Chestnut Ridge RR

Does anyone know when the CRRR was abandoned past the covered bridge road crossing? I was surprised to see all the freight cars in the East Palmerton zinc plant, as well as a new customer getting covered hopper cars a few miles east of the plant in Lower Towamensing. The tracks appear to still be in place for quite a few miles but there are trees growing thru them. On old RR maps it shows the line going east and stub ending to a place called "Kunkletown". I can't find anything by this name. Unless it's just a local name for an area of Lower Towamensing or more eastward in Polk, PA.

What did the CRRR serve that far east?

The sand quarry at Little Gap was the last customer served past Ampal, and it shut down in the early 1980's.. I don't know when service to Kunkletown was suspended, but originally it was the location of rare white clay deposits that were used to make white bricks.. Reaching these deposits was the original intent of the Chestnut Ridge, before Palmerton existed, and before the zinc plants were built. Kunkletown is a village in south-west Monroe County.. I couldn't find any info on it as a borough, so I'm guessing it's a village in one of the townships there. I have been there a few times, and don't worry, you're not missing much if you haven't been there before...

-Micah

So you're telling me that the CRRR single line track going east of the zinc plant hasn't seen a turn of the wheel in 30 years or so? Odd the track is still in. There is a blue locomotive kept on premise of the east zinc plant.

I once explored the area around the CNJ Palmerton passenger station. The station was bought in the mid 90s by a doctor and his wife who refurbed it. There were still a few team tracks in burried in the mud near the station. They also had 2 pit bulls, unleashed of course, that caught sight up me up on the CRRR row and chased after me. The CRRR had 2 lines that crossed on trestles over Mauch Chunk Rd and came together in a small 3 track yard. The southernmost line was obviously abandoned. There was also some type of small turntable device IIRC.

The CNJ yard by the west plant is still in place and usually has grain cars parked in it. CP maybe??? The CNJ or CR must have lost a ton of carloading when that place closed. You can see all the abandoned tracks that went into the place. Was quite a network.

There is a definite end of the line past the last customer (Ampal).. The rails are out for a few yards.. After that it's essentially the Little Gap backyard RR and I'm surprised no one out there hasn't constructed a jalopy to take rides with..

I don't know too much about the Palmerton station, other than it's in private ownership, and isn't to be trespassed upon, as you found out.

The abandoned line crossing the CNJ via trestle was the direct rail access into the West Plant for the Chestnut Ridge and the non-common carrier NJZ RR (two parallel but seperate operations). The track on the fill behind the station was strictly for interchange, as it is now, as opposed to access to the West Plant.

The turntable you saw was used to turn the Mack Railbus that's now in Phillipsburg at the PRRH site.. The table was saved at the same time and I believe is owned by the LV Chapter NRHS, (owners of the railbus as well), though I may be mistaken on that.

The Canadian grain hoppers are only there to be staged for Mauser Milling in Treichlers, I believe, as there are no other grain operations in the area, and those hoppers are never seen on the Chestnut Ridge proper.

When the plants at Palmerton were built, the zinc was coming from Franklin NJ off of the L&HR. Up through the 1920's the L&HR had trackage rights on the CNJ up to Mauch Chunk for the purpose of bringing the zinc to Palmerton, then resting and having the engines serviced before returning to home territory. At the same time the CNJ was given trackage rights to Maybrook, NY on the L&HR. Later the rights to Mauch Chunk were cut back to Allentown Yard, which lasted nearly until the end of the CNJ in PA. I don't know when the CNJ's rights to Maybrook were forfeited.

Smelting of zinc ore in Palmerton at the West Plant ended in 1980. By that time the furnaces were all gas-fired, so there was little if any coal traffic left for Conrail to move. As for ore and finished product traffic, I have no numbers to give to you. Wish I did.

Micah

For Kunkletown, try N 40.84751 W 75.44938 on http://maps.google.com It is about 8-10 miles east of Palmerton, you might have to try a few zoom settings before the name "Kunkletown" actually appears. js

IIRC after the clay was mined out from the valley in which the Chestnut Ridge RR ended the mining area started producing sand for some time which may or may not have been hauled by the railroad. I have no solid information on that but the rails still go into the old quarry area, so I'm assuming that's what happened.

Also, atop the mountain above the end of the Chestnut Ridge Railroad there was a sand pit that closed 4 or so years ago now. They might have, well in the past, shipped by rail after piping/trucking it down the mountainside, but once again I have no confirmation of this.

Those are the only two reasons I can think for the rail to have lasted that long. As for it remaining in place, I have no idea why, especially after the price of steel spiked very high just a few years ago. With no potential source of traffic, one would have thought they would have scrapped the line.

