•The section of d&H rail-Trail closed for the Ugi pipeline project from Forest City to Union dale, should open before the end of April. The new trail surface is in place; all that’s left is some shoulder and fencing work. latest information will be on our Facebook page and website. The trail section from Forest City south to Simpson is open.

•A new concrete deck (photo above) has been placed on the lanesboro Bridge with funding from pA dCNr; the asphalt approaches should be completed in the next few weeks.

•The Stevens point Trailhead with trail improve-ment to Brandt should go out to bid in the next few months. We are hoping that this one mile section will be open before the end of the year. The Brandt to Ny border trail section is on penndoT’s schedule with review of the construction documents, environmental clear-ance and a trail walk in May. That 5 mile section should go out to bid by end of year with a potential Spring 2020 construction.

•We are in the process of working with an engi-neer to work on permitting and design of a pre-fab bridge over the Starrucca Creek in Stevens point. New abutments are needed, but we will keep the original laid stone abutments.

•We are working with a contractor to improve the drainage of the Endless Mountains Trail from Montrose to Tiffany Corners. This work will also include grading to promote drainage.

April 2019

The rail-Trail Council of Northeast pennsylvania is dedicated to renewing Northeast pennsylvania’s historic pathways as recreational trails for all to enjoy.

April 25 rTC dinner/Meeting, rTC office, Cables Store Building, Union dale, 6/7 pM

MAy 23 rTC dinner/Meeting, rTC office, Cables Store Building, Union dale, 6/7 pM

JUNE 27 rTC dinner/Meeting, rTC office, Cables Store Building, Union dale, 6/7 pM

No JUly MEETiNg

c a l e n d a r

Volume 27, number 1

neW lifetime membeRAnonymous, Thompson, pA

neW membeRsChristina Botha, Clarks Summit, pAroberta Brentano, Scranton, pACharles Faddis, davidsonville, Mdlarry French, Susquehanna, pAJim Kemmerer, lakewood, pAdan pregnar, Scranton, pACharles J Schell, Susquehanna, pAlisa Taylor, Chinchilla, pA

gift membeRshipsThe Adams Family, Swoyersville, pAThe pellis Family, roaring Brook Twp, pA

ReneWing membeRsJim & Bobbi Achey, Union dale, pAEdward Ameika, duryea, pACarl & Ann Marie Arabia, Honesdale, pArobert & Jessica Aumack, Keyport, NJTom & Kim Baileys, Forest City, pAEdwin Baker, Cortland, NyBill Bayne, Hallstead, pAdorrance & Susan Belin, Waverly, pAFran & deb Barrett, Chester Sprgs, pAgerald & Carlyn Bell, phoenixville, pAdon & Bev Bennett, Herrick Center, pAross & Magdalen Beresford, Kingsley, pApeter & Carol Borick, Berwick, pApeter & Marian Borick, Herrick Ctr, pApam & Tom Box, Honesdale, pAJohn & pat Brennan, perkasie, pAJoe & Chris Brophy, Scott Twp, pATeresa Calafut, Clifford Twp, pAWayne Chudleigh, Union dale, pAJames Clayton, Thompson, pApeter & Barbara Coppola, Succasunna, NJAndrew Crowley, Forest City, pAJohn davis, Friendsville, pAElaine decker, Montrose, pAJohn & lisa demark, Vandling, pAMr & Mrs dixon Earley, Camp Hill, pAMary & Thomas Farley, Waymart, pAdennis Favello, Union dale, pAMary Felley, Jenkintown, pATim & Sue Fitch-proctorpaul Fogal, Jim Thorpe, pApatricia Franks-Evanish, Scott Twp, pAMike & paula Freundlich, Staten island, Nyrobert & lynn Frink, Charleston, SCJane Frye, Scranton, padavid gibson, Clarks Summit, pAgrace & Joseph gilhooley, Union dale, pAArnie & lin gordon, Union dale, pASteve goscinsky, ringoes, NJlouise & Stephen guszick, Clifford Twp, pAdavid Haase & Esther Schwalb, Brooklyn, Ny Francis & JoAnn Hadnagy, Thompson, pAMichael Hapstak, Scranton, pAMary Jo Hart, Montrose, pAWayne & Joanne Harz, pleasant Mount, pAMary Beth Holmes, Carbondale, pAdavid & Carol Howell, N Abington Twp, pAJohn, Fred, & linda Jimenez, Hampton, NJTom Kavanagh, King of prussia, pABill Keller, S Abington Twp, pAWilliam Kerl, Carbondale, pAAllen & Nancy Koberlein, Honesdale, pArichard lane, Woodbridge, NJ linda & lewis lee, Thompson, pAgretchen ludders, Clarks Summit, pAKen & leslie Maas, dalton, pAJim & Kathleen MacKenzie, oxford, pAJohn Marx, Scranton, pAMichael McCambridge, Thornhurst, pACharles & Mary Mead, Montrose, pAKeith Miller, Trappe, pA Joe & Harriet Moore, gladwyne, pACarol & John Neary, olyphant, pAAndy Nikish, Schwenksville, pAHoward & Mary Nusbaum, New york City, NyJim o’pecko, Forest City, pAgreg & Vicki otto, Hegins, pAEvelyn pantzar, Forest City, pAEdward & gladys pantzar, Vandling, pA

Trail Updates

With our bike ride that celebrates the connection of the D&H Rail-Trail and Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, trail users will be traversing the section of former railbed that led out of the Carbondale Yards. Here’s some of the history of this area.

The Wurts Brothers began purchasing coal land in the upper part of the Wyoming Valley shortly after the beginning of the 19th century. By 1815 they had

started digging out anthracite coal which they hauled to market over the mountains to the east of their camp on the Lackawanna River. The Wurts original site became the village of Carbondale and remained the center of the D&H operations in Pennsylvania. From here the gravity railroad carried the anthracite over the Moosic Mountains to Honesdale, from where the company’s canal moved it along the Delaware River to the Hudson River near Kingston.

Over the years, the city grew around the railroad and Carbondale became the focal point of all D&H operations in the Northern Anthracite Coal Fields. With the construction of the Erie’s line from Carbondale to Susquehanna, Carbondale became a major railroad and mining center with coal breakers, a huge railyard and the large roundhouse dominating the valley. At Duffy’s field just a short distance south, the company built a large facility to store anthracite during the summer months when demand was low.

Nearly all the short “mine run” trains that distributed empty hoppers and picked up loaded ones, worked out of Carbondale, although some were dispatched from the small yards at Green Ridge near Scranton and Hudson, just above Wilkes-Barre. At Carbondale, the loaded hoppers were formed into solid coal trains that moved north to Oneonta, where they were further classified by final destination. A small number of coal trains ran from Wilkes-Barre straight through to Oneonta, but all stopped at Carbondale to get additional locomotives for the steep climb over Ararat Summit. As many as four helper engines were added to trains, making the roundhouse a very busy place.

Like many rail facilities, it was difficult to gain access to the central activities. Carbondale was especially poor in this respect because it was impossible to get near the tracks except at the ends of the yard.

Carbondale ceased to be of importance to the D&H when the line between there and Ninevah Junction was abandoned in 1985. The company chose to operate over the easier grades of the former DL&W line from Scranton to Binghamton. All that now remains is the Carbondale Riverwalk Trail and the many industries in the Carbondale Industrial Park.

Article and photo from Delaware & Hudson Steam in Color by Chuck Yungkurth, 2001, Morning Star Books.

Looking north the D&H is on the west and O&W is on the east side of river (1952). The Carbondale Yard property ended here at WC (West Carbondale) cabin.

The Carbondale Connection

New Brochureour new d&H rail-Trail brochure has just arrived! please let us know if you would like one when you send in your membership, or email us: trails@nep.net

Membership Renewal Formplease renew! The date on the mailing label on the reverse indicates when your membership expires. l lifetime/Founding $500 l i am available for trail cleanups. l patron/Sponsor $250 l Call me to discuss a corporate donation. l Club/organization $100 l i am interested in finding out more about the “Trail Tender” program.l Family $35 l Send my newsletter electronically (instead of by mail) to: l individual $20 l Send me a NEW brochure.l Senior/Student $15 l i am willing to volunteer for the d&H Caboose restoration project l i am enclosing a donation to be used towards the d&H Caboose restoration project

N A M E p H o N E N U M B E r

S T r E E T A d d r E S S E - M A i l A d d r E S S

C i T y S T A T E Z i p

please update your address here if necessary. Make checks payable to Rail-trail Council of northeast pA p.o. Box 32, Union dale pA 18470 / phone: 570-679-9300 / E mail: trails@nep.net

Catherine parsons, Simpson, pAAbigail peck, Waverly, pAHelen ramsey, Montrose, pAgail rendle, Nicholson, pATheresa rennekamp, lake Ariel, pATom & Sally roberts, Clifford, pAFred romich, Adamstown, pACharles & Nancy rood, Fayetteville, pAron & Chris ryczak, Mayfield, pArich Schnur Jr & John W Kessler, Afton, Nylinda Scott, Honesdale, pAdon & Cheron Swody, Mainesburg, pArobert & Terrilyn Segerstrom, Thompson, pAJim & roseann Swegel, Union dale, pATim & Janet Tedesco, oakland, NJMary Torney, Montrose, pArichard Terpstra, Montrose, paHenry Tusar, Forest City, pASara Jane Vignali, Berkeley Hts, NJMike & Sharron Wallace, Scranton, pAJune & Ken Walters, Nicholson, pAJanet Watrous, Hallstead, pA

Judy Wells, poyntelle, pAFred Wenz, Ambler, pApatricia & Tom Williamson, Clifford Twp, pArichard & Ann Marie Utegg, Vandling, pAHoward Zendle, Vestal, Ny ray Zrebiec, Browndale, pA

donAtionsNancy ross, in Memory of Claribel ToddNancy ross, in Memory of doug & don FreypJM Corporation, matching funds from

Francis BarrettZakaria Family Trust, on recommendation of

Joan & ray Best

d&h Caboose RestorationBill Bayne, Hallstead, pA

Trail HappeningsMid AprilTree planting in Forest City and Montrose.

April 27–28Friends of the Starrucca Creek Cleanup days.

MAy 4Nature Hike with Jim Kessler, Union dale Trailhead, 10 AM.

MAy 11 lrCA riverfest & Canoe-a-thon. See lrca.org

MAy 14NEpA Annual Trail Forum, Anthracite Center, Carbondale: Keynote Speaker russ roca from path less pedaled. See pathlesspedaled.com

MAy 19Celebrate the Connection Bike ride Ararat- Carbondale lunch.

MAy 23Susquehanna High School pride and polish day, lanesboro.

JUNE 15yoga Hike, Frank’s place, 9 AM.

AUgUST 3Forest City Trail Town Festival: Coal Cracker race, Bike ride, and a Historical Bus Tour of the trail.

SEpTEMBEr 8d&H distance run Half-marathon and 5K.

SEpT 18Forest City Trail Town Mixer: Meet our trail friendly businesses. Forest City Trailhead.

SEpT 29lHVA Heritage Bike ride Carbondale. All levels, varied mileage.

ElECTroNiC SErViCE rEqUESTEd

Non-profit organizationU.S. poSTAgE pAid

permit No. 4Forest City pA

rail-Trail Council of Northeast pAp.o. Box 32Union dale pA 18470 trails@nep.netwww.neparailtrails.org

Address Correction Requested

When does my membeRship eXpiRe?your membership renewal date is to the right of your name on the mailing label, highlighted in yellow. To the extreme right is the mailing date. Effective 2019, member-ships for all receiving electronic newsletters will expire on december 31.

GetMeRegistered.comEarly registration April 8-22 $40Registration $45 by August 17th (guarantees T-shirt)Late or same day registration $60

D&H Distance Run & 5KSeptember 8, 2019

Rail-Trail Council • dhdistancerun.com trails@nep.net • 570-679-9300

The half-marathon returns this year to a newly improved trail.D&H Rail-Trail -- Forest City out to Union Dale and back. Bene� ts trail maintenance.

SAVE DATEth

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