market

"Market Street Square"

WilkesBarre, Pennsylvania

My last visit to this sad location took place in the spring of 2000. I've been visiting Market Street Square (located in the heart of downtown Wilkes Barre, PA) just about once a year for the last decade and a half. During my visit a particular sense of sadness filled my heart, not only for the destruction and decay shown in the photographs below, but also for memories of what once was...

Once known as "The Station" this collection of railroad equipment was a thriving hotel and restaurant complex using the former Central Railroad of New Jersey passeneger station as its centerpiece. Several private cars lettered for the fictional "Revell Railroad" surrounded the station/restaurant while at least 2 dozen former Reading Company electric commuter cars were parked outside serving as hotel suites. I remember begging my family to take me there for lunch and seeing a well cared for establishment that served the best cheesburger I can remember!

In the early 1990's "The Station" was sold to its current owners to become the "Inn at Market Street Square" and a long decline ensued. While the station building is a popular night spot and is still well cared for, the surrounding railroad equipment has not been as fortunate. The hotel portion closed seven or eight years ago and the Reading cars quickly became a haven for Wilkes Barre's finest reprobates, drunks and transients. A number of fires have destroyed several passneger cars and refridgerator cars that were used as supply and storage areas. While this has taken place, the City of Wilkes Barre has been feuding with the current owner to either clean up or remove the cars, which he has been unable or unwilling to do. Some of the cars have been moved off site. At least one former Reading car was in storage in the Pittston yard of the Reading and Northern Railroad. The R&N purchased a private car from the Atlantic Coast Line that was located here and restored it to service as part of their business car fleet. Another Reading coach and several refridgerator cars became part of an Antique market outside of Danville, PA. During my last visit to Wilkes Barre it appeared that a wooden caboose was being prepared for shipment as well.

Update 2006. Save for a few box cars, most of the railroad equipment has been removed from the property. The station building (which retains a few "built-in railroad cars) has been aquired by a county run redevelopment agency who will restore the station as a visitor center.

The only locomotive at the site is this Vulcan side rod switcher. I've heard stories that this locomotive was actually operating at the complex in the early 1980's. Another rumor surrounding this locomotive is that it is actually owned by the City of Wilkes Barre (sold to them for one dollar) not the Market Street Square. This picture was taken in the summer of 1998. The locomotive is still there, but a good view of it was not available during my more recent visits.

The majority of cars at the site are former Reading coaches. The car at left, in the center of the picture is actually a less common combine version that had a baggage section in addition to coach seeting. While the baggage door was removed at some point, the tell-tale inverted v-shaped raingutter is still in place over the two windows towards the front of the car. This and all following pictures date from March of 2000.

Several of the cars have been destroyed by fires started by some of Wilkes-Barre's finest citizens, ie. transients tying to keep warm. Two unsalvageable cars are seen here presumably being prepared for scrapping.

The station building itself is hard to photograph as it is surrounded by railroad equipment on all sides. This is about as much of the station as I could shoot. The passneger car in the forground is a six axle piece which I believe came from the D& H.

A number of ex-D&H wooden cabooses were brought to the site. This end coupela car is actually off its trucks and on a trailer in this March 2000 view. Behind the cabin car are some of the dozens of mechanical refridgerator cars at the site.

Another ex-D&H caboose is seen here, this one is a center coupela version. The deteriorated condition of this car is typical of all the equipment at the site. It reflects what can be best described as the death of a once viable, thriving attraction.

Almost swallowed whole by layers of outdoor paneling is yet another former D&H cabin car. Behind the caboose is a passneger car of unknow lineage or type.

Several wooden boxcars are also present. These cars ended their working days as maintenance of way cars. This sorry example, a shelter for about three dozen cats, is on the south side of the complex.

Another wooden box car is seen here. Because it is part of the night club complex, it has been maintained to some degree and is a relatively unmodified It still retains a vertical brake wheel, ladders, doors and outside braced end sills.

A 1950's style diner once occupied a spot to the left of this car. Patrons could either eat in the diner or the buffet-lounge car itself. The diner was sold a few years ago and moved offsite.

This heavy weight observation car is also part of the night club complex and therefore is better mantained than is unfortunate counterparts above. While the car has been modernized with air conditioning and steal sheething, truss rods under the car reveal its construction to be prior than the turn of the century.

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