Nesquehoning Junction was rich in both railroad
history and activity. The Lehigh Valley's earliest rail-line, the gravity
Rhume Run Railroad, had its terminus on the Lehigh River near the mouth
of Nesquehoning Creek (originally called the Rhume Run). The CNJ bridge
across the Lehigh River was actually a series of three separate bridges:
bridge No. 119/59 over the LV at Coalport - one span of through,
riveted, skew, truss bridge for two tracks built masonry about 1870 and metal
1908; bridge No. 119/56 over Lehigh Canal feeder at Coalport - two spans
of stone box culvert bridge for two tracks with a timber extension at the north
end built about 1870; bridge No. 119/45 over the Lehigh River at
Nesquehoning Junction - five spans of deck, plate girder, skew bridge for
two tracks built in 1922 (the newer bridge replaced an earlier structure of
lesser load limit dating back to 1870 and was necessary to allow the new M
class 2-8-2s to safely cross the river). - northwest view, Circa 1940, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission
In this aerial view of Nesquehoning Junction, two of
the three river bridges are in view. The box culvert bridge over the Lehigh
Canal feeder has been filled in and is no longer visible from the air. On the
far bank the line of upper easement is US Route 209. The CNJ
mainline is represented by the lower easement that curves across the river (its
continuation on the far bank is the Nesquehoning Valley Branch). There is
a third easement on a grade that leaves the Nesquehoning Valley Branch
and gradually climbs eastward between the mainline and state highway. This is
the site of the former Mauch Chunk locomotive coaling station. It was situation
on the hillside and accessible from the west off of the branch.
- southeast view, March 28, 1988
- Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
Nesquehoning Junction was
situated on the west bank of
the Lehigh River across from Coalport. PQ Interlocking Tower (right
photograph) controlled movement to and from the CNJ's Nesquehoning Valley
Branch. When the branch originally opened in 1870, it was the Nesquehoning
Valley Railroad - a Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company controlled
feeder line into the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad. It connected
mining in the vicinity of Tamanend, PA, to the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad.
When the CNJ leased the railroad properties of the LC&N in 1871,
it became the Nesquehoning Valley Branch. - northwest
views, Circa 1962 - photographer unknown
The Nesquehoning Valley Branch followed the
course of Nesquehoning Creek for most of its run into Tamanend, staying
predominately on the west bank of the creek along the north base of Indian and Nesquehoning Mountains. East of Hometown, PA, the creek disappeared
northward into its headwaters atop Broad Mountain. In this view, CNJ No. 457
- with a two-car, westbound, passenger consist - has left the mainline at
Nesquehoning Junction and is now approaching the town of Nesquehoning. The
locomotive is an unlikely choice for passenger service, a mastodon type with a
4-8-0 wheel arrangement. Prior to the arrival of ten United States
Railroad Administration heavy 2-8-2s during 1919, these K1 class
locomotives were the CNJ's heavy drag motive power. They had been so
familiar a sight in the coalfields that they were dubbed with the nickname
"Chunkers" in honor of their endless journeys to the anthracite capital of
the coal region - Mauch Chunk. The Nesquehoning Valley Branch was double
track to Hauto. - northeast view, Circa 1925,
William T. Greenberg collection
The town of Nesquehoning sat at the foot of Indian Mountain (upper
right) in the Nesquehoning Valley. The LC&N Nesquehoning
Breaker was on the north slope of Nesquehoning Mountain (lower right) near
its foot. The gap between mountains is Rhume Run Gap. Originally this mining area had been served by the gravity Rhume
Run Railroad (1833-1870) and later the steam Nesquehoning Valley Railroad,
which eventually became the Nesquehoning Valley Branch of the
CNJ's Lehigh & Susquehanna Division. In this aerial view the Lehigh
River and the town of East Mauch Chunk are in the distance.
- eastward view, March 28, 1988
- Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
NV Branch MP 3.32
The CNJ passenger depot at Nesquehoning was in town on the south side of
the railroad. - southwest
view, Circa 1962 - photographer unknown
NV Branch MP 3.90
LC&N's Nesquehoning Breaker was a short
distance west of Nesquehoning on the north side of Nesquehoning Mountain. It was
served by both the L&NE and the CNJ. - postcard views, circa 1910 - Greg Buchala
collection
NV Branch MP 13.70
CNJ bridge No. 13/70, The Hometown Trestle, over the Little
Schuylkill River was west of Hometown and included 17 spans of deck girder
bridge for one track on two concrete abutments and 8 steel towers. The 981-foot
bridge was built during 1931.
-
northwest & northeast views, March 28, 1988
- Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
NV Branch MP 15.33
The CNJ passenger depot at Haucks was on the south
side of the railroad, east of the interchange yard and wye connection to
Tamanend. In this view looking toward the bridge over Quake Road, its
number-plate still displays the old numbering system bridge No. 154. This
was later changed to bridge No. 15/31. The bridge consists of one span of
deck, plate, girder bridge for two tracks (main track and passing siding) on
stone abutments. The bridge was erected around the turn of the last century and
its girders later reinforced during 1945.
- eastward view, Circa 1906, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission
The CNJ water station at Haucks was on the north
side of the railroad between the east and west legs of the wye connection to
Tamanend. The building to the left of the water tank in this view is the
pump-house.
- northward view, Circa 1906, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission
The Reading Company at Haucks:
Left & Center Left - The RDG's Haucks Interlocking Tower controlled movement onto and off of their Shamokin Division, as well as in and out of the west end of the CNJ's Haucks interchange yard (visible across the double tracks). - southeast views, Circa 1930 - photographer unknown Center Right - The RDG's interchange yard was located a little over one mile northeast of Haucks. The CNJ Nesquehoning Valley Branch ended at NV Branch MP 16.60 at the point where it connected with the RDG's interchange yard at Tamanend. - northeast view, Circa 1930 - photographer unknown Right - The track arrangement at Haucks changed dramatically over the years. In this 1964 view, the former site of the RDG Haucks Interlocking Tower is to the left of the diamonds. The RDG's Shamokin Division, passing from left to right, is now single track. Oddly, the RDG's connection to the CNJ's Haucks interchange yard is double track for a short distance west of the crossing. - northwest view, October 1964 - Fred Wilczewski