Sometime around 1982 I saw a modified rail inspection car pulled by a single engine pass under Rt. 519 north of Hope. It's my understanding it was railroad executives and engineers doing a study to consider if they would continue operation or scrap. Scrap won. Soon after I saw the scrap trains start to work.
Chuck, watching your entire series for the SECOND time in 3 years. Incredibly informative and detailed. Nothing like it on UA-cam for a guy also growing up along the Morristown line.
I can't stop watching it either. I've subscribed. I'm determined to see this through until they run trains on the entire cutoff again. I know Chuck is too!
@@MercOne It's happening Marcus, the money is there now! Within 10 years, maybe we will see trains out to PA, and maybe 15-20 years something resembling the Phoebe Snow again....
I have every reason to expect that, once the full 28.5 miles are re-tracked, a train ride over the Cut Off will rival any great rail journey I've watched on UA-cam. To merely imagine gliding over either of those two viaducts makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!
Great information and photos. Though from Texas, I have an interest in the Lackawanna, and about 27 years ago, I spent a day tracing the Cutoff by automobile eastward from the Gap. I have plans to construct about a 90% sized version on my model railroad of the Paulins Kill Viaduct. At my age, that might never get done. :)
Loved your history....reiterates everything my brother, who is a retired CSX Dispatcher has told me about the Lackawanna before the dreaded Con Rail absorption....Again...Loved it Chuck.
I went to school at Stevens Institute in Hoboken '79 to '83. My dad brought me to the Boonton train station each Monday morning, and picked me up every Friday evening. I didn't know about the cutoff at the time, or the history of the E-L. Love that the cut-off is coming back.
For my 8th birthday, Feb 20, 1958, my mother took me for a ride on the Phoebe Snow to visit my grandmother for the weekend who lived near Cresco, PA. We went the day after my Birthday, when school let out, on Friday, Feb 21, 1958. I believe I may well have been on the train shown at 49:59. It was one of many trips I took over the cut off in the 50s and 60s, but this one picture jumped out at me. By the time i was able to ride the cut-off, Blairstown was the only stop left.
My parents would bring me to Blairstown station to watch the Lake Cities arrive after we had sent the day at my aunts it arrived around 9pm I still have photos of the train ans station in 1969
My dad put our family on the Phoebe Snow in its last year of operation in Summit. We rode it to Scranton and took a bus back to Denville where we were picked up.
Tidbit of information, I live south of Scranton and often go skiing at the local Scranton ski resort, Montage Mountain. The quad lift in the expert area is named The Phoebe Snow.
WONDERFULL!! THANK YOU...I rode the 'Edison cars' from Madison to Hoboken NJ for many years..aka the 'wicker' express lol....Upon learning the" Phoebe Snow" was being withdrawn from service (mid 60s) We took a last ride..picking it up at Summit,and going to Stroudsburg..and return..lunch in the dining car as well..THANKS for your vids...totally enjoyed! CodyJ
Nice job Chuck. The Lackawanna had some structural problems that the NYC did not have. The grade between Wayland and Dansville, NY was fairly significant. Although before my time, at least the freights required pushers to navigate westward. Even if the passenger trains didn't require pushers, they wouldn't have made good time through there. Although a lot of the Erie Lackawanna track between Corning and Mt. Morris, NY still exist, the Wayland-Dansville section was pulled up before the Conrail era. (Lackawanna main line)
My maternal grand parents sometimes traveled between Chicago and New York city on the Twentieth Century Limited during the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirties. After the death of my grandfather - - my grandmother often visited her brother in California in the 1970's and early 1980's but she traveled by airliner instead. She spoke highly of the marvel of air travel but spoke much more highly of the luxury of her times spent on the Century.
It has been neat watching the production quality of your videos become more refined over the course your episodes. I really appreciate your continued work on this project. I really enjoy your stories, your knowledge, and your work. If you ever get to the point you're looking for new material and have access to the rear window (and the patience to stand there all that time), an episode where you do actually film the current ride all the way from Hoboken to the end of the line "from the Tavern Lounge" is something I'd be very interested in seeing. Thanks.
