The Narrows was a deep, open-ended, river canyon
between downtown Mauch Chunk and Packerton, PA. Prior to 1920, when the
Lehigh Navigation was still operating, a canal segment consisting of two
basins divided by a weigh lock and retained by Lock No. 2 ran
along the LV tracks where, in this view, CNJ Preferred Freight Service
Train AW-1 - Allentown to Wilkes-Barre - is working its way westward.
- northeast view, March 1972 - Robert Mohowski
Left
- The 1965 Joint Use of Facilities Agreement rerouted the CNJ onto
LV tracks at Packerton Junction eastward to Lehighton, PA. Automated
interlockers (Packerton Interlocking and Lehighton Interlocking)
regulated traffic over this stretch of track. The mainline connection with the
LV was near the east end (right) of the LV bridge in this scene.
Prior to this agreement, Packerton Junction was a freight interchange
with the LV. - northeast view, March 1988 - Robert F.
Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
MP 115.89 The town of Packerton was at the west end of the
LV's Packerton Yard. The CNJ mainline ran along the entire length of
the yard on an elevated but gentle descending grade to Packerton Junction
where both roads attained the same elevation. In this postcard view the CNJ
mainline is the two elevated tracks at the right. The bridge in the foreground
is CNJ Bridge No. 115/88 over Hollow Road. The under clearance of this
bridge was a mere 8'-11"! Hollow Road was one of the access roads into the LV's
shops, engine terminal, and yard. - southeast view, Circa
1900 - postcard
Left - LV car repair facilities at
Packerton were at the west end of Packerton Yard. They had been established in 1865 and remained active until 1972
when the LV moved their main freight facility eastward to vacated
CNJ facilities at Allentown - Bethlehem, PA. - southeast
view, Circa 1947 - Robert Guthlein collection Right
- This pre turn-of-the-century view of the LV Packerton Car Shops
indicates that the large shop building in the center of the previous view was
once surrounded by buildings from an earlier construction. - southeast view, Circa
1900 - postcard
An eastbound CNJ passenger train is about to
pass by the LV Packerton Yard powerhouse and roundhouse as it works its
way up the long grade to Lehighton Station and the bridge over the
LV mainline. - northward view, Circa 1927 - Lud Larzelere
MP 114.73 The CNJ passenger depot at
Lehighton, PA, was on the south side of the mainline between town and the LV
tracks. It was razed during 1960. - northwest view,
Circa 1935 - Charles Luffbarry
MP 114.67 After crossing the LV the CNJ
mainline turned northward and skirted the western side of Packerton Yard
on a descending gradient. - northwest
view, Circa 1960s - Thomas Bavolar
This view taken from LV Lehighton Interlocking Tower
graphically depicts the location of the CNJ passenger depot in
relationship to town, the LV mainline, and the CNJ bridge.
- northwest view, Circa 1945 - Charles Bealer/courtesy Kenneth A.
Bealer
CNJ Bridge No. 114/67 crossed over the LV at the west entrance
into their Packerton Yard at Lehighton. The bridge consisted of one span
of through, riveted, skew, truss bridge for two tracks. Its metalwork was
installed in 1906 and reinforced in 1921. The bridge rested on masonry dating
back to 1870. It had been fitted with blast plates. The bridge spanned four tracks of the LV. In this view the
structure to the left of the tracks is the LV Lehighton Freight House and
across the right-of-way, Lehighton Interlocking, which controlled
movements into and out of Packerton Yard and the engine terminal. After
implementation of the Joint Use of Facilities Agreement it would also
govern movements onto and off of the CNJ. - northward
view, June 12, 1965 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
CNJ No. 833 with westbound Train No. 107
- Jersey City to Mauch Chunk - blasts up the valley after crossing over
the Lehigh River from Weissport, PA. Between
MP 114.28
and MP 114.67
the mainline had to climb a grade of sufficient inline to carry it over the LV
railroad. The LV coach yard at Lehighton is partially visible to the left
of the locomotive. - southeast view, May 30, 1947 - Robert F.
Collins
Westbound CNJ No. 2502 didn't have to blast
up the valley to the reach elevation of the bridge over the LV
after November 1, 1965. The Joint Use of Facilities Agreement require
that a ramp be constructed to connect the CNJ and LV
mainlines at the east end of Lehighton. The CNJ train in this view is
descending the ramp. - southeast view, Circa 1969 -
Richard Jahn
MP 114.28 The CNJ river crossing at
Weissport was over Bridge No. 114/28. It consisted of six spans of deck,
plate girder, skew bridge for two tracks resting on two stone abutments and five
stone piers. The masonry was installed in 1870 and 1901 and the steel girders in
1901. In this view the CNJ Weissport passenger station is out of view to
the left, and the City of Lehighton is in the distance. -
westward view, March 1988 - Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
MP 113.99 The Lehigh River emerged from the Lehigh
Gorge in the Packerton/Lehighton area and by the time it reached Weissport the
valley became quite open. Between 1828 and 1923 Weissport had been an
importation location on the Lehigh Navigation where the Lehigh Coal &
Navigation Company had operated a major boatyard that both built and repaired
canal boats. After the yard closed in 1923, the LC&N utilized the
facility for administrative offices. - southeast view,
September 16, 1962 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
MP 112.12 The CNJ depot at Parryville was on
the north side of the railroad between the mainline and State Route 209
(old State Highway 163).
