Mainline Through Williamsport, Pa.

[JJJeffries]

Hello All:

For many years the Pennsy main ran through the city of Williamsport, Pa.
The city asked if the PRR would run the main on the Linden Branch which ran through South Williamsport.

The Pennsy agreed and closed the line from Allens Tower across the Susquehanna River and through a portion of the east end of Williamsport.

All passenger trains would run the line to the wye at Nisbet and turn right and cross the river and run toward Williamsport and use the wye that lead to the Elmira Branch.

Once clear of the wye lead they would then back through the west part of the city to the PRR passenger station.

This turn of events lasted until the end of passenger train service. My question is, What year did the Linden Branch become the mainline?

I remember riding #570 The Washington Day Express when the line through Williamsport was still the main and crossing over The Reading prior to recrossing the river just west or north of Allens Tower.

The next time I rode #571 The Buffalo Day Express the train backed into Williamsport.

The piers of the old PRR main bridge into Williamsport can be seen from the Market St. bridge from Williamsport over the river into South Williamsport.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Best,
Craig Johnson
Lock Haven, Pa.

[JimBoylan]

I rode the Buffalo Day Express 4/3/71, we backed into both Williamsport and Buffalo.

[westernfalls]

My question is, What year did the Linden Branch become the mainline?

Probably 1960.
Specifically, after February, 1960, (when most of the pieces were in place)
and before April, 1961 (by which time it was done).

[2nd trick op]

The truncation of the former main was accomplished around the same time PRR completed the third (after MACHIAS and KASE) phase of installation of CTC on the Northern Region. Another eight years were to pass before Penn Central raised the capital to continue the project north of Lock Haven.

Employees' timetables of the 1940's-50's show the cutoff from ALLENS to LINDEN as the Linden Branch, but when control of the line between MOLLY at the west end of Nortumberland Yard and LINDEN siding was completed, with the contol panel at a new NEWBERRY Block Station, the Branch was redesignated as the Main Line, and the line to Newberry Yard, the Elmira Branch, and the Williamsport passenger station was redesignated as the Williamsport Branch. A 1932 ETT makes no mention of the cutoff line via Duboistown.

It's also worth noting that ETT's from the last years of passenger operation conferred full timetable authority on the reverse movements into and out of Williamsport, with appropriate re-numbering.

[Missyg24]

where was Allen Tower. i did not know W-port asked PRR to relocate the tracks. I lived in Elmira growing up till last yr moved to Linden. I love how PRR ran to my hometown and w-port, im learning more and more about the PRR in this area everyday.

[Highball116]

I found a record of the Penny's application to abandon the mainline in Williamsport. The record is dated 6/8/61 and requested permission to abandon .75 miles between MP 249 and 250, which is Allens tower to approximately the passenger station in Williamsport. The record is page 173 in this document, which contains many abandoments:
http://digital.hagley.org/cdm/singleite ... id/1/rec/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Toby