Google maps shows the railroad, but the tracks are obviously removed. The row is very easily decernable though. There is a marker on the map for Kunkletown at the intersection of Chestnut Ridge Rd and Kunkletown Rd...but I don't think this is actually a town though just part of Towenminsing or Polk.

carajul wrote:Google maps shows the railroad, but the tracks are obviously removed. The row is very easily decernable though. There is a marker on the map for Kunkletown at the intersection of Chestnut Ridge Rd and Kunkletown Rd...but I don't think this is actually a town though just part of Towenminsing or Polk.

Kunkletown is part of a township. It was a small crossroads town surrounded by farms and some quarries. The father of my highschool buddy bought 57 acres there in the early 70's to build his retirement home...It is really rural to this day.

Those are the only two reasons I can think for the rail to have lasted that long. As for it remaining in place, I have no idea why, especially after the price of steel spiked very high just a few years ago. With no potential source of traffic, one would have thought they would have scrapped the line.[/quote]

Past the end of track the R.O.W. was sold years ago...

Plus, the sand quarry you refer to was the one that operated thru the early 80's.. Little Gap, PA.

-MJK

If you're referring to the one at the bottom of the mountain, I'll have to take your word for it.

As for the one on top of the mountain, I had trucks hauling sand out of there until the last day of operation a few years ago.

I had thought the tracks were in place up to the quarry. Must be mistaken.

Perhaps I'm thinking of another quarry.. The only one I have in mind that I know was a CRRR customer was across the valley from Blue Mountain Ski Lodge, about a stone's throw from the covered bridge and the village of Little Gap. Out towards Kunkletown I do recall seeing some quarry type operation but I don't believe the railroad ran out that far since the 1960's.. Could be wrong..

Incidentally, the remaining buildings of the West Plant along Rte. 248 are being taken down.. The property was bought recently and the owner wants to make a technology park at the site.. The work seems to be going not too quickly, but get your pics while you can!

-Micah

56-57 wrote:
When the plants at Palmerton were built, the zinc was coming from Franklin NJ off of the L&HR. Up through the 1920's the L&HR had trackage rights on the CNJ up to Mauch Chunk for the purpose of bringing the zinc to Palmerton, then resting and having the engines serviced before returning to home territory. At the same time the CNJ was given trackage rights to Maybrook, NY on the L&HR. Later the rights to Mauch Chunk were cut back to Allentown Yard, which lasted nearly until the end of the CNJ in PA. I don't know when the CNJ's rights to Maybrook were forfeited. (emphasis added)

November 25, 1971; courtesy Lehigh & Hudson River In Color, By Jim Boyd and Tracy Antz, Copyright 2001. Date of last L&HR eastbound departure from Allentown.

See additional information in the topic linked below:

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=43156

Once the L&HR ceased running over CNJ tracks to/from Allentown, CNJ's rights over the L&HR were no longer utilized. I would imagine once the CNJ-L&HR agreed to interchange at Hudson Yard, the "reciprocal rights" were cancelled.

Thanks man!

Update: I drive thru Palmerton toward Kunkletown most weekdays. The RR is still active to the Horsehead East Plant, and to 1 industrial customer a few miles to the east. Then, for a few miles toward Little Gap village, the rails are still intact, running just behind people's backyards, though operations are abandoned & weeds & trees are growing thru. Amazing no one has scrapped this iron yet. Maybe I should take my pickup...

I recently was in the area exploring for the first time. I found this thread by Google. I also found this which is relevant - the eastern half of the ROW is officially preserved .
http://www.co.monroe.pa.us/planning_rec ... /osch7.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; see page 182:
"The abandoned Chestnut Ridge Railroad (CHR) extends 10 miles from Palmerton to Kunkletown. The eastern half of the corridor is used informally as a trail and is known as the Buckwha Creek Trail. The Wildlands Conservancy purchased an interest for the eastern segment. Ownership of this segment was recently obtained by and transferred to Eldred Township. Three miles of the western segment of the CHR continue to operate as an active railroad to serve Ampal, Inc. in Carbon County. A rail-with-trail scenario in this location would offer a proximate connection to the Delaware and Lehigh Canal National Heritage Corridor and State Heritage Park.

And the original ROW preservation plans for the eastern end (4.5 miles Little Gap to Kunkletown) in 1988: http://articles.mcall.com/1988-10-02/ne ... ilroad-bed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also some history in there - the last train on that section was about 1973 (to haul sand) and rails came up in 1987.

JS