In this view the safety rails between the tracks (to hold derailed wheels on the
ties) and photographer are on
CNJ Bridge No. 112/115 over Pohopoco Creek. - southwest view,
Circa 1935 - Charles Luffbarry
A short distance east of the Parryville
depot, CNJ No. 2503 with a westbound freight. - southwest view,
June 23, 1966 - A. W. Kovacs
The grade between Parryville and Bowmanstown changed at
the rate of 8 feet per mile. Eastbound CNJ No. 916 with 54 cars pours on
the coal down the gentle descent. - northwest view - March 25,
1948 - Robert P. Malinowski
MP 111.05 Bowmanstown was on the CNJ
side of the river and the town of Bowmans on the LV side.
Bowmanstown was one of the few Lehigh River Valley towns that was neither
associated with mining, zinc, iron, or steel. Bowmanstown was, however, home
to Princes Metallic Paint and several other on-line businesses including Anthracite Drifted Coal Co. - a coal washery. -
northwest view,
September 16, 1962 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
MP 110.10 Westbound CNJ No. 894 with 82 cars
has just rounded the curve west of Palmerton, PA, and is now on a tangent into
Bowmanstown. Eastbound Signal No. 1102 is an automatic, block, semaphore
signal with a TAKE SIDING indicator searchlight below the number plate.
Eastbound trains approaching this signal with the TAKE SIDING light
activated were required to telephone the operator at HX Interlocking
before entering the middle track passing siding. Prior to World War II the west
end of this middle track was controlled by HD Interlocking (also known as
Hazard Tower). HD Interlocking Tower was at
MP 110.05. After abandonment HD Interlocker's
former site was
renamed West End Hazard. - northeast view,
May 30, 1946 - Robert F. Collins
MP 109.30 CNJ No. 879 with a load of
westbound empty coal hoppers being returned to the mines steams past the New Jersey
Zinc Company's Palmerton Plant. (Click
on link L&NE Lehigh Gap Station for
photographs and information concerning the New Jersey Zinc Company's plants and
railroad at Palmerton.) The track in the
center is the middle passing siding. The rear of the train has not cleared HX
Interlocking. HD Interlocking and the end of the middle track lay a short distance ahead of the train. - northeast view, August 21, 1938 -
George E. Votava
MP 108.47 CNJ Signal Bridge No. 118/48
spanned five tracks - the east and west main tracks, the middle track passing siding, and two
yard tracks. It carried the eastbound home
signals to HX Interlocking. The distant truss spanning the tracks is an
overhead footbridge owned by the New Jersey Zinc Company.
- southwest view, December 28, 1971 - Michael Rowland
MP 108.42 CNJ HX Interlocking Tower was at
the east end of the middle track passing siding
on the north side of the railroad.
- southwest view, December 28, 1971 - Michael Rowland
The
New Jersey Zinc Company in Palmerton maintained plants in two separate
locations. The westernmost Palmerton Plant was situated along the CNJ
mainline between HD and HX Interlockers while the easternmost
East Palmerton Plant was north of the CNJ mainline along Aquashicola
Creek. Each plant operated its own railroad on plant property. The New Jersey
Zinc Company's wholly-owned Chestnut Ridge Railway transferred cars
between plants and interchanged with he CNJ at the Palmerton Plant. - southeast view, March
1988 - Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
MP 108.18 CNJ Palmerton Station
.
- northeast view, September 16, 1962 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
MP 107.60 By 1958 the CNJ passenger depot at
Lehigh Gap had become a road stand: Lou's Market - specializing in fresh
produce groceries, frozen foods, cold meats, A-TREAT Premium Beverages, and 25¢
hot dogs with French fries. Even Lou would be out-of-business at this
location after the old station was razed in 1960. - northwest
view, Circa 1958 - Clinton T. Andrews
Westbound ex Blue Comet locomotive, CNJ No.
