Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad, originally the Quakake Railroad , was part of the Mahanoy Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
in northeastern Pennsylvania
.
The Quakake Railroad was chartered on April 25, 1857 to build a connection between the Beaver Meadow Railroad (the Lehigh Valley Railroad
's Hazleton Branch) and the Catawissa, Williamsport and Erie Railroad. The original plan took it to the Catawissa near the Lofty Tunnel, and an inclined plane was graded near the hairpin curve on the Catawissa, south of the tunnel. However, that plan and the inclined plane were abandoned prior to completion, and instead the junction was moved to the south to Quakake Junction, near Tamanend. The full line opened on August 25, 1858 from Black Creek Junction on the Beaver Meadow Railroad west to Quakake Junction on the Catawissa, and was at first operated by the Catawissa.
A charter supplement issued on March 21, 1860 allowed an extension to Delano
, the headwaters of Mahanoy Creek
, and down the creek into Mount Carmel
, where it would connect to the Northern Central Railway
's Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railroad. The extension was built later that year. The company went into foreclosure
on September 30, 1862, and was reorganized as the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad on October 11. In 1865 a branch was built from Park Place to Mahanoy City
. On June 30, 1866 the company was merged into the Lehigh Valley Railroad
.
Under the Lehigh & Mahanoy, the line between Raven Run and Centralia
was completed in 1865. In 1866 it was built to Mount Carmel and connected to the Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railroad owned by the Northern Central Railway. In 1884 the line, which lay low in the valley, was rebuilt higher up on the mountainside by the Lehigh Valley. This avoided flooding from Mine Run. A branch extended from Centralia eastward to the LV's Continental Colliery. It was abandoned when the colliery closed in 1954. A branch was built in 1877 from Kohinoor Junction via Girardville
to Ashland
. A two mile switchback was built in 1939 from Logan Junction, west of Centralia to the Germantown Colliery. It as used until 1960 when that operation closed down. Two other extensions were built. In 1890 a one mile line was constructed from Morris Ridge Junction, east of Mt. Carmel to the Midvalley No. 1 Colliery. In 1892 a three mile line was built from Montana junction, east of Centralia, to Midvalley Colliery No. 2. These lines were abandoned by 1965 when the fine coal plant at Midvalley closed.
The decline of coal mining brought about the piecemeal abandonment of these lines. The Ashland Branch was cut back to Girardville in 1951, and in 1953, from Girardville to Weston Colliery. One mile of the Manahoy City Branch was abandoned in 1957, and the line from Delano to about Gerhards in 1963. The line to Mt. Carmel was cut back to Aristes Junction in 1965, and from there to Raven Run in 1971. The remaining trackage was all abandoned by 1976.
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
in northeastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
History
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
's Hazleton Branch) and the Catawissa, Williamsport and Erie Railroad. The original plan took it to the Catawissa near the Lofty Tunnel, and an inclined plane was graded near the hairpin curve on the Catawissa, south of the tunnel. However, that plan and the inclined plane were abandoned prior to completion, and instead the junction was moved to the south to Quakake Junction, near Tamanend. The full line opened on August 25, 1858 from Black Creek Junction on the Beaver Meadow Railroad west to Quakake Junction on the Catawissa, and was at first operated by the Catawissa.
A charter supplement issued on March 21, 1860 allowed an extension to Delano
Delano, Pennsylvania
Delano is a census-designated place in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 377 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Delano is located at ....
, the headwaters of Mahanoy Creek
Mahanoy Creek
Mahanoy Creek, known locally as Coal Creek, is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in the Coal Region of east-central Pennsylvania in the United States....
, and down the creek into Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel is the name of a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6390 at the 2000 census. It is located 88 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 71 miles northeast of Harrisburg, in the Anthracite Coal Region...
, where it would connect to the Northern Central Railway
Northern Central Railway
The Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the...
's Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railroad. The extension was built later that year. The company went into foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
on September 30, 1862, and was reorganized as the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad on October 11. In 1865 a branch was built from Park Place to Mahanoy City
Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania
Mahanoy City is a borough located north by west of Reading and 13 miles southwest of Hazleton, in northern Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania or the southern Coal Region. The name "Mahanoy" is believed to be a variation of the Native American word 'Maghonioy', or "the salt deposits"...
. On June 30, 1866 the company was merged into the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
.
Under the Lehigh & Mahanoy, the line between Raven Run and Centralia
Centralia, Pennsylvania
Centralia is a borough and ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population has dwindled from over 1,000 residents in 1981 to 12 in 2005, 9 in 2007, and 10 in 2010, as a result of a mine fire burning beneath the borough since 1962...
was completed in 1865. In 1866 it was built to Mount Carmel and connected to the Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railroad owned by the Northern Central Railway. In 1884 the line, which lay low in the valley, was rebuilt higher up on the mountainside by the Lehigh Valley. This avoided flooding from Mine Run. A branch extended from Centralia eastward to the LV's Continental Colliery. It was abandoned when the colliery closed in 1954. A branch was built in 1877 from Kohinoor Junction via Girardville
Girardville, Pennsylvania
Girardville is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Reading. Anthracite coal deposits are in the region. Coal-mining provided employment and incomes for many of the 3,666 people who lived there in 1900. In 1910, 4,396 individuals called it home. The population was 1,742 at...
to Ashland
Ashland, Pennsylvania
Ashland is a borough in Schuylkill county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, 12 miles northwest of Pottsville. The Borough lies in the anthracite coal region of eastern Pennsylvania. Settled in 1850, Ashland was incorporated in 1857, and was named for Henry Clay's estate near Lexington, Kentucky....
. A two mile switchback was built in 1939 from Logan Junction, west of Centralia to the Germantown Colliery. It as used until 1960 when that operation closed down. Two other extensions were built. In 1890 a one mile line was constructed from Morris Ridge Junction, east of Mt. Carmel to the Midvalley No. 1 Colliery. In 1892 a three mile line was built from Montana junction, east of Centralia, to Midvalley Colliery No. 2. These lines were abandoned by 1965 when the fine coal plant at Midvalley closed.
The decline of coal mining brought about the piecemeal abandonment of these lines. The Ashland Branch was cut back to Girardville in 1951, and in 1953, from Girardville to Weston Colliery. One mile of the Manahoy City Branch was abandoned in 1957, and the line from Delano to about Gerhards in 1963. The line to Mt. Carmel was cut back to Aristes Junction in 1965, and from there to Raven Run in 1971. The remaining trackage was all abandoned by 1976.