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  • Lehigh and Mahanoy Branch near Mahanoy City

  • Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.
Discussion related to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and predecessors for the period 1846-1976. Originally incorporated as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company.

Moderator: scottychaos

 #1253395  by frankgaron2
 
Hi All:

Did some railfanning around Delano/Quakake/etc this past Sunday.

I followed part of one of my favorite LV lines - the Lehigh & Mahanoy from Delano down to Mahanoy City.
It was easier than usual to find traces of the line, what with snow on the ground & leaves on the trees.

Having said that, it's not exactly the easiest line to follow anymore. Parts of it seem to have been dug up
for the underlying coal.

Questions:

1. Just as you're headed west out of Trenton headed for Park Place, there are a set of bridge abutments crossing Park Place Road.
They are very easy to find and they run at a 90 degree angle to the L&M. Anybody know what this spur served (coal mine, most likely)?

2. Following the line to Mahanoy City proper and still on Park Place Road, I found a bridge still standing over North Mahanoy Creek and the remnants of a coal loader?
This is on your left as you head south into Mahanoy City. It's not too far south of the intersection with Robinsons Road.

Can anybody confirm this was the LV proper?

The reason I ask is because a Reading branch seems to have run parallel to the LV on the west side of Park Place Road, and I found at least two bridge abutments
on that line. One is in the SW corner of Park Place Road & Robinsons Road, and another was further south of there not too far from the LV bridge I mentioned.

3. I'm guessing that the LV and Reading lines crossed on a diamond somewhere near the brewery on the north side of Mahanoy City. Anybody know for sure?

4. There appears to have been a wye right at the brewery and the eastern leg ran parallel to the Reading main and then went to a coal mine? Anybody know for sure,
and if so, what mine and when did service stop?

5. What would the LV have served in Mahanoy City - what industries? I'm guessing the brewery, and anything else?

6. When did the LV cut the line west out of Mahanoy City? The line made a big loop from Kehley Run Junction to Barry Junction and reconnected to the L&M at each end.
So the part I'm asking about is from Mahanoy City to Barry Junction.

7. Is there anything to see from Mahanoy City to Barry Junction? I've been up there at least 5-7 times and can't seem to find even a trace of that part of the line.
Was it entirely mined out after abandonment?

8. In Yatesville, did the L&M and the Reading coal spur up from Saint Nicholas ever connect or cross each other on a diamond etc?

Many thanks to anybody who can help. I find this part of the country fascinating, and have been following abandoned lines up there since the early 1980's.
I'm still nowhere near figuring out where all the different lines were, lol!

Thanks,

Frank