831, with five passenger cars in tow has rounded the first curve west of
Lehigh Gap, PA, and is on a tangent into Palmerton. -
southeast view, Circa 1950 - photographer unknown
Westbound CNJ freight with No. 932 in
charge steams past the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company's abandoned
Lock No. 18 and its associated lock-tender's house. The L&NE Lehigh Gap
bridge looms over the tracks in the distance. The faint easement line running
above the train to the bridge is the L&NE's Palmerton Branch, which
gradually descends into the Aquashicola Creek Valley to the L&NE's
interchange yard with the Chestnut Ridge Railway at the East Palmerton
plant of New Jersey Zinc (of Pennsylvania). This CNJ freight train
is about to cross CNJ Bridge No. 107/53 over the mouth of Aquashicola
Creek on the Lehigh River. - southeast view, Circa 1947 - Don
Ball collection
The ruins of LC&N's Lock No. 18 were still
discernible in 1960. - southeast views, November 12,
1960 - William T. Greenberg
MP 107.08 In this photograph taken from the L&NE
Lehigh Gap Bridge of an eastbound CNJ Mikado powered (CNJ No. 865)
coal train, the farthest cars are over Aquashicola Creek bridge
while the mid section of the train is alongside LC&N Lock No. 18. A few canal boats are berthed
by the
lock house, which undoubtedly served boatmen and travelers as hotel, restaurant, and pub.
Oddly, there are also two vessels in the river, one of which looks as if it is
self-propelled and the other a canal boat. Both appear to be at the mercy of
shallow water, which
makes one ponder why they bypassed the safety of the lock? Perhaps at this late
date (1929) in the history of the Lehigh Navigation these boats are
abandoned, giving profound symbolic meaning to the seemingly endless passing
drag of back diamonds on its way to tidewater. The track ending in the
foreground is a long storage spur. - northwest view, Circa
1929 - Robert P. Morris
Eastbound CNJ No. 813 with five cars making up Train No. 316 has
just ducked under the L&NE bridge and is now passing CNJ milepost
107, which informs the engineer that they are 107 miles west of Jersey City. All
CNJ mainline mile markers displayed miles away from (or miles toward
depending on direction of travel) Jersey City. - northwest view, March 1946 - Robert F. Collins
MP 106.82 This odd assortment of motive power on
this westbound CNJ freight has passed under the Pennsylvania Route No. 813
river bridge (CNJ physical characteristics literature of the 1930s calls
this area of right-of-way Toll Bridge) and is approaching the L&NE Lehigh Gap Bridge.
- southwest view, June 13, 1967 - A. W. Kovacs
Eastbound of the Pennsylvania Route No. 813 highway
bridge, the CNJ mainline passed by another relic of the Lehigh Navigation
- the former lock-tender's house of Lock No. 20. Between Mauch Chunk and
Easton the LC&N had operated 49 locks, with inlet Lock No. 1 at
Packer's Dam in Mauch Chunk and outlet Lock No. 49 near the mouth of
the Lehigh River in Easton. - southeast view, Circa 1969 -
Richard Jahn
MP 104.68 The
CNJ depot at Walnutport, PA, was on the north side of the railroad.
Although Walnutport was primarily a residential/farming area, the CNJ
maintained several on-line customers near the station. Walnutport was situated
on a canal segment between Guard Lock No. 21 and Lock No. 22 and
was once home to canal workers who maintained residences along the canal.
- northeast view, November 1955, Clinton T. Andrews collection
Eastbound Train No. 106 - Mauch Chunk to Jersey City - is boarding
passengers at Walnutport. The locomotive, No. 2001, is - in
addition to being the CNJ's first class of passenger diesel - an uncommon
double-ender with operating stands at each end! - northwest
view, August 21, 1948 - John J. Bowman, Jr.
MP 99.91
Treichlers Station. Prior to its abandonment before 1935, the CNJ
passenger station at Lockport had been on the north side of the mainline at
MP 102.5.
In addition to its distinction at having been a canal port, the onetime
postmaster (1836-1838) of Lockport (called Lowrytown until approximately 1840)
had been none other than LV founder and long-time president, Asa Packer.
Eastward of Lockport, in the vicinity of the
101
milepost - Lockport Telegraph Office, a middle track passing siding ran
as far as the west side of Treichlers Station. - northeast
view, May 12, 1963 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
MP
96.50 East of Treichlers the
CNJ mainline entered an area rich in limestone deposits ideal for the
manufacture of concrete known as the Cement Belt (later the Lehigh
District). In 1888 the CNJ
constructed the 0.96-mile Allen Cement Branch to reach the Allen
Cement Works (Allen Cement Company of Pennsylvania). Among the founders of
the Allen Cement Company was the then CNJ president, J. Rodgers
Maxwell (1887-1901). The branch left the mainline on the north side of the
tracks approximately one-mile west of the CNJ's Siegfried depot and terminated in a
small yard at the mill. Around the turn-of-the-century the Allen Cement Works became the
Lawrence Portland Cement Company. They manufactured and marketed a brand of cement called Dragon
Portland Cement. Later during the early 1950s the Lawrence Portland Cement
Company became the Dragon Cement Company. A storage yard called Siegfried Yard was
immediately eastward of
the junction of the Allen Cement Branch on the mainline. In
this view the freight house can be seen
behind the passenger depot and much farther away, a portion of the
Dragon Cement Company facility.