6:50 The Greyhound bus north out of Syracuse wouldn't sell you a ticket to the airport, because they didn't want all their bus capacity to be used up by a very short distance traveler. I'm sure the Blairstown limitation was similar.
I'm surprised, I thought for sure that the Phoebe snow would have taking the much quicker Boonton line via Kingsland, Paterson and Boonton, rather than the M&E mainline. The Boonton line was definitely still in tact in the 50s.
I think it was 10:00 am some time on track 8 or 1956 to 1966 sometimes two times a year ,,,,,,,,good time class,,bring it back. Ithink a night train 5 or 6 ?. 1965. 66??
Interesting. How long did your neighbor call #7 "The Nickel Plate"? Past 1964 when N&W took over NKP? Past 1966 when N&W dropped the connection? My 1965 Official Guide shows a Hoboken-Chicago schedule, but the connection was not good in one direction, and no coaches, sleepers, or diners ran through Buffalo. Through cars may have ended after 1960 when E-L could forward passengers to Cleveland or Chicago on its own lines.
Hey chuck Walsh could I ask a question? Would you be doing any episodes on the western point passed the cut off to Scranton? Since that would be part of the line too for the return to service. And if you ride a excursion over the line. It gives a good sense of the railroad today with sights from Post 55
Sometime around 1982 I saw a modified rail inspection car pulled by a single engine pass under Rt. 519 north of Hope. It's my understanding it was railroad executives and engineers doing a study to consider if they would continue operation or scrap. Scrap won. Soon after I saw the scrap trains start to work.
Chuck, watching your entire series for the SECOND time in 3 years. Incredibly informative and detailed. Nothing like it on UA-cam for a guy also growing up along the Morristown line.
I can't stop watching it either. I've subscribed. I'm determined to see this through until they run trains on the entire cutoff again. I know Chuck is too!
@@MercOne It's happening Marcus, the money is there now! Within 10 years, maybe we will see trains out to PA, and maybe 15-20 years something resembling the Phoebe Snow again....
I have every reason to expect that, once the full 28.5 miles are re-tracked, a train ride over the Cut Off will rival any great rail journey I've watched on UA-cam. To merely imagine gliding over either of those two viaducts makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!
Mine too!
I grew up in Short Hills. We used to watch the Phoebe Snow and Pocono Express run thru the station. I remember the wheels glowing red.
Great information and photos. Though from Texas, I have an interest in the Lackawanna, and about 27 years ago, I spent a day tracing the Cutoff by automobile eastward from the Gap. I have plans to construct about a 90% sized version on my model railroad of the Paulins Kill Viaduct. At my age, that might never get done. :)
Great story David. I wish I had a model railroad set, I might do the same..
Loved your history....reiterates everything my brother, who is a retired CSX Dispatcher has told me about the Lackawanna before the dreaded Con Rail absorption....Again...Loved it Chuck.
I went to school at Stevens Institute in Hoboken '79 to '83. My dad brought me to the Boonton train station each Monday morning, and picked me up every Friday evening. I didn't know about the cutoff at the time, or the history of the E-L. Love that the cut-off is coming back.
It's not a done deal yet, but we're working on it.
For my 8th birthday, Feb 20, 1958, my mother took me for a ride on the Phoebe Snow to visit my grandmother for the weekend who lived near Cresco, PA. We went the day after my Birthday, when school let out, on Friday, Feb 21, 1958. I believe I may well have been on the train shown at 49:59. It was one of many trips I took over the cut off in the 50s and 60s, but this one picture jumped out at me. By the time i was able to ride the cut-off, Blairstown was the only stop left.
Great job👍 Can't wait to ride a train over the cutoff.
Definitely visit the Scranton Hilton that was the Lackawana Station and refurbished to a hotel.
My parents would bring me to Blairstown station to watch the Lake Cities arrive after we had sent the day at my aunts it arrived around 9pm I still have photos of the train ans station in 1969
My dad put our family on the Phoebe Snow in its last year of operation in Summit. We rode it to Scranton and took a bus back to Denville where we were picked up.
