MP 191.20 The ornate CNJ freight house at Scranton, PA, is often
mistaken for the passenger station, which was small and architecturally
undistinguished. There was a time, however,
when the CNJ's Scranton Station equaled the freight station in grandeur
(click for view of the original station). It burned to the ground at the
beginning of the 20th century and was replaced by an architecturally lesser
building. This freight station was the CNJ's farthest facility west of
Jersey City, being about 192 miles away. The abandoned ROW below the freight
house once led to a small interchange yard and the connection to the
NYO&W (out of
view to the right). - northward view, March 1975 - Charles H. Houser
Note: CNJ circa 1890 passenger station post card view courtesy Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, PA.
The freight house was westbound of the passenger
station across Lackawanna Avenue. The B&O diesels are on the connection to the
NYO&W - which is beyond the freight station, around the next bend,
under the Mulberry Street viaduct, 2,800' from MP 190. The long building immediately behind the
station is an old brewery. - northeastward view, August 6, 1967 -
Reverend A. W. Kovacs
MP 191.12
The replacement CNJ passenger station at its western
terminus was not an
impressive structure. Scranton was a DL&W town and although the CNJ
maintained a presence, it was in the shadow of the other railroad. In this view
of the station area - the small, almost decrepit, single-story, passenger
station (to the left of
the locomotives) and unpaved driveway are visible. The turret of the CNJ's
ornate
freight house (at the far left) looms above the scene. -
northeastward view, August 6, 1967 - Reverend A. W. Kovacs
CNJ No. 107, a United States Railroad
Administration design, steams in front of of the CNJ depot awaiting
its next assignment. A DL&W train is crossing over the CNJ and
Lackawanna River to their terminal on the opposite bank. -
southwest view, May 29, 1949 - photographer unknown, authors' collection
At one time the city of Scranton had been served by five railroads: DL&W,
D&H, NYO&W, ERIE, and the CNJ. The CNJ had been late to arrive in town, having come in 1888. They had to settle for what was
left of business and real estate. This westbound view puts everything into perspective. The brewery at the left,
the cramped station at track level (the original station had been two stories with the
main part of the building at street level, the gothic freight house, the
Lackawanna River at the right, and the Lackawanna Avenue overpass cutting across
all. Other than a few hundred feet or so of track, this was the
western terminus of the CNJ!
- April 12, 1967 - James Dalberg
Looking eastbound from the passenger station.
southward view, April 12, 1967 - James Dalberg
MP 190.31 The
CNJ Broadway Engine Terminal was downstream of the passenger station
- wedged between Third Avenue, O'Connor Court, and the Lackawanna River. In this
view CNJ No. 876 rests on the west turntable lead.
- northwest view, November 15, 1945 - Robert Malinoski
- eastward view, circa 1930 - Richard
Stevenson collection
The concrete footings in the foreground once supported
a 277' timber locomotive coaling trestle with elevator plant.
- April 2, 1960 - Jack DeRosset
collection
80'
Turntable No. 7 was installed by the American Bridge Company in 1909 and
outlived the 8-stall brick roundhouse it served.
- April 2, 1960 - Jack DeRosset
collection
MP 188.02 Taylor Yard was south
of Scranton along the west bank of the Lackawanna River in Taylor, PA. In this
view a long freight waits in the yard for a fan trip Budd
rail diesel car to complete its move over the crossover from from the
interchange to the main track. Several enthusiasts are meandering up the
connection track to the DL&W Bloomsburg Division (easement visible to the left of
the train). -
northwest view, September 19, 1954 - Jack DeRosset
collection
The rail
enthusiasts RDC has the mainline tied up. Barely visible to the left of the
railcar, on the opposite bank of the river, is a bridge abutment of the
abandoned DL&W National Mines Branch that once served the National Breaker.
This line carried over both the CNJ and the Lackawanna River. The bridge
was removed on April 7, 1954. -
southward view, September 19, 1954 - Jack DeRosset
collection
MP 187.34
At the east end of the Taylor Yard the CNJ
mainline opened into double track and crossed the Lackawanna River on two spans
of through, riveted truss, skew bridge. CNJ No. 814 is making an unusual
reverse move against the current of traffic across the bridge.
- southeast view, circa 1948 - photographer unknown
