Stourbridge Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Stourbridge Railroad is a shortline railroad
that operates a 24 miles (38.6 km) route between Honesdale
(in Wayne County
, Pennsylvania) and the village of Lackawaxen in Lackawaxen Township
(in Pike County, Pennsylvania
). It was owned for many years by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and operated under contract by Robey Railroads. Starting on or about January 1, 2009, operation will be contracted to Morristown & Erie Railway.
Hawley
(in Wayne County) is also served by the line, which runs southeast from Honesdale to Hawley, then east to Lackawaxen. At Lackawaxen (which is on the border with New York), there is a connection to the Norfolk Southern Railway
line. CSX Transportation
rail service is also available via this track (as well as an indirect connection to Canadian Pacific Railway
service).
on the Stourbridge Railroad during the summer season, offering passenger excursion trains in historic refurbished railroad cars. Excursion trains operate between Honesdale (along U.S. Route 6
) and Hawley. The railroad has restored and refurbished 5 passenger cars that are on display and a historic snow plow is also on display.
According to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, this is the site of "the first commercial locomotive on rails in the western hemisphere", run by the Delaware and Hudson railway on August 8, 1829. The locomotive was the famous Stourbridge Lion
.
In 1868, the line became part of the Jefferson Railroad, and part of the Erie Railroad
in 1870. In 1960 the Erie's successor merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, becoming part of Conrail in 1976. Conrail announced plans to abandon the line in 1976, and the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association was formed, taking over in 1977.
The rail line was severed in 2005 by the loss of a bridge spanning the Wallenpaupack Creek, when Pennsylvania Power & Light made emergency water releases from the Lake Wallenpaupack Dam following heavy rains in April 2005 and then further damaged by heavy rainfalls in June 2006, A grant of $800,000 from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, along with a grant of $703,278 from FEMA allowed work to proceed to repair the washed out bridge spanning Wallenpaupack Creek. The replacement spans were in place in October 2008.
The line is no longer operated by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and is now owned by Paul Brancato, a principal in Ideal Steel Supply Corp who plans to build a steel fabrication plant in White Mills. Operation of the railroad was contracted to Central Penn Railroad Corp. The SBRR "Yard" between the Norfolk Southern line and Rt 590 in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania was recently repaired and re-ballasted.
Central Penn Railroad Corp has equipment stored in Honesdale, a GP-7
(Former AFRX 22) and two retired LIRR
passenger coaches. The GP-7, formerly belonging to Guilford Rail Systems (now Pan Am Railways
), and still bearing the "Big red G" was started in September 2008 and as of October it, along with its two ex-LIRR passenger coaches, had made it over the repaired Wallenpaupack Creek Trestle in Hawley and were at the engine house in Honesdale.
The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce successfully resumed service to Lackawaxen with the October 4, 2008 Bavarian fest excursion to the Lackawaxen Volunteer Firemans field using their EMD BL2
#54 (ex Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
#54).
It was announced in September 2008 that operation of the railroad would transfer from Central Penn Railroad Corp. to contract operation by Morristown & Erie Railway starting on or about January 1, 2009.
As of January 1, 2009 Morristown & Erie Railway has assumed all operations of the former Stourbridge Railroad and has been renamed Stourbridge Railway. With their business office located on Fourth St in Honesdale. Stourbridge Railway under the control of the Morristown & Erie Railway is currently operating passenger excursions to Hawley and Lackawaxen for the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. Stourbridge Railway has been actively making improvements on the entire line.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
that operates a 24 miles (38.6 km) route between Honesdale
Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Honesdale is a borough in and the county seat of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Scranton. The population was 4,874 at the 2000 census....
(in Wayne County
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania) and the village of Lackawaxen in Lackawaxen Township
Lackawaxen Township, Pennsylvania
Lackawaxen Township is the largest and northernmost township in Pike County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,994 at the 2010 census. The Delaware River, which marks the eastern boundary of the township, joins the Lackawaxen River at Lackawaxen Village...
(in Pike County, Pennsylvania
Pike County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River * Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
). It was owned for many years by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and operated under contract by Robey Railroads. Starting on or about January 1, 2009, operation will be contracted to Morristown & Erie Railway.
