Friday, June 29, 2007

Scranton: Meadow Brook Crushed Stone Co.


Another view of remains from the Meadow Brook Crushed Stone Company. I'm not sure what this is, but it might be an end of track bumper for the rail siding. This company was formed in 1902 to provide crushed stone for the construction of the Laurel Line. This was taken on our journey last Friday, June 22.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Laurel Line: South Of Connell Jct.


Operating on a theory that you can never see enough trolley photos, this one was taken last Friday, June 22, just south of Connell Junction by the old bridge abutmants. This time the trolley is northbound, making a return trip from Montage Mountain. In a few minutes it will run through the South Scranton Tunnel, before ending the trip in Downtown Scranton.

Laurel Line:Along the Right of Way


This piece of rail was spotted along the abandoned stretch of the Laurel Line. It seems to be much lighter then the rail used on the Laurel Line. We wondered it it might be rail from the Pennsylvania Coal Co. Gravity Railroad, although it's almost hard to believe it could be that old. But look at that profile at the end of the rail.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Scranton: Meadow Brook Crushed Stone Co.


On our expedition we came across remains of the Meadow Brook Crushed Stone Co., which was near Connell Junction. This company has been out of business since at least the early 1930's. The Laurel Line had a financial interest in this company, which was another one of their bad financial moves through the years. Also visible is part of one of the junked cars which, unfortunetly, dot the Meadowbrook Valley.

Laurel Line: Third Rail Insulator


Here's a third rail insulator we found last Friday during our exploration of an abandoned stretch of the Laurel Line.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Laurel Line: Connell Junction


We went on another hike through the woods today in search of remains from the Laurel Line. We made to to Connell Junction in time for the trolley. On the right is where the "over the hill" portion of the Laurel Line ran. This trolley is headed south after having passed through the tunnel route from South Scranton. This part of the Laurel Line was double track at one time, and powed by third rail. Today the museum operation uses overhead power. Saw a number of interesting sights, but none could top this.

Cleveland: Central Market


A view of the Central Market in Downtown Cleveland. The Sheriff Street Cold Storage Building is seen in the rear. Another view from June 1987.

Cleveland: Central Market


This was the Bolivar Road entrance to rhe Central Market in Downtown Cleveland Sunday June 21, 1987.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Scranton: Nay Aug Park


A view of the newly opened bridge in Scranton's nay Aug Park. This bridge crosses Roaring Brook, and allows access to an area of the park that has been closed off for years.

Scranton: Nay Aug Park


These are some remains from some sort of mill in Nay Aug Park. I'm not sure exactly what this was, but these are some millstones.

Cleveland: Bolivar Road


Next door to the Sheriff St Cold Storage building was this commercial building which once housed a bar. The sign notes that it's been acquired for the future domed stadium that wasn't built. So those signs were already obsolete when these photos were taken on June 21, 1987.

Cleveland:Sheriff Street Cold Storage building


This is a portion of the Sheriff Street Cold Storage building on Bolivar Road in Cleveland. The front of the building was on East 4th, formally known as Sheriff St, hence the name. It was brought down in a controlled demolition on Sunday January 12th, 1992 to make way for Jacob's Field.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Cleveland: Lower Woodland Avenue


Another now demolished building along lower Woodland Ave, At one time this area was known as "Big Italy," The population from here started to shift with the construction of Cleveland Untion Terminal in the 1920's, and later with the construction of the Innerbelt freeway in the 1950's. Most of the area across from here ceased to exist at that time.

Cleveland: East 9th Street


A building on East 9th in Cleveland that was demolished to make way for Jacob's Field, June 28, 1987. Just to the left was a diner called the Roost and Ranch that used to be open all night and was one of the better all night diners in Downtown Cleveland.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Laurel Line


This is the remains of a bridge that passed over the Laurel Line tracks. I'm uncertain of exactly what road went through here, or if this was part of the Pennsylvania Coal Co. Gravity Railroad.

