L&NE No. 302 with an eastbound manifest freight
steams away from Pen Argyl on its journey to Maybrook, NY. -
northwestward view, July 1948 - Richard S. Loane
The L&NE's
largest terminal was a few miles west of
downtown Pen Argyl. Facilities included a roundhouse and turntable to service
steam locomotives, a diesel shop, a car shop, and a large bi-directional hump
freight yard. Maybrook, New York, trains were both dispatched from and receive
at Pen Argyl terminal.
- northeastward view, April 1986 - Robert F. Fischer/Warren C.
Gearrick
Aerial photograph of Pen Argyl Engine Terminal
with facilities labeled. - eastward view, April 1986 - Robert F.
Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
To accommodate two, huge, 2-10-0 steam locomotives (ultimately four - two
additional units arrived in 1931); the
L&NE had Bethlehem Steel Company install a 32-ton, twin-span, 100' turntable
at Pen Argyl during 1927. The existing 15-stall roundhouse (with a
shorter turntable) had been constructed earlier in 1917. -
northwestward view, November 12, 1960 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
The L&NE kept the Bethlehem tender boosters on
their class E-14 and F-1 locomotives while many other railroads removed them as
a maintenance headache. All heavy locomotive rebuilding and repairs were
performed at the Pen Argyl shops and roundhouse. - circa 1949
- Robert Guthlein collection
A large car shop was erected in 1914 to replace an older
shop located in town. - eastward view from site of transfer
table, May 1982 - Robert F. Fischer
L&NE No. 151 sits on the back shop lead from the
turntable. The car shops did multiple duty as a paint shop, locomotive back
shop, and diesel shop. The roof of the shop still has the saw-tooth skylights
that were later replaced with a flat roof during the 1950s. -
northwest view, July 16, 1939 - photographer unknown
This small building was on the north side of the engine
terminal between the car shop and roundhouse. Although its design indicates
another use, late in its service with the L&NE it was an office.
-southeast view, May 1982 - Robert F. Fischer
A coal-fired boiler house fed by an elevated ramp was
alongside the diesel fueling area. - northwest view, May 1982
- Robert F. Fischer
The two-track diesel fueling racks stretched along the south side of the
terminal in front of the car shop. The elevated track to the left of No. 705
is a gravity ramp that allowed coal to be dumped into the powerhouse fuel
bunker. - eastward view, July
25, 1961 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
Several diesels could be fueled at the same time as
this partial side view of the racks indicates. L&NE No. 709 is decorated
in the short-lived, filled, cat whisker scheme. -
northeastward view, November 12, 1960 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
The fuel pump house still stood in 1982, albeit a bit forlorn without a railroad
to serve. The empty space behind the pump house was were the water tower,
coaling station, and sand house once stood. - eastward view,
May 1982 - Robert F. Fischer
L&NE No. 302 makes a pretty portrait at it
simmers on the ready track slightly east of the water station.
- northeastward view, May 21, 1939 - Richard
S. Loane
L&NE No. 402 simmers under the loading chute
at the terminal's concrete coaling station. It, the water tower, ash dump, and
sand house were east of the roundhouse. The sand house next to the coaling tower
is partially visible behind the locomotive.
- northwest view, January 1946 - Richard S. Loane
A freight transfer shed for LCL (less than carload)
shipments occupied an area on the east side of the terminal. -
northeast view, May 1982 - Robert F. Fischer
An earlier view of the LCL freight transfer shed.
- northwest view, March 10, 1962 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
Prior to 1914 the L&NE Pen Argyl terminal was on
the west side of Pen Argyl itself. This view of the small yard in town shows the original car shop building
at the far right. -
southeastward view, November 12, 1960 - William T. Greenberg, Jr.
The area south of Pen Argyl was rich in slate and many
quarries dotted the landscape. Slate was one of the three major industries that
the L&NE served (coal, cement, and slate). - April 1986
- Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick
A slate quarry was an awesome operation to behold -
geometric pits carved with sheer walls descending deep into stone beds that
seemed to be bottomless. Quarried stones were hoisted from the bowls of the pits
and then moved about on aerial tramways. - May 1982 - Robert
F. Fischer
A bottomless slate pit. -
April 1986 - Robert F. Fischer/Warren C. Gearrick