Joshua,
Rough guesses here without the benefit of a timetable here in front of
me...Scranton is roughly M.P. 131-132, Binghamton M.P. 199-200 (with
Hoboken as M.P. 0). I don't recall if the Bloomsburg Branch mileposts were
based from Scranton or Hoboken. These mileages, of course, are post NJ and
Nicholson (PA) Cut-Offs. The NJ Cut-Off (opened 1911) decreased the
Hoboken-Buffalo mileage by 11 miles, the Nicholson Cut-Off (opened 1915?)
by about 4 miles. I don't know if the bridge numbering scheme preceded or
followed the building of the Cut-Offs.
Chuck
"mail_@_joshuakblay.c
om" <mail
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11/02/2005 10:25 AM Subject:
Please respond to Re: (erielack) Bridge Numbering of the DL&W in Pennsylvania
"mail_@_joshuakblay.c
om"
Reading Co. bridges were numbered according to mileage from the start of
the division. And there are other railroads that numbered their bridges
sequentially, like the NYO&W. Any ideas on how to figure what would be
60 miles from the tower/bridge either towards Binghamton, Hoboken, or
Bloombsuburg? What DL&W milepost is Scranton?
Joshua
> The initial question about why Bridge 60 is called Bridge 60 has gotten
me
> looking into the archives and other resources at Steamtown. While I have
> not been able to find the "silver bullet" answer to this question (a list
> detailing each of the bridges from 1 to the last one) I have found some
> references to bridges. One source I have found are Bunnell's photos,
where
> he used the bridge numbering system. He has photos of bridges in and
> around Scranton (60, 62, 64, 66, 67, and 68). Bridge 79 is listed as 2
> miles east of Henryville, while bridges 81 and 82 are listed "West of
> Analomink". I am sure a review of other photos by Bunnell might turn up
> other bridge numbers.
>
> In addition to these photos we have engineers field books dating from the
> 1890s to the 1920s. Many of them dealt with surveys and work related to
> the cut-off north of Scranton. Bridges are noted in these field books
both
> by bridge number and some by mileage. Bridge 29, for example is listed
> near Alford, PA.
>
> It appears that the bridge numbering system was done in the early 1900s,
> perhaps as part of the initial assessment of the line by the Truesdale
> administration. I suppose it made more sense numbering the bridges than
> using their location on the main line since it appears there were plans
to
> improve the line, thus changing the mileage. I predict other parts of
the
> DL&W had similar bridge numbering systems. The only reason we know
Bridge
> 60 is called Bridge 60 is because the tower kept the name, thus spurring
> the current interest.
>
> It would be an interesting research project to come up with a list and
> location of the bridges. I wish I had the time. If anyone would like to
> come to Steamtown and do the research, I think we have the information
> buried in our archives.
>
> Patrick McKnight
> Historian/Archivist
> Steamtown NHS
> 570-340-5193
>
> We need history, not to tell us what happened or to explain the past, but
> to make the past alive so that it can explain us and make a future
> possible.-Alan Bloom
>
>
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