Eastern Railroad Discussion > Post-Thanksgiving treats around Scranton, PA

As has been the tradition for the past 33 years, my family and I have journeyed 120 miles north of Harrisburg, PA to Scranton to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with our families up there.  And as has been my tradition most of that time, I usually spend some time trackside Black Friday and Saturday afterward.    I had most of the morning to get out and as usual, had a choice of Delaware-Lackawanna, Steamtown, NS, and Reading and Northern within 10-15 minutes of me.  I started off at Scranton behind my alma mater - the University of Scranton - where DL "yard" job BR1 was sighted bringing 20 cars down through the remains of the former Lackawanna / EL yard complex, to bring down to NS's Taylor Yard for interchange.  In the meantime, Pocono Main job PO74, was starting to get their train together to head east to the grain mill at Mt. Pocono and the lumber facility at Cresco.   As they were working just east of the former Lackawanna station (now a Radisson hotel), Steamtown's 9:30 AM Holiday Express train was departing for Moscow and passed the working PO74. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/19 06:42 by sscannella.

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The PO74 finally got their train together and air tested, and the dispatcher gave them the go-ahead to make a bee-line to meet the passenger train at Moscow.  It's seen here at Myrtle St. in Scranton starting it's ascent of the Pocono Main, about a half mile after popping out of Nay Aug tunnel, then passing an old abandoned Lackawanna signal at Elmhurst.

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Next wee see it taking the siding at Moscow, and then passing through Tobyhanna,  just a few miles from the mill at Mt. Pocono.  There's also a video of it passing through Elmhurst at speed.

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After meeting up with my wife and her family for lunch, I had a bit of time in the afternoon before sunset to get out again.  The promised afternoon clearing had not yet occurred when I met up with the Reading and Northern's Keyser Valley job starting back to their yard at Pittston, PA.  TO get there they must first pass through NS's former Lackawanna / EL / D&H / CP yard at Taylor PA.   They are seen here on the remains of the Keyser Valley Branch and Hampton Yard area in the Stauffer Industrial Park.

I was planning on leaving Saturday morning for the two hour ride back home to the south, and with a several hour period of sunshine before the next weather system moved in, I set out to try to get a few more shots.  There was once again activity in Scranton, as the DL BR1 job was once again coming on duty, with their first order of business to head over to Taylor to make a small pick-up.  While they were over at Taylor, the Steamtown Christmas train was once again on duty and ready to depart as advertised at 09:30 AM, so I grabbed a few photos from the pedestrian bridge over the yard.

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I hung around Steamtown for a short bit, as the BR1 / DL3 job made a quick return after making a 3 car pick-up, once they came back, I headed out to get some NS activity, as both the K79 Taylor-based local was on its way back and the Enola, PA - Binghamton, NY road freight 14R was not too far behind it.

K79 had split their power around 11 gons of used ties, and I was able to get a decent going-away shot from the Davis St. bridge as they were entering Taylor Yard.  I then headed 10 miles south to Yatesville to catch the 14R grinding up the hill there.

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Another view of 14R, after which I headed back up to Scranton to pack up and pick-up the dog (my wife and daughter were travelling separately.)  While heading out, I hear the Reading and Northern yard job departing Taylor (it had come north) a bit earlier to drop-off and pick-up.   I lucked out and caught the same two SD40s that I had seen Friday with a 13 car train approaching Moosic Rd in Old Forge on remnants of the old Lackawanna Bloomsburg branch.

I decided to take a quick diversion about 2/3 of the way back to Harrisburg, to Minersville, PA, home of the recently restored CNJ 113 0-6-0, which was powering one leg of Reading and Northern's Holiday trains.  The timing was nearly perfect, as I got the 113 heading back just a mile outside of Minersville.

 

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The 113 is worth another view, then Frosty on one of the passenger cars, and a look at one of the Reading and Northern's GP39R units (former GP30) on the east / south end of the train.

I hope everyone on the site had a great Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.

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Many great photos in interesting locations. Well done.
Bob

Nicely done !   Looks like you ran the table and didn't miss a beat.

Great stuff..!!   I worked most of the weekend....

Lot's of good training.  Good to see 113 running.  Thanks for sharing all of this.