, PA, BR&W in Flemington, NJ, New Hope and Ivyland, and Lehigh Gorge/Reading and Northern Railroad.

There are none directly in Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton. Seeing ANY pass train on the mainline tracks through Allentown, Bethlehem today is an extremely rare event. Because Norfolk Southern was hard to deal with with operating excursion trains over their tracks although they themselves are getting back into the steam excursion business.

It was easier in the 1980's in the Conrail days to run fan trips on the mainlines. BM&R did it with Reading 2102 1985-1987-1988. Friction bearings weren't much of an issue then, now they are. NS doesn't like them, neither does CSX. I suppose that Bennett Levin's train is all roller bearing equipped, including the older PRR coaches. I live just west of Allentown and am interested in this trip. It might be an extremely rare opportunity to ride through Allentown Yard as they must use the tracks that curve northward to the right at the west end of the yard to go north toward Lehighton and beyond if they use that routing. That was the CNJ line as the LV was ripped up in Nov. 1986 between Coplay and Lehighton. Then, the LV is used up to White Haven, then CNJ to Laurel Run, then LV again up to Dupont. I would prefer that routing as I've ridden the Pocono line to death, well only twice south of Moscow in 1987 to Pocono Summit and last year to Delaware Water Gap. But, at least 3 times to Moscow about 1998, 2001, and forget the other year. I rode the Reading and Northern line from Tunkhannock to Jim Thorpe in May 16, 2009 on the 425 steam excursion. But, I wouldn't mind riding that route again for this excursion, plus the rare mileage from Bethlehem to Lehighton and through East Jim Thorpe.