I looked at the topo map trying to figure out the route of this eastern PA interurban, and between Delaware Water Gap and Stroundsburg it either followed the river or took the road over a big hill. Can anyone say which? Thanks.
According to:
http://www.dutotmuseum.com/history.htm
"Wanting to gain access to the resorts at Water Gap for their "Liberty Bell" route, the Lehigh Valley Traction Company invested $50,000 in the Water Gap and Portland Street Railway Company. On February 21, 1911, portions of the mountain at the narrowest part of the Gap were dynamited to permit space for the tracks. By October, trolleys were running between Stroudsburg and Portland on the newly created Stroudsburg, Water Gap and Portland Railway Company. Open, screen-sided double truck cars painted lemon-yellow were in service in the summer and enclosed cars were used the rest of the year." .........."At Portland, where the Lehigh and New England still refused a right-of-way to the trolley, passengers had to pick up their bags, get off one trolley and walk across the L.N.& E. tracks, and then board another trolley for the ride into Delaware Water Gap." ...."In 1917, the Stroudsburg, Water Gap and Portland Railway Company became the Stroudsburg Traction Company. The growing popularity of the automobile, however, rang the death-knell of the trolleys. On March 20, 1926, the Bangor-Portland was abandoned and the right-of-way was sold to Northhampton County for construction of a new highway between Portland and Mount Bethel. In November of the same year, the lease of the right-of-way between Portland and Water Gap, which was owned by the D.L.& W., was canceled thus ending service between the two towns. Stroudsburg Traction Company ceased operations in 1928 after trying unsuccessfully to compete with growing bus lines. "
"The abandoned lines of the Stroudsburg Traction Line, or the Water
Gap Trolley right-of-way, and the New York Susquehanna and
Western are both utilized in the greenway and rail-trail project under
development as the County’s demonstration project (Greenway
Project Feasibility Study). The latter parallels the south side of the
Brodhead Creek, while the former traverses Godfrey Ridge. Greenway Project Feasibility Study – Stroudsburg to Delaware Water Gap, Monroe
County, PA
This project was financed in part by a grant from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. The feasibility study evaluated the potential for establishing a greenway corridor and trail along the south side of the Brodhead Creek roughly paralleling the route of the historic
Stroudsburg to Water Gap Trolley line.
Also a book, if you can find it: Trolleys to the Delaware Water Gap by Benson Rohrbeck