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(erielack) Re: Jessup Branch



Hi,

I am not sure how much I can help with, as I am lousy at ASCII maps, but here 
it goes...

>>1.) From the road and geo maps that I have, it looks like there is a
junction (trailing-point if you are going away from Rock Jct. towards
Winton) on the Branch just north of Little Roaring Brook, where a line
heads to the southwest, then turns west and next loops around until it
is going northeast, eventually coming parallel to what I think is the
main leg of the Jessup Br.  Is this Murray Jct and the NYSW, or is that
loop itself considered the Jessup Branch?  The loop seems to go towards
where the Spencer and Carney & Brown Breakers are, so I thought it might
be the NYSW.  But the Jessup Branch is one of the trickiest lines I've
ever seen.  



Answer--- The Spencer Branch turns southwest at Murray Junction, you are 
right on the name. It ends at the Spencer Breaker, roughly across Roaring 
Brook from the Nay Aug Breaker which was served off the Wyoming Div main. 
About half-way to the Spencer Breaker, a trailing point switch starts a line 
to the northwest which is the Murray Branch to the Carney & Brown Breaker. 
This line is paralell with the Jessup Br and across from the Gypsy Grove Brkr 
on the Jessup. It never loops back to connect. To get to the C&B Brkr from 
Rock Juntion you would turn off (facing point) at Murray Jct. onto the 
Spencer Branch and then back through the traling point switch onto the Murray 
Br. Again, this data comes from an Erie map used by the rr.
  

>>2.) I see from Taber's DL&W in the 20th Century Vol. 1, map of DLW
Winton Branch, that there was a Murray mine north of Carney & Brown.
Given the name Murray Jct. and Murray Branch, can I guess that the NYSW
continued to this mine?

Answer -- That's right. The Murray and Spencer Branches were SusieQ.

>>3.) Taber's map shows a "Lackawanna" breaker on the NYSW Winton Branch
near the O&W on the northwest side of the Lackawanna River; BUT, Taber's
lists of mines shows "Lackawanna" to be in Olyphant; the NYSW Winton
Branch would technically be in Blakely and in what appears to be a
populated area.  

The Lackawanna Breaker was in Olyphant north of the O&W station. It was on 
the very end of the NYS&W Winton Branch and the Erie map shows it as the 
Temple Coal Co's Lackawanna Breaker.

>> Can it be that the NYSW line to Carney & Brown and presumably
Murray continued north along the Jessup Branch through Throop into
eastern Olyphant and the "Lackawanna" breaker was located along it?

Answer -- No. The Carney & Brown line ended at the breaker. The Lackawanna 
Breaker was on the end of the NYS&W right along the O&W on the northside of 
Olyphant.


>>>4.) If a parallel NYSW line got up that far, did it continue and rejoin
the Jessup Branch for access to Jessup Yard?  This is what the street
and geo maps seem to indicate, although they are only about 85% accurate
with regard to old RR routes.

Answer -- Nope. The only way from the Winton Branch to the yard was via the 
Graqssy Island and Winton Jct.


>>5.) As a corralary to that question, did the NYSW line to the south
directly connect with the NYSW Winton Branch, or were they 2 seperated
stretches (connected instead by the Erie Jessup Br.)?

Answer -- Yes they were two individual pieces.


>>6.) Taber's map and list indicates a Marshwood breatker shomewhere up
Moosic Mountain.  I see a town of Marshwood to the southeast of Jessup.
Could it be that the Moosic Mt. & Carbondale branch from Jessup Jct. had
an arm going out to Marshwood, which Taber lists as being served by the
Erie?


Answer -- Could be. It is not on my map.



>>7.) I see a Pompey breaker listed on the Taber map and on a 1964 EL
Scranton Div. employees timetable.  I gather that Pompey is in the
Jessup / Winton area close to where the Grassy Island connection line
meets the NYSW Winton Br. (Taber lists Pompey as being served by both
the NYSW and Erie proper)?


Answer from Gino -- The Pompey operation was north of Hill street- you made 
the turn at an old
Hardware store whose name escapes me now. The breaker was about 3/4 to 1
mile in from Hill street along what I believe was Lackawanna track which
entered Jessup slightly to the east and further up the mountain by about a
block from the Erie yard.The Erie could reach the breaker either by going
along their own track which curved around a huge mountain of coal tailings
called a culm dump (. It must have soared an easy 250-300 feet into the
air-as kids we spent a lot of time trying to climb it and never did make
it)or by a switchback connection up to the Lackawanna trackage.


Rob's note -- sounds like it was near Judge Coal (or was Judge Coal) and the 
Mt. Jessup Breaker.

>>8.) I gather that the NYSW Winton Branch is the line shown on the
streetmaps that curves over the D&H, Lackawanna River and O&W; then
splits at Riverside Jct., one line appearing to go southwest to a
junction with the O&W somewhere near the border of Blakely and Dickson
City (thus my confusion about the Jessup Br. going to Dickson City); the
other line going west, then curving north into Eynon, possibly serving
the Eaton Breaker (now museum)?  


Answer -- The line to Eynon was the O&W Riverside Branch. The rest is right. 
Is ther really a museum there at Eaton?


>>9.) I was confusing the NYSW Winton Branch with the Jessup Br. because
the 1960s-era employees timetables that I have seem to treat all of
these points under "Jessup Branch" listings.  I take it that the Erie
always operated this NYSW trackage, given that the NYS&W proper and the
WB&E didn't directly connect with it?

Answer -- As far as I know. In 1939 at least, the Erie and the DL&W ran ovger 
the NYS&W Winton Branc plus the O&W had rights on the Winton end.


>>>10.) As to the DL&W Winton Br., the Taber map shows it ending at Mt.
Jessup Breaker and Pierce Breaker in Winton.  I have a road map
identifying the location of those breakers, and they seem to be to the
east of the Erie Jessup and NYSW Winton Br. trackage.  Thus can I assume
that the DL&W Winton Br. stayed to the east of the Jessup Br.?  

Answr -- Yes. I was just there. Neat. The DL&W stayed East and was crossed by 
the Moosic Mt & Carbondale.  

>Also,
the Taber map shows two spurs off of the DLW branch to serve the
Pancoast Breaker and Murray Breaker, both bearing to the southwest.  If
so, those lines would have to somehow cross the Jessup Br. and NYSW
trackage.

Answerr -- Yes, the DL&W crossed the Erie north of the Penn. Coal Brekaer on 
the Olyphant town line.

>Thanks for any comments.  

You are welcom Jim. Thanks to Gino for his Pompey input, too.

God belss,

Rob

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