Williamsport and North Branch Railroad

[thebigham]

Here's the Wikipedia page about the W&NB:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamspo ... h_Railroad

A book was written about the railroad by Thomas Taber:
http://www.amazon.com/Valley-Lifeline-W ... 787&sr=8-1

How is this book?

The Loyalsock Trail does use a bit of the W&NB railroad grade:
http://www.lycoming.org/alpine/

Here are old topo maps that shows the railroad:

Hall interchange:
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA

Hughesville:
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA

From Bryan Mill to Strawbridge:
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA

To Nordmont and Laporte:
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA

To Satterfield Junction/Bernice/Mildred:
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA

Here's a pic of the bridge in the middle of the horseshoe curve at Nordmont:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pasul ... Streby.htm

Is there anything else on the internet about this railroad?

Thanks,

Chris

[56-57]

George Hart had gotten to either the W&NB or the S&NY (or both) before their demise. His collection of photographs is at the RRMofPA down in Strasburg. I wish I knew of an online source, but you may want to at least email the museum to see just what they have.

-Micah

[PARailWiz]

I have a copy of the Taber book - a decent number of black and white pictures and a good background on the history of the railroad and some local history. Not too long at 65 pages. You can buy a copy of it in Eagles Mere, probably for less than Amazon charges (I received my copy as a gift).

[Aa3rt]

Chris, The book Muncy Valley Lifeline by Thomas T. Taber III is about the only reference on this line that I'm aware of. It appears that you've pretty well searched out any on line references available.

The Taber book on the W&NB was originally printed in 1972. The book was reprinted-I purchased a copy from "The Sullivan Review", Sullivan County's weekly newspaper about 15 years ago. The price at that time was $10.00 per copy. You can find the email address for the Sullivan Review here:

http://www.pavisnet.com/dushore/review.html

Note that they also offer a selection of maps and books on local history.

You may be interested in learning, if you aren't already aware of it, that the W&NB was purchased by the Salzberg Company and was scrapped by H. P. Bourke of Escanaba, Michigan. According to Taber's book, the last run to Halls occurred on Oct. 11, 1937. After the winter came to an end, scrapping commenced on March 7, 1938. Taber notes that the track was in such bad shape that the salvage train was averaging four derailments per day and scrapping operations were suspended to allow for track repair in order for the salvage train to reach the end of the line.

[thebigham]

^Thanks, Art.

[Aa3rt]

After my initial post I did manage to find this thread at another forum with some additional information.

http://forums.railfan.net/forums.cgi?board=fallenshorts;action=display;num=1063057530

[Aa3rt]

Chris, The book Muncy Valley Lifeline by Thomas T. Taber III is about the only reference on this line that I'm aware of.

The Taber book on the W&NB was originally printed in 1972. The book was reprinted-I purchased a copy from "The Sullivan Review", Sullivan County's weekly newspaper about 15 years ago. The price at that time was $10.00 per copy. You can find the email address for the Sullivan Review here:

http://www.pavisnet.com/dushore/review.html

Note that they also offer a selection of maps and books on local history.

As we used to say in the Coast Guard, "I stand corrected!"

A little further research, using the link to Amazon that Chris provided, reveals that the original printing was first published in 1969.

My copy that I thought was the original printing actually appeared in an expanded format to be a companion volume to the Pennsylvania logging series by Casler, Kline and Taber in 1972.

Muncy Valley Lifeline was reprinted in 1995 with four addtional, unnumbered pages in the center of the volume and a locomotive roster on the last page.

[TB Diamond]

My copy of Muncy Valley Lifeline by Thomas T. Taber III, purchased over 30 years ago, states on page one that it was published by Muncy Historical Society, Muncy, Pennsylvania in 1968. In addition, it contains 76 pages.

[thebigham]

Over 4 years after I made this thread, I bought the book from a second tier seller on Amazon for $5.

It was a very interesting line.