Erie Lackawanna
Railfan.net 'erielack' E-Mail List Photo Archive

Aston_Mountain_Rd.jpg   Original: 1500 by 1243 pixels - Current: 1500 by 1243 - 100%
                          Try your mouse wheel too!

(No Previous Image) DSC09262.jpg - Next Image

From: "Adams, Frank P" frank DOT p DOT adams AT verizonbusiness DOT com
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:22:31 +0000
Subject: In search of WB&E Panther Creek Viaduct
"Aston_Mountain_Rd.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1500x1243 (24bit)

Finally got around to documenting my afternoon hike on Aug 8th in search
of the Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Panther Creek Viaduct. On the image
called Aston Mt Road (because that's what I know the area as) in Spring
Brook south of PA 502 and west of the Watres Reservoir. First the
simple way to get there taking the Aston Mt turnoff from 502 is closed,
the bridge is under repairs. Need to go down 502 into Moosic and back
track.

yellow dotted line: WB&E roadbed. Gap is where the viaduct would
have been. The tonsil shape is a dead giveaway from what maps I have of
the WB&E, from there easy to follow the path (it's a gated water
company road called Rt 309 now) to where the viaduct should be and pick
it up again on the other side

orange dashed line: a railroad bed that I walked which I though was
the WB&E but after discussions with Jim Guthrie it must be the Spring
Brook RR. A story unto itself.

Picture 9262 is where the orange line starts, sign called Horse Shoe
Valley

Picture 9265 is on the orange path, again on what I'm thinking was
the Spring Brook RR

blue dotted line: where I walked after the orange. Turned up an ATV
trail that isn't on the map images. The orange path ends up in the
creek, and it looks like it was a washout continuing on the other side,
but I didn't venture past the washout spot. So not exactly sure how
close I actually got to the dam (didn't bring my damn GPS).

Note the blue line ends where the viaduct should have been. At the time
I couldn't see a thing with the trees. I stood there sure I was lost and
it was threatening rain and I was wishing I had brought along my GPS,
and the mosquitoes.... Anyway after this post mortem analysis perhaps
I was in the right place after all.

I did try to drive up (in a rental car) the road called High Bridge
State Forest Access. Note the historical clue in "high bridge", but it
quickly turned into a 4 wheel drive road and Alamo was nice enough not
to notice that scrape on the front fender.... However, at the point
where it intersected the ATV trail (blue line) the road was very nicely
maintained. Makes me wonder if it was the same road (damn, no GPS) or
if I was on Rt 309, the WB&E. But the blue line is most likely accurate
because in my notes I wrote (swatting mosquitoes) nice road, not
railroad, not flat.....


Frank
ELHS #2116



Aston_Mountain_Rd.jpg

Click Here or on the corner X to close this window.


    All photos are the property of the original photographer unless otherwise noted and are to be used for personal viewing purposes only.

    The use of these photos on any website or other distribution media is strictly forbidden without the express consent of the image copyright holder.

    Linking directly to this page is permitted as long as "Railfan.net Erie Lackawanna Email List Photo Archive" is creditted on the linking page.