765 IN ALLENTOWN

Wow, that sounds like a great train ride.

I live just west of Allentown and it will be my first time riding an excursion train out of my area. Well, I rode behind 2102 from Emmaus on the Perk Branch in Sept 1991 when the BM&R ran it. But none of the 2102 or 765 mainline excursions before, except behind 765 2 years ago to Horseshoe Curve. Lehigh County and Northampton County never had a regularly scheduled tourist line, and the last commuter service from Bethlehem to Philly was June 30, 1981. The closest steam train to us is the Phillipsburg, NJ Bel-Del steam train. But that is only several miles and last time I rode it a few years ago they slowed/stopped for every road crossing due to an accident and out of respect for people living by the tracks they blew the whistle soft for crossings.

Robert, I'm sure you are going to enjoy the trip. It's a very scenic route..

I rode the section north of Jim Thorpe several years ago behind #425 from Tunkhannock to JT, but never the section from Allentown to JT before, even when steam excursions with BM&R 2102 ran on that section in the mid-late 1980's. They ran from Temple to JT in Sept. 1985, fall 1987, and May and Oct. 1988. You last came through Allentown 3 times in late July, 1988 during those "terrible" NJ convention trips. I think 1988 was the last year any live steam came through Allentown. From 1989-1994 BM&R ran trips out of Emmaus to Pennsburg with 2102 and 425. I was on the 2102 trip from Emmaus in Sept. 1991.

Boy I can't wait, see all Sunday.

We will be there on Sunday! 

Just received another email from the society and my son and I will be in the Ohio State car.

You mentioned chasing the train. I am trying to figure a way to do the same thing.  Other than in Jim Thorpe, were do you think a good road to follow would be??  Any idea of a time frame on the "to" trip thru Jim Thorpe or the "return" trip layover.  Thanks

 

There is no "good" road to chase this train. The route runs through the Lehigh Gorge and runs for miles along the river in the middle of nowhere. Better to choose a couple of locations, go there and wait for the train to come to you.

Thanks, I didn't think so looking at the map .  But I thought I missed something haha.  Should be great weather and I will be someplace to watch.  Thanks again.

 

My oldest son Don III will be camping on the Lehigh, and will have the camera ready fro some pass by pics. I'll be in Pittston with a camera that I borrowed from a neighbor to get photos of the turning at the Wye. Anyone have an approximate time the train will arrive in Pittston? A friend said between two and three PM. If you hear someone yelling hey Rich, it will be me!

Don

Follow along Route 145 north the tracks are some times right next to you. and I heard that R&N425 will also be in Thorpe this weekend in a brand new paint scheme. Getting back to the chase route. You can also head up into Lehigh Gorge State Park and watch the train go through there. To get to White haven there's two ways one is Route 80 or the back way out north 903 cross over the Rt. 476 till you get to Rt. 534 make left at light stay on 534 for about Ten miles till you get to Tannery Road there's a road crossing there. Or stay straight on 534 bare left and go out River Road you go along the railroad and river cross under rt. 80 , go about one mile to you get to Rt.940 turn Left take that into White haven. From there you can chase with the rest of the rail fans. Good luck.

Use FWRHS's map "Track 765" to see the tracks she will be running on.  Then, I use Google maps street views and you can see what the spots will look like to photograph/video/observe her. 

 

Also, I encourage you to make a donation to FWRHS via their website if you are not riding to help keep her going.

Yes, there are several p[laces along the route that afford photo ops. It's too bad the excursion isn't in the fall when the leaves are in full majestic color, or better yet for viewing the lehigh river, bare trees. I was on an excursion last summer from Mt Top to Jim Thorpe and bad behind the 425, and that was a great trip! I can only imagine the trip from Bethlehem to Pittston. Is there a layover in Pittston, or just a turnaround? the Pittston Tomato Festival is going on this weekend. I'm not sure when the tomato fight happens, it may be on Sunday, the final day of the festival.

Don

No stop in Pittston, other than the stops associated with the turning move. We'll also load the lunches on board at the wye.

 

You will NOT be able to get into the middle of the wye for photos or video.  That's where our food vendor will be and the R&N police will restrict access to that area.

After White Haven, Take a right onto Towando St. which merges into Middleburg Road go about 2 miles till you get to Red Shale Pit Road go out to Stop sign turn Right onto Tunnel Road stay on tunnel road for about four miles you'll cross over the top of the tunnel and go about 900 feet and you'll see through the trees the railroad to your left. by this time you should see all kinds of rail fans. Than take Tunnel road out to Rt. 569 cross over and continue on S Church Road till you get to Church Road make a right till you get to Woodland Ave. bare left stay on this road. The railroad is on your left most of the way. Woodland Ave is also Rt. 437. After you get to Mountain Top take a right on Rout 309 North. From there on your on your own. Best of luck.

North of the Jim Thorpe yard, at Nesquehoning Junction, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway swings right and crosses the Lehigh River and the former Lehigh Valley main. Trains reach the LV main at COAL. Around a curve there (north of a parking lot) is a former Jersey Central tunnel. That's a good place to photograph a train on the LV bridge by the tunnel. Not a chase location, though. It takes too long to get there.