Tidbit of information, I live south of Scranton and often go skiing at the local Scranton ski resort, Montage Mountain. The quad lift in the expert area is named The Phoebe Snow.
WONDERFULL!! THANK YOU...I rode the 'Edison cars' from Madison to Hoboken NJ for many years..aka the 'wicker' express lol....Upon learning the" Phoebe Snow" was being withdrawn from service (mid 60s) We took a last ride..picking it up at Summit,and going to Stroudsburg..and return..lunch in the dining car as well..THANKS for your vids...totally enjoyed! CodyJ
Nice job Chuck. The Lackawanna had some structural problems that the NYC did not have. The grade between Wayland and Dansville, NY was fairly significant. Although before my time, at least the freights required pushers to navigate westward. Even if the passenger trains didn't require pushers, they wouldn't have made good time through there. Although a lot of the Erie Lackawanna track between Corning and Mt. Morris, NY still exist, the Wayland-Dansville section was pulled up before the Conrail era. (Lackawanna main line)
great videos chuck i hope too see more
My maternal grand parents sometimes traveled between Chicago and New York city on the Twentieth Century Limited during the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirties. After the death of my grandfather - - my grandmother often visited her brother in California in the 1970's and early 1980's but she traveled by airliner instead. She spoke highly of the marvel of air travel but spoke much more highly of the luxury of her times spent on the Century.
Chuck. loving the series but waiting with baited breath for the next one.
It has been neat watching the production quality of your videos become more refined over the course your episodes. I really appreciate your continued work on this project. I really enjoy your stories, your knowledge, and your work. If you ever get to the point you're looking for new material and have access to the rear window (and the patience to stand there all that time), an episode where you do actually film the current ride all the way from Hoboken to the end of the line "from the Tavern Lounge" is something I'd be very interested in seeing. Thanks.
I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!
Excellent work Chuck.
6:50 The Greyhound bus north out of Syracuse wouldn't sell you a ticket to the airport, because they didn't want all their bus capacity to be used up by a very short distance traveler. I'm sure the Blairstown limitation was similar.
Yes, at 14:00 that is the Holland Tunnel ventilation shaft.
I don't remember the Phoebe Snow or the DL&W
ever going to Newark New Jersey
The Phoebe Snow most certainly did stop at the Lackawanna's Newark-Broad Street Station.
I'm surprised, I thought for sure that the Phoebe snow would have taking the much quicker Boonton line via Kingsland, Paterson and Boonton, rather than the M&E mainline. The Boonton line was definitely still in tact in the 50s.
Only the inaugural run in 1949 ran via the Boonton Line. Never again afterwards.
You had mentioned about the car floats across the Hudson River apparently Port authority of NJ and NY are going into jersey city from ny
remember that cnj terminal and Hoboken train station are identical
I think it was 10:00 am some time on track 8 or 1956 to 1966 sometimes two times a year ,,,,,,,,good time class,,bring it back. Ithink a night train 5 or 6 ?. 1965. 66??
Was the "New Yorker" not the counterpart to the Westerner? I saw this listed in the time table you showed a few episodes back.
Interesting. How long did your neighbor call #7 "The Nickel Plate"? Past 1964 when N&W took over NKP? Past 1966 when N&W dropped the connection? My 1965 Official Guide shows a Hoboken-Chicago schedule, but the connection was not good in one direction, and no coaches, sleepers, or diners ran through Buffalo. Through cars may have ended after 1960 when E-L could forward passengers to Cleveland or Chicago on its own lines.
He called it the Nickel Plate early on. Would have been prior to 1964 when he moved away.
Interesting videos. Do you mention the Slateford Wreck and any other wrecks/stories involving the Cut-Off?
Yes, this gets mentioned in the video about the Delaware Water Gap / Slateford Jct.
Okay, thanks! When exactly during the video is it mentioned?
Towards the end.
Hey chuck Walsh could I ask a question? Would you be doing any episodes on the western point passed the cut off to Scranton? Since that would be part of the line too for the return to service. And if you ride a excursion over the line. It gives a good sense of the railroad today with sights from Post 55
Yes.
Chuck Walsh hey maybe you can ride a steamtown excursion too! They go the whole line.