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July 30, 2001 |
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| Rebuilding the Laurel Line |
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While the Electric City Trolley began operating earlier this year (click here), the route that the electric cars traverse is only a mere hint of what is to come. In early spring of this year an army of contracors employed by the Lackawanna County Rail Authority began the rehabilitation of a four mile long section of the former Lackawanna and Wymoning Valley, or "Laurel Line" Interurban.
The current trolley ride takes visitors from a platform at Steamtown National Historic Site to the former Brady Yard and Car Shops, at roughly mile .83 on the Laurel Line. The next phase of operation will see trolley cars pass this point, traverse a 200 foot long trestle, a nearly mile-long tunnel and several more miles of scenic mountain-side trackage, switching from the old Laurel Line main at mile 4.10, to the former Erie Wyoming Division. The trolley cars will then lay over at the brand new Lackawanna County Visitor's Center at Montage Mountain, at approximately mile 4.80. Making for one of the longest and most exciting heritage trolley rides in America.
While trolley cars will divert to former Erie RR trackage at mile 4.10, freight trains will continue up the fomer Laurel Line Minooka branch to service a plastics processing plant. The pictures below show the work taking place in early July of 2001. All photographs by Dave Crosby. |
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In this view looking north, we can see contractors finishing the grade leading into the south portal of the tunnel. (Mile 1.80) |
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Update!!! Regular freight operations have begun!!! 9/12/01 |
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The largest of several bridges along the Laurel Line has been complety replaced. In this view, the new span(s) have been put in place, but have yet to see the addition of decking and track. Current trolley rides stop just north of this location, in the trees to the right of the bridge. The north portal of the nearly mile long tunnel is just to the left of the picture. (Mile .83) |
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Taken from nearly the exact location of the photo at left but in the opposite direction (south), we see what appears to be a second tunnel. Actually this is a concrete culvert that will allow trollies and trains to pass under a local road that used to be a bridge over the tracks. When the bridge fell into dis-repair it was replaced with fill, poured over the then-dormant right of way. (Mile 1.85) |
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The southern terminus of the new trolley excursion is seen here. The track at right will serve as the new trolley stop. The new Visitor's Center is visible in the upper right. This is former Erie RR trackage at this point, still in use to service a plastics plant on the former Laurel Line Minooka Branch. In the future, trains will reach the plant from the north via the Laurel Line, as opposed to the south via the Erie as is the case now. This photograph is taken from Montage Mountain Road, track to the north of the road is owned by the LCRA while trackage to the south is operated by the Luzurne Susquehanna Railroad.(Mile 4.80) |
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This view, also looking south, was captured from road that goes over the new culvert. Tracks were in place at this location until rehabilitation began this spring. At this site all new ties, rails and ballast will be installed. (Mile 2.00) |
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The new Lackawanna County Visitor Center as seen from Montage Mountain |
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