Thanks for all the good advice and roads. I really appreciate it.  As always the great people here are always willing to help/

After you make your right onto Rt. 309 North go about one mile you'll see a road off to your right Pine Run Road take that back to Laurel Run it's where the Leigh Valley and CNJ once had a junction. To go back out to Rt. 309 take Laurel run road, go under Rt. 81 and soon you'll see a ramp to your right to get back on to Rt. 309. or you can go straight onto East Northampton St.  go north till you merge into N. Washington St. follow that till you get to Mill St. bare left. take Mill St. till you get to E. Carey St. make a Left follow E. Carey St. till you'll merge into W. Carey St. to get to River Road make a right follow that into Pittston. The changes name a few times but stay on the main and you'll pass a big road bridge that's 8th. St.  North Main St. takes you right past the Wye track to where they'll be turning the train. Good Luck.   

The 425 showed up in Jim Thorpe yesterday. I believe the Lehigh Gorge will be using it to run the gorge rides. Two steam trains in town, bad weekend to hang out your laundry. LOL

 If they are parking in Bethlehem and busing people to the train, where in Allentown are they boarding?  Did todays event go well.  It was perfect weather.

I was on the train yesterday. We boarded at the former intermodal yard on the former Lehigh Valley main between Allentown and Bethlehem. That is normally private property. I believe they only are letting the buses and train workers in there.

Other than running late, the trips ran just fine.

Look who I ran into this AM

Is the route being used through catty then on to walnutport / slatington?  What time will it be laying over in Jim Thorpe?

 

We are behind schedule again today. Around two PM for Jim thorpe maybe later

Is my guess. The train is having electrical issues so we are waiting to turn on the wye in pittiston

From yesterday.

 

 

Return trip

Passing the old CNJ passenger station. 

Northampton, PA.

7:41 PM.

Leaving Jim Thorpe now

Finally home. What a great trip!! That loco is pretty awesome. What a great piece of machinery. Maybe I'm a little weird but I cold stand there watching, listening, smelling and admiring that thing all day long. It was a long trip but very enjoyable and boy, what perfect weather. Biggest thing we found fascinating is the amount of people along the way taking photos and video's. Every grade crossing had dozens of people, every town you would go through had people lined up along each side of the tracks like they were watching a fourth of July parade and the homes along the way had people in their yards waving and taking pictures. And a big thanks to the whole staff of the train, everyone was very friendly and informative, made the trip that more enjoyable. Our only note to remember next time, bring a sweatshirt, they had the air condition a bit too cool, at least in our car.

 

 

Smooth ride.  Every part of the trip was thoroughly enjoyable.  Can’t say enough about the organizations that made this happen.  Kudos to NS, RBMN/LGSRY and especially Fort Wayne.  All class acts.

 

 

We had fourteen members of the Black Diamond Society of Model Engineers on the Sunday trip and no one had a bad time or even a criticism. Even the one HO guy (all of the other thirteen were O either 3 rail or 2 rail) had a negative comment and you all know what a PITA a HO guy can be!

 

It was a long day as Bill mentioned, we stopped and had a bite to eat got home about 11:00pm (got up at 4:30am) but again enjoyed ever minute.

 

The 765 performed great, no diesel assistance required.

 

JohnB 

I just thought of these ideas for the future. A trip from the same boarding location near Bethlehem but to Reading and Harrisburg, or toward Philly if possible. There are wyes at Reading, Harrisburg, and on NS property at West Falls (north of Philly) where it meets CSX, but one leg of the wye might be CSX. I know that they can't go one inch onto CSX, on the Lafayette, IN trip they couldn't go to the Amtrak station because it's on CSX, so they had to bus people from the NS yard to the downtown for the layover. Or, a circle trip via Scranton, up the Lehigh Line to Dupont, Sunbury Sub to Scranton, DL line to Portland, NS to Phillipsburg and Easton, and back to Bethlehem. Or, Harrisburg to Renovo, turn on the wye at Keating 10 more miles away. Or, Sunbury line along the Susquehanna between Scranton and Rockville although this might be 765's only visit to Steamtown, Scranton in a while. I won't be able to be there since we just rode the Allentown trip and these trips are expensive, and it's a long drive to Scranton, my mom has breathing issues and needs machines. We had a portable on the Allentown train.

Lenny.  What a gorgeous picture of the 765 passing the station!  The back lighting along with the beautiful sky background made an instant impression with me.  It instantly became my new desktop!

 

Well done!

 

Tony

No question about it.  That's one nice shot.

One thing I really liked about the Fort Wayne Historical Society is how they didn't gouge you with the concessions in the lounge car.  Even the gifts were reasonably priced.  Great trip, loved talking trains and 765 with the crew, the volunteers and fellow passengers.

This was the highlight of the day.  Sorry for the video quality, my HD camera broke and I had to use the phone.  Disclaimer Rich was not the engineer when this wheel slip accured going down grade I might ad.  How do I know this?  Rich was standing right next to me when I videoed the shot.

 

Great photos Gary. I was really pleasantly surprised to see me along with my wife and brother in law and his wife.

 

Picture # 1 - 2 - 6.

# 1 that is me.  # 2 Me and my brother in law Wayne. # 6 Me, Wayne my wife Grace in pink between Wayne and I and Wayne's wife Joyce light blue top slightly bending.

Bob

Bob, that's too funny how close we were to running into each other