Williams Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Williams Valley Railroad was an anthracite-hauling railroad that operated in Schuylkill
and Dauphin Counties
, Pennsylvania
from 1892 to 1971. For most of that time, it was a subsidiary of the Reading Railroad
. It extended the Reading's Brookside Branch at Brookside 11 miles (17.7 km) down the Williams Valley to Lykens
.
2-6-0
named "A.F. Baker". The railroad owned three passenger cars in 1894; these were presumably used to operate "miner's trains" for the colliery workers, as was done on the connecting Reading lines.
The Reading owned about a quarter of the line's bonds by 1906, and obtained control of the line's stock from 1908 to 1909. About this time, the Reading discontinued passenger service on its connecting lines, and presumably on the Williams Valley as well. It was not formally leased to the Reading until January 1, 1929, and was merged into the Reading Company on December 1, 1947.
After the Reading takeover, the former Brookside (or Good Spring) Branch and the Williams Valley were operated together as the Williams Valley Branch, from Tremont
to Lykens. Around 1963, the end of the branch was cut back from Lykens to East Lykens, and the rest of the Williams Valley was abandoned in 1971 due to the decline in coal mining.
to the west to a point north of Reinerton. It then switched back again to the east to descend further through Tower City and Sheridan. These switchbacks were laid out on a steep 3.3% grade. By Williamstown, the railroad had dropped to the bottom of the valley and paralleled Wiconisco Creek
. It crossed to the south side of the creek in Williamstown and followed the south edge of the valley down to Lykens.
Stations as of 1963:
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....
and Dauphin Counties
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
, 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...
from 1892 to 1971. For most of that time, it was a subsidiary of the Reading Railroad
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
. It extended the Reading's Brookside Branch at Brookside 11 miles (17.7 km) down the Williams Valley to Lykens
Lykens, Pennsylvania
Lykens is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pottsville. Anthracite coal mining sustained the people who numbered 2,762 in 1900 and 2,943 in 1910...
.
History
The railroad was originally chartered on September 19, 1891, to connect Brookside (the site of a large colliery served by the Reading) with Lykens. The line was opened on July 1, 1892, from Lykens to a point on the Reading known as Williams Valley Junction. The railroad owned one engine, a BaldwinBaldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
named "A.F. Baker". The railroad owned three passenger cars in 1894; these were presumably used to operate "miner's trains" for the colliery workers, as was done on the connecting Reading lines.
The Reading owned about a quarter of the line's bonds by 1906, and obtained control of the line's stock from 1908 to 1909. About this time, the Reading discontinued passenger service on its connecting lines, and presumably on the Williams Valley as well. It was not formally leased to the Reading until January 1, 1929, and was merged into the Reading Company on December 1, 1947.
After the Reading takeover, the former Brookside (or Good Spring) Branch and the Williams Valley were operated together as the Williams Valley Branch, from Tremont
Tremont, Pennsylvania
Tremont is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,784 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tremont is located at ....
to Lykens. Around 1963, the end of the branch was cut back from Lykens to East Lykens, and the rest of the Williams Valley was abandoned in 1971 due to the decline in coal mining.
Route
From Williams Valley Junction, located high on Big Lick Mountain north of Tower City, the Williams Valley Railroad switched backZig Zag (railway)
A railway zig zag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks. For a short distance , the direction of travel is reversed, before the original direction is resumed.A location on railways constructed e.g...
to the west to a point north of Reinerton. It then switched back again to the east to descend further through Tower City and Sheridan. These switchbacks were laid out on a steep 3.3% grade. By Williamstown, the railroad had dropped to the bottom of the valley and paralleled Wiconisco Creek
Wiconisco Creek
Wiconisco Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Wiconisco Creek rises in western Schuylkill County on Broad Mountain and drops quickly to the west into the valley at the foot of the mountain, where it passes Tower City...
. It crossed to the south side of the creek in Williamstown and followed the south edge of the valley down to Lykens.
Stations as of 1963:
| Name | |Length | |Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| mi | km | ||
| Williams Valley Junction | 0.0 | 0.0 | Connection with Brookside Br. |
| Reiner | 2.6 | 4.2 | |
| Tower City Tower City, Pennsylvania Tower City is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,396 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tower City is located at .... |
3.1 | 5.0 | |
| Sheridan | 4.4 | 7.1 | |
| Green Fields | 6.0 | 9.7 | |
| Williamstown Williamstown, Pennsylvania Williamstown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Harrisburg. Formerly, Anthracite coal mines were here, as well as hosiery mills. In 1900, 2,904 people lived here, and 2,934 lived here in 1910... |
6.6 | 10.6 | |
| East Lykens | 10.5 | 16.9 | |
| Lykens Lykens, Pennsylvania Lykens is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pottsville. Anthracite coal mining sustained the people who numbered 2,762 in 1900 and 2,943 in 1910... |
11.1 | 17.9 | Interchange with Lykens Valley Railroad (PRR Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... ) |