Hawley
Hawley, Pennsylvania
Hawley is a borough in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,211 at the 2010 census.- History :The borough was named for Irad Hawley, first president of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Early industry centered around the transportation and support of nearby coal mining...
(in Wayne County) is also served by the line, which runs southeast from Honesdale to Hawley, then east to Lackawaxen. At Lackawaxen (which is on the border with New York), there is a connection to the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
line. CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
rail service is also available via this track (as well as an indirect connection to Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
service).
Heritage railroad
The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce operates a heritage railroadHeritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
on the Stourbridge Railroad during the summer season, offering passenger excursion trains in historic refurbished railroad cars. Excursion trains operate between Honesdale (along U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
) and Hawley. The railroad has restored and refurbished 5 passenger cars that are on display and a historic snow plow is also on display.
History
Stourbridge Lion
The Stourbridge Lion was a railroad steam locomotive. It was not only the first locomotive to be operated in the United States, it was also one of the first locomotives to operate outside of England, where it was manufactured in 1828....
.
In 1868, the line became part of the Jefferson Railroad, and part of the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
in 1870. In 1960 the Erie's successor merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, becoming part of Conrail in 1976. Conrail announced plans to abandon the line in 1976, and the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association was formed, taking over in 1977.
The rail line was severed in 2005 by the loss of a bridge spanning the Wallenpaupack Creek, when Pennsylvania Power & Light made emergency water releases from the Lake Wallenpaupack Dam following heavy rains in April 2005 and then further damaged by heavy rainfalls in June 2006, A grant of $800,000 from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, along with a grant of $703,278 from FEMA allowed work to proceed to repair the washed out bridge spanning Wallenpaupack Creek. The replacement spans were in place in October 2008.
The line is no longer operated by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and is now owned by Paul Brancato, a principal in Ideal Steel Supply Corp who plans to build a steel fabrication plant in White Mills. Operation of the railroad was contracted to Central Penn Railroad Corp. The SBRR "Yard" between the Norfolk Southern line and Rt 590 in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania was recently repaired and re-ballasted.
Central Penn Railroad Corp has equipment stored in Honesdale, a GP-7
EMD GP7
The EMD GP7 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between October, 1949 and May, 1954. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine which generated . The GP7 was offered both with and without control cabs, and...
(Former AFRX 22) and two retired LIRR
Lirr
Lirr or LIRR may refer to:*Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad in Long Island, New York, USA*Lapeer Industrial Railroad, in Lapeer, Michigan*Leeds Inner Ring Road, a motorway and A-road circling Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
passenger coaches. The GP-7, formerly belonging to Guilford Rail Systems (now Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
), and still bearing the "Big red G" was started in September 2008 and as of October it, along with its two ex-LIRR passenger coaches, had made it over the repaired Wallenpaupack Creek Trestle in Hawley and were at the engine house in Honesdale.
The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce successfully resumed service to Lackawaxen with the October 4, 2008 Bavarian fest excursion to the Lackawaxen Volunteer Firemans field using their EMD BL2
EMD BL2
The EMD BL2 is a four-axle B-B road switcher built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division . Often considered the "Ugly Duckling" of diesel offerings from EMD, the BL2 set the stage for the company's widely successful GP series of locomotives....
#54 (ex Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad is a defunct United States railroad company, that brought rail service to Aroostook County, Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces...
#54).
It was announced in September 2008 that operation of the railroad would transfer from Central Penn Railroad Corp. to contract operation by Morristown & Erie Railway starting on or about January 1, 2009.
As of January 1, 2009 Morristown & Erie Railway has assumed all operations of the former Stourbridge Railroad and has been renamed Stourbridge Railway. With their business office located on Fourth St in Honesdale. Stourbridge Railway under the control of the Morristown & Erie Railway is currently operating passenger excursions to Hawley and Lackawaxen for the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. Stourbridge Railway has been actively making improvements on the entire line.
External links
- Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association "Rail Service Availability on the Stourbridge Railroad"
- Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Stourbridge Rail Line Excursions
- North East Rails - Unofficial North Shore, North East Pennsylvania Shortline Website
- North Shore Railroad System Map showing the Stourbridge Railroad