765 Excursions this Summer. Which one?

Scranton-Nicholson.  I don't know what the route is to Binghamton, but how cool would it be to ride over the viaduct?  Better if they have run byes.

The route to Binghamton is the same as to Nicholson, just further "up the line".  This trackage is currently owned by CP (but supposedly will belong to NS soon), and is part of what is known as the "Sunbury Subdivision".  Either trip will take you over the famous Lackawanna RR-built Tunkhannock (Nicholson) Viaduct.

I would take the Binghamton trip. Nicholson is less than halfway there and since there is no place to turn the engine or train, I imagine the return trip will be either pulled home by either a diesel or, following a runaround, a tender-first 765. The only other possible scenario is that the passengers will detrain at Nicholson for the Nicholson Bridge celebration on those days while the train continues to Binghamton to turn for the return trip....a stretch, but possible.

I also imagine that the Binghamton trip will require a more expensive ticket.

 

On another note, the Allentown to Pittston trips would be easier to chase than the more northerly Bingo trip.   

The Nicholson trips will have diesels on the rear for the return trip. But not just ANY diesels. It will be matched set of Lackawanna A-B-A F3s.

 

More details about all the Scranton area trips will be released soon.

Allentown and Pittston are also on the schedule. The cool thing about going over the Nicholson Viaduct is stopping in the middle to view the scenery. I was on one of if not the first trip over twenty years ago. It's not the longest ride, but the scenery is awesome. This year is the one-hundreth anniversary of the Bridge. 

Don

 When it comes to these trips money is no object. Looking forward to the details when they come out thanks guys for the info 

I wish I could ride both Allentown and Scranton to Binghamton trips since the line south of Jim Thorpe and north of Scranton is very rare mileage that you can't normally ride. But not sure if we can afford both. It's also a rare thing for 765 to go to PA. Who knows when or if these trips will ever repeat again. Jim Thorpe to me is been there done that and so is Steamtown been there four times but never rode on the Nicholson line before. Or anywhere in Allentown. Bethlehem's Musikfest is that same weekend as the trips. If I had to choose only one, which one would be better? Allentown is a lot closer to me than Scranton. But for Scranton we could make a weekend out of it with a hotel stay, whereas Allentown would be a day trip for us. Is there any deboarding in Binghamton on those trips?

Rich,

I know that you met with the folks at Steamtown so I'm sure you know a lot that is no for publication yet. Thanks for the update.

I am not on the active roster this year at the park due family and business demands. I took a fine time to call off, but I hope that our paths cross when you are visiting with us.  

 

Earl Trygar 

As a rail photographer these trips are a real opportunity, but each trip presents challenges, i.e. accessibility, traffic, and sun angles.
The Allentown trips suffer from traffic and congestion from there to Jim Thorpe, then there is the virtual inaccessibility of the line through Lehigh Gorge until White Haven.
The photo appeal of this trip would have to be the climb from White Haven to Mountain Top, 765 should get a real workout as it winds in several directions on the old CNJ, and chase roads are somewhat better. Unfortunately the return trip also suffers from access issues.
The Binghamton trips have a 1.7% grade west out of Scranton, this should produce some great images, depending on track access between Scranton and Clarks Summit.
However , the old DL&W is a speedway from there, only a slow trip over the Nicholson viaduct would permit a photographer to get ahead to other locations.
The Allentown trips (approx. 70 miles) are slightly longer than the Binghamton trips (58 miles) and probably get the edge for someone riding just for scenery.
The short trips from Scranton to the Nicholson viaduct should also be worthwhile for the photographer, with the combo of the 1.7% grade westbound and F-units.
All of the 611 and 765 trips this year have issues for the serious photographer, many places are not the same as they were 25 years ago.
Practicing the 5 "Ps" will be key to getting good images/photos!
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Photos
That said, if there are trips on Steamtown tracks east out of Scranton, these would be a blast for any railfan with the opportunity for open windows/vestibules!



 

Just keep in mind that these end-of-the-season trips are not fully finalized yet. There is a very good chance that changes will be made in the schedule currently published.

It will be a great year for riding/chasing/photographing 765 and other locomotives.

 

If you are out chasing/photographing, please don't forget to support the group's locomotive.  If you don't buy a seat on a 765 trip, at least donate some money and/or time to the FWRHS.  She may look and sound beautiful, but the time and money it took to get and maintain her in this condition is astonishing. 

 

Also, please be safe AND courteous out there.  Some people do some really crazy, stupid things.  It is not worth it to injure/kill you or someone.  And we don't want to have any safety issues with the railroad. Please don't give them a reason to put an end to these trips immediately due to safety/liability issues. 

The Nicholson trips will have diesels on the rear for the return trip. But not just ANY diesels. It will be matched set of Lackawanna A-B-A F3s.

