BMB #90 - The Ghostly Lackawanna Cutoff

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  • Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
  • A railroad superhighway was built as part of the line from New York to Buffalo. The 30 mile long segment between the New Jersey Highlands and the Delaware Water Gap went across terrain that needed some of the world's great engineering and construction. Back in the early 1900's, that was no obstacle.
    Need to raise the floor of a valley for over three miles? Go up 110 feet? No Problem. Need to build the largest poured reinforced concrete structure on earth to span another valley. We can double that, too.
    ...and then, just walk away from the whole thing. Abandon it. Let nature try to reclaim it.
    And it's a true story with a happy ending.

Комментарии • 67

  • @warrenwilson4818
    @warrenwilson4818 5 лет назад +3

    Ending isn't quite here, butwe're all expectant. Glad you mentioned C. Walsh. Some of us have watched every one of his posts. Chuck claims that there were actually two "grade crossings," but they were only farm crossings, not public roads. I love those concrete signal towers. I love architecture.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад +1

      Mr. Walsh was kind enough to provide me with some help, and even a compliment for which I am grateful. My purpose in my videos is to provide interesting information and to remind: help people helps you too. I've discovered that the research has uncovered so much of wonder. A recent video is about the history of Notre Dame Cathedral. If you are interested in architecture, it touches upon changing Cathedral architecture. ruclips.net/video/Ax02SO7RAdk/видео.html

  • @dwightminnich2722
    @dwightminnich2722 4 года назад +2

    I love the history of the Lackawanna Railroad. Living not far from Nicholson, it is easy to see the influence this great road had on our communities not so long ago. Thanks for the great information.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад +1

      Dwight. I have never seen the Nicholson, and am planning to do so the next time I'm near Scranton. There are so many people who are so knowledgeable. It is a pleasure to learn from the many I've encountered. STAY SAFE!!!

  • @user-cw8yz6iv4n
    @user-cw8yz6iv4n 8 месяцев назад

    YOU DID A GOOD JOB. GOOD SPEAKER. YOU DID NOT LOSE THE GROUP

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  8 месяцев назад

      "user-cw8yz6iv4n": What a nice compliment. Thank you. Have a wonderful Christmas 9 days from now. Mike

  • @donaldsnyder9848
    @donaldsnyder9848 3 года назад +2

    Mike - I like the way you tell these stories.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  3 года назад +1

      Don: Thanks for the compliment, but, and there's always a 'but,' the stories may be interesting, but that is not thanks to me...nor are the lessons. I just share what I learn