Laurel Line: South of Connell Junction


We took another stroll down the Erie tracks this morning, hiking down several trails west of the Erie tracks in search of Laurel Line remnants. Stopping at a point just south of Connell Junction an inbound(North) trolley went by on the Laurel Line tracks. Just north of here would be where the "over the hill line" would meet the "tunnel line." This area is rather remote, although it's still in the city.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Cleveland:Erie St. Cemetery


A view of a stained glass window in one of the now vacant crypts. Most of those in crypts were moved to more fasionable cemeterys by the 1950's. Summer 1988.

Cleveland:Erie St. Cemetery


A view of the Erie Street Cemetery in the summer of 1988. This view looks west, towards East 9th (Erie) St. Today the right field side
of Jacobs Field looms over the cemetery entrance.

Scranton:Old Steps


These are some old stone steps leading up from the Erie tracks, south of River Street. Not sure where they go, since this part of the line has houses just above track level. We didn't want to suddenly pop up in someones back yard. These may have been part of a street at one time. Before I-81 was built, many of the streets leading up to East Mountain crossed both the Erie, and the Laurel Line at grade.

Ashley Pa.:Huber Breaker


Here's another look at the Huber Breaker. This is from the Jersey Central yard behind the main breaker building.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Erie Railroad: Susquehanna Pa.


This is the Erie Railroad station in Susquehanna Pa, July 2000. This is one of the oldest brick railroad stations in the country. Built in 1866 it had a railroad hotel on the second floor, that later became a railroad YMCA. Susquehanna was a major location on the Erie, boasting a huge repair facility at one time. After the demise of passenger service, the station became a restaurant, and the last I heard is up for sale.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Ashley: Huber Breaker


This is the Huber Breaker in Ashley, Pennsylvania in July 2000. Built in the mid 1930's, at one time this was the most modern of the anthracite coal breakers. Closed since 1976, it's now the last breaker standing in the Northern Anthracite Field.

Nay Aug Treehouse


Another view of the Nay Aug treehouse, taken yesterday morning. This is from the trail that runs along the top of the gorge.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Cleveland: Erie Railroad


This is the remains from an Erie Railroad bridge over Scranton Road in Cleveland, from June 1993. At one time this bridge saw alot of traffic. In the background is the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge. The car is my brother in laws old deathmobile.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Cleveland: Baltimore and Ohio Station


This is the back, trackside, of the Baltimore & Ohio passenger station in Cleveland. Designed by famed Cleveland architect William S. Dutton about 1890. This was used by the B&O until after World War Two, when service shifted to the nearby Union Terminal. This was taken from the Carter Road Bridge in June 1993.

Cleveland: Erie Railroad


This is the Erie Railroad lift bridge crossing the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. The Carter Road Bridge is to the left. This is in the area behind Cleveland Union Terminal.

Friday, June 8, 2007

Erie Railroad: Wyoming Division, again


Further south, down the line are a series of huge stone retaining walls, this is one of them.

This line dates back to at least 1880, and quite possibly was a section of the Pennsylvania Coal Co. Gravity RR, which dates to 1850.

Erie Railroad:Wyoming Division


We took another walk down the Erie this morning. We saw a number of deer running around back there. Since we're city dwellers they kind of scare us. This section of the right-of-way is south of River Street. It's still in the city, but is rather wild and undeveloped. I was hoping we'd see milepost 12, but we probably missed it in the heavy foliage.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Cleveland Union Terminal


This is a view of Cleveland Union Terminal. Opened in June 1930, it was the center of the city's transportaion activity. The last train ran from here in December 1971. Originally used by the Nickle Plate and the New York Central, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Erie later ran their passenger trains through here as well.

The U.S. Post Office in the foreground opened in 1932. The Hotel Cleveland opened in 1918 and was the first building in the complex. The 52 story office tower, once the tallest building between New York and Chicago opened in 1927, Cleveland Union Terminal was unique because it was entirely unberground. It was also an electric terminal with a private right of way running from Collinwood on the east, and Lindale on the west.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Laurel Line:Nay Aug Park


This is a view of the Laurel Line's Dunmore Branch. Abandoned in 1945 there isn't much left. This is the portion near the Nay Aug Park station.