That would be something to see!

When do tickets for Allentown and Scranton go on sale? The 13th or later?

I see the Aug Scranton trips have been removed.  My have to consider the Allentown trips.

Note that we (FWRHS) pulled the Scranton to Binghamton trips from the schedule.

 

The operating logistics were not going to work out well and trying to sell trips out of the same place three weekends in a row was likely not going to work very well, either.

 

We'll run out of Allentown on August 8 & 9, out of Steamtown over Labor Day weekend and on September 12 & 13...all as originally scheduled.

Thanks for the update Rich. Looking forward to the trip.

Don

Why no Binghamton? That would have been steam in both directions. So no excursions at all that weekend in August? But you might run 765 down the Moscow line with open window coaches instead? No 100+ mile trip out of Steamtown at all now? You could always run to Delaware Water Gap and return and use the NS wye at Portland to turn 765 while leaving the coaches at Slateford yard on DL property. Just an idea. Steamtown tried to run diesel trips to Binghamton last August but wound up canceling them. At least Allentown is still on the schedule. That would be closer for me anyway.

When will the Allentown tickets go on sale?

 

Bob

1. The operating logistics were not going to work out well.
2. Nothing for the passengers to do in Binghamton.
3. Trying to sell three weekends of trips out of the same place would cannibalize sales from one trip at the expense of another.
4. Plenty of other opportunities out of Allentown and at Steamtown.

At least you'll still be going over the Viaduct, that's the big draw of that route anyway. Steamtown sold out their steam powered trips to the Viaduct 2 months in advance a few years ago. But there's a smaller viaduct a few miles north of the big one that you might not cross. Unless you cross it on a ferry move. Plus, there's the long Factoryville tunnel. Nothing to do in Binghamton, is that city not tourist friendly unlike Jim Thorpe, PA?

Few small towns are as "cool" as Jim Thorpe.  Not to be missed, especially with a special train.  The last NKP Berkshire in Jim Thorpe was in 1968.

Just a reminder...tickets go on sale tomorrow night at 6 pm for the 765's Fort Wayne to Lafayette and Youngstown to Ashtabula, Ohio trips.

 

The Buffalo to Corning and Allentown to Pittston tickets will go on sale at 9 am on June 1.

Rich,

Are NS employees being offered advanced or discounted ticket sales?

Are the details on the Buffalo to Corning excursions available yet?  Looking forward to this one!

I would be all for the trips over the viaduct, but I've done it twice (actually four times) back when our club sponsored two trips from Syracuse to Steamtown by train.

Will the Allentown trips cost any more than the Indiana and Ohio trips? Also, will there be any diesels like heritage units like the LV and CNJ, or can the 765 handle that route by itself? 765 is more powerful than 425 that runs that route north of Jim Thorpe sometimes, and on the longer trips they always have one or two diesels behind the 425 because of the heavy grades. I was thinking of a 611 trip as well in Manassas, VA but my mom really doesn't want to go that far with her breathing issues, but Allentown where the boarding site will be is only about 5 miles east from us. I wish 425 was running in Thorpe that day to have 765 meet 425 again like 1988 when they met at Temple, PA north of Reading. But, most likely the Lehigh Gorge's own trains will be diesel powered like usual.

Will you be purchasing tickets, or are you just asking questions again?

Yes we probably will. The 765 is coming to my city and I don't want to miss that trip even though I rode the line north of Jim Thorpe twice before. But never south of Jim Thorpe.

Yes, for all except the Buffalo trips. You'll get something from Katie very soon. We are holding seats in 3 coaches for NS employees.

Rich,

An idea where the Allentown boarding will take place?

 

Earl

Details about the parking and boarding sites in Allentown (actually Bethlehem) are being finalized this week.

Bethlehem? I was wondering where boarding would be because there doesn't seem to be a suitable boarding location in Allentown unless they boarded just north of the yard or along the yard. I wonder if it's on the north side by the old CNJ station that is a restaurant/bar. Musikfest will be going on that weekend so Bethlehem will be busy, crowded. Will there be diesels with 765 or not? How do you intend to turn the train in Allentown area? The only wye in the yard where the roundhouse once was is only suitable for turning a few locomotives not an entire train.

 

There used to be a complete wye by where the new casino is, but the south end was severed when the ex-Reading line was torn up through south Bethlehem and south to Coopersburg. There's a sinkhole just south of the yard where the south end of the wye was. Years ago you could turn an entire train there, but not any more. The track was in use for about a half mile south of there through Saucon Yard past 1984 when Conrail abandoned the track from Hellertown to Quakertown. The Blue Mountain and Reading used that wye to turn 2102 during Sept 21, 1985 excursion from Temple to jim Thorpe.

 

Where is The Ramp? In Bethlehem? On the north or south side of the Lehigh River?