- northwest view, May 12, 1963 - William T. Greenberg,
Jr.
MP 95.57
The Siegfried Station name came from the original settlement's founder, Lehigh River
banks store/tavern/ferry/bridge
owner John Siegfried. In 1902
the
nearby communities of Siegfried, Stemton, and Newport had merged to form the
Borough of
Alliance, a name which lasted until 1909 when it was renamed Northampton.
The CNJ, however, kept the name Siegfried for this station stop.
- southeast view, March 28, 1965, Charles Houser
MP 94.54
Left
- One result of the township merger and
borough name changes was that the CNJ ended up with two stations in
Northampton Borough.
The CNJ originally called Northampton Station, Laubach (circa
1870), then Stemton (circa 1880), Alliance (1902), and finally Northampton
(1909).
- southeast view, May 12, 1963 - William T. Greenberg,
Jr. Right - The two stations in Northampton
Borough were about a mile apart with a passing siding on eastbound No. 1
track (the No. 1 Track diverted southward in effect making the passing
siding a middle track with cross over switches to and from the westbound No.
2. track) starting between the two and running beyond Northampton Station
to a point near the junctions of the Northampton & Bath Railroad.
- southeast view, July 4, 1968 - Charles Houser
MP 94.43 A small yard eastward of Northampton
Station collected cars from three CNJ branch lines and
interchange traffic from the Northampton & Bath
Railroad. The junction of the 0.50-mile CNJ Carbon Branch diverted
from the mainline eastward of the yard off a wye on the north side of the
tracks. It crossed Carbon Creek and ran to its terminus at an industrial site in
North Catasauqua. It was removed during 1943. The 0.56-mile Standard
Cement Branch was also on the north side of the mainline and it accessed the
Standard Cement Works. The Standard Cement Branch did double duty as
the Northampton Yard switching lead and the interchange with the
Northampton & Bath Railroad. The 0.54-mile CNJ
Coplay Branch had its junction off eastbound No. 3 track on
the south side of the mainline. It ran southwestward over River Road, the Lehigh
Canal, the Lehigh River, and then five tracks of the LV before connecting
with the Ironton Railroad in Hokendauqua. - northeast
view, June 1974 - James Dalberg
Northampton & Bath Railroad
v
Ironton Railroad
Left - At its peak the Ironton Railroad was a 12.5-mile industrial short-line with a long history. It opened for business back in May 1860, was acquired by the Thomas Iron Works in 1881, and then in November 1923 - the RDG in joint ownership with the LV. In this view Ironton No. 751 is shifting a cement plant at Coplay. - September 25, 1968 - A. W. Kovacs Left Center - Ironton No. 751 pulls an interchange cut of cars for the CNJ caboose first. The short train is approaching the PA Route 145 highway overpass. The diverging route leads to the RDG's Catasauqua & Fogelsville Railroad and the LV's Biery Yard in Hokendauqua. - southeast view, October 24, 1968 - A. W. Kovacs Center - The CNJ's junction with the Ironton Railroad was at the Chestnut Street interchange yard on the west side of PA Route 145. - northwest view, October 24, 1968 - A. W. Kovacs Right Center - Ironton Railroad No. 33, an ex RDG I-7a, rolls through Hokendauqua with an interchange coal hopper. - August 29, 1937 - photographer unknown Right - Ironton Railroad Tool Car No. 1 is a hold over coach from the days the Ironton Railroad operated a daily roundtrip passenger schedule between Hokendauqua and Siegersville (1898-1921). In this scene it is spotted at Coplay. - May 1948 - photographer unknown
MP 93.10 North of Catasauqua with a 55-car
westbound freight, CNJ Mikado No. 905 has crossed over a canal segment of
the Lehigh Navigation on CNJ Bridge No. 93/03. This bridge was a
158'-4" long, single span, through, riveted skew, truss bridge for four tracks.
Its stone and concrete masonry was put in place around 1870 and 1931
respectively and its metal during 1913. In this view the eastbound No. 3
track has been removed. - southeast view, July 6, 1946 -
Robert F. Collins
MP 90.20
WK Interlocking governed movement onto and off of the
Allentown Terminal Railroad (ATTR) at its western junction with
the CNJ mainline. In this westward view WK Interlocking Tower is
in the center of the photograph. The bridge truss at the left is on the ATTR
mainline into downtown Allentown. - northwest view, circa 1962
- photographer unknown