Lehigh Line Branch Lines DVD (74 minutes)
American Rail Video
ARV
The Cement secondary leaves at CP JU in Bethlehem,PA. Wandering north then east along old cement line trackage, the line traverses an area that was at one time the largest producer of cement, and in particular Portland Cement, in the world.
NS 3294, an SD-40-2, and NS 3412, a Conrail blue SD-40-2, work near the Hercules Cement plant and then travel to the end of the line to deliver cars at a plastics manufacturing plant.
Later, on the way back, the train has a minor derailment in Bethlehem due to track spreading.
NS 3294, an SD-40-2, and NS 3412, a Conrail blue SD-40-2, work near the Hercules Cement plant and then travel to the end of the line to deliver cars at a plastics manufacturing plant.
Later, on the way back, the train has a minor derailment in Bethlehem due to track spreading.
The Washington Secondary branches off the mainline in Phillipsburg, NJ then travels through rural countryside to the old canal town of Washington. The yard in Washington is where the Delaware Lackawanna and Western old main joins the Morris and Essex division. The station and buildings are gone but the yard still exists and sees quite a bit of use.
H02 NS 3010 has just arrived from Dover in a meet with H76 up from the Lehigh main to exchange cars before proceeding back to Dover. H76, conrail blue NS 3412 and NS 3393, then leaves the yard for Phillipsburg and the mainline. We follow H02 on it's journey paralleling the old Morris canal toward Hackettstown with delivery and switching at a local industry.
H02 NS 3010 has just arrived from Dover in a meet with H76 up from the Lehigh main to exchange cars before proceeding back to Dover. H76, conrail blue NS 3412 and NS 3393, then leaves the yard for Phillipsburg and the mainline. We follow H02 on it's journey paralleling the old Morris canal toward Hackettstown with delivery and switching at a local industry.
The Portland Secondary is a study in railroad history. Starting the journey in Easton Pa. it
crosses the beautiful Delaware River at the junction of the Lehigh River on the curved
Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad bridge onto the Belvidere and Delaware through Hudson
yard to Martins Creek. Again crossing the Delaware back to Pennsylvania and Delaware Lackawanna and Western territory. Originally, this was the Bangor and Portland before
becoming part of the DL&W. The grade over Bangor is quite steep while the countryside is
very scenic along the creek and through slate country. Reaching Portland back at the Delaware
River level, a wye leads into the Portland yard and onto old DL&W main west to Slateford.
Coal to feed the Portland power plant is one of the mainstays of the Portland Secondary. We
follow a power set light out of Portland yard to get a large coal load in Allentown then back
with the load climbing into Bangor and descending to the Portland yard near sunset. Power on
coal runs is larger, mostly a mix of SD-70, SD-60. Dash 9's and ES40DC, than the other branchline
jobs.
Con-Agra has a large grain processing facility along the Delaware River near Martins Creek, Pa.
We watch a grain delivery into the plant passing by the ex- Alpha Cement plant working out of Martins Creek yard.
Another important job on this line is the exchange with the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad at
Slateford,Pa. In the video we follow different trains along this scenic and historical route and pass under the famous Jersey cutoff to get into Slateford. In "Freight Trains to Slateford" even though different trains are seen we move steadily north along the Delware River until reaching Slateford yard. This run is GP-38-2 and SD-40-2 territory with Conrail blue showing up frequently.
crosses the beautiful Delaware River at the junction of the Lehigh River on the curved
Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad bridge onto the Belvidere and Delaware through Hudson
yard to Martins Creek. Again crossing the Delaware back to Pennsylvania and Delaware Lackawanna and Western territory. Originally, this was the Bangor and Portland before
becoming part of the DL&W. The grade over Bangor is quite steep while the countryside is
very scenic along the creek and through slate country. Reaching Portland back at the Delaware
River level, a wye leads into the Portland yard and onto old DL&W main west to Slateford.
Coal to feed the Portland power plant is one of the mainstays of the Portland Secondary. We
follow a power set light out of Portland yard to get a large coal load in Allentown then back
with the load climbing into Bangor and descending to the Portland yard near sunset. Power on
coal runs is larger, mostly a mix of SD-70, SD-60. Dash 9's and ES40DC, than the other branchline
jobs.
Con-Agra has a large grain processing facility along the Delaware River near Martins Creek, Pa.
We watch a grain delivery into the plant passing by the ex- Alpha Cement plant working out of Martins Creek yard.
Another important job on this line is the exchange with the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad at
Slateford,Pa. In the video we follow different trains along this scenic and historical route and pass under the famous Jersey cutoff to get into Slateford. In "Freight Trains to Slateford" even though different trains are seen we move steadily north along the Delware River until reaching Slateford yard. This run is GP-38-2 and SD-40-2 territory with Conrail blue showing up frequently.
