Shamokin Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Shamokin Valley Railroad is a short line railroad that operates 27 miles of track in southern Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System
.
The line runs generally southeast between Sunbury
and the unincorporated
village of Mount Carmel Junction (just east of the borough of Mount Carmel
in Mount Carmel Township
). Other communities served include the villages of Paxinos (in Shamokin Township
) and Weigh Scales (in Ralpho Township
), and the borough of Shamokin
. The rail line runs east from Sunbury, then turns south through Paxinos and Weigh Scales to Shamokin, where it turns east again, always along or near Shamokin Creek
and roughly following the route of Pennsylvania Route 61
. It interchanges with the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Locust Summit.
The corporate offices are located in Northumberland, Pennsylvania
. There are connections to the Norfolk Southern Railway
and Canadian Pacific Railway
lines at Sunbury.
The system has trackage rights
via the Norfolk Southern line. These allow the Shamokin Valley Railroad to connect to the north and west with the North Shore Railroad
(at Northumberland), the Union County Industrial Railroad
(at Milton
), the Lycoming Valley Railroad
at Muncy
and the village of Linden (in Woodward Township, Lycoming County
, and to the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad
at Lock Haven
.
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
There were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System
North Shore Railroad System
The North Shore Railroad System includes the following short lines:*Juniata Valley Railroad **Lycoming Valley Railroad **Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad **North Shore Railroad **Shamokin Valley Railroad *...
.
The line runs generally southeast between Sunbury
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
and the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
village of Mount Carmel Junction (just east of the borough of 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...
in Mount Carmel Township
Mount Carmel Township, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel Township is a township located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Erected in 1854, it was named after Mount Carmel in Israel and was formed from out of part of Coal Township...
). Other communities served include the villages of Paxinos (in Shamokin Township
Shamokin Township, Pennsylvania
Shamokin Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,159 at the 2000 census.The city of Shamokin does not sit within the boundaries of Shamokin Township...
) and Weigh Scales (in Ralpho Township
Ralpho Township, Pennsylvania
Ralpho Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,764.-Geography:...
), and the borough of Shamokin
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
. The rail line runs east from Sunbury, then turns south through Paxinos and Weigh Scales to Shamokin, where it turns east again, always along or near Shamokin Creek
Shamokin Creek
Shamokin Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The creek drains most of southeastern Northumberland County and part of southwestern Columbia County...
and roughly following the route of Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...
. It interchanges with the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Locust Summit.
The corporate offices are located in Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,714 at the 2000 census.-History:Northumberland was founded in 1772. The land that became Northumberland was purchased from the Iroquois in the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768, and the...
. There are connections to the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
lines at Sunbury.
The system has trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
via the Norfolk Southern line. These allow the Shamokin Valley Railroad to connect to the north and west with the North Shore Railroad
North Shore Railroad
The North Shore Railroad is a short line railroad that operates of track in Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania in the United States...
(at Northumberland), the Union County Industrial Railroad
Union County Industrial Railroad
The Union County Industrial Railroad is a short line railroad that operates on approximately 12 miles of track in Union County in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System....
(at Milton
Milton, Pennsylvania
Milton is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, north of Harrisburg. Settled in 1770, it was incorporated in 1817, and is governed by a charter that was revised in 1890...
), the Lycoming Valley Railroad
Lycoming Valley Railroad
The Lycoming Valley Railroad is a short line that operates of track in Lycoming and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System....
at Muncy
Muncy, Pennsylvania
For other places named 'Muncy', please see Muncy .Muncy is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The name Muncy comes from the Munsee Indians who once lived in the area. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania...
and the village of Linden (in Woodward Township, Lycoming County
Woodward Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Woodward Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 2,397 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, and to the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad
Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad
The Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad is a short line railroad that operates of track in Blair, Centre, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System....
at Lock Haven
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
The city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, micropolitan statistical area, itself part of the...
.
History
The line operated by the Shamokin Valley Railroad was formerly part of Conrail. SEDA-COG JRA (Susquehanna Economic Development Association - Council of Governments Joint Rail Authority) was formed in July, 1983 to continue to provide rail service to communities whose rail lines Conrail had decided to abandon. In 1989 the JRA took over the line when Conrail abandoned it, and the Shamokin Valley Railroad was born as its third railroad.See also
- List of Pennsylvania railroads
- Stourbridge RailroadStourbridge RailroadThe Stourbridge Railroad is a shortline railroad that operates a route between Honesdale and the village of Lackawaxen in Lackawaxen Township . It was owned for many years by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and operated under contract by Robey Railroads...
(also operated by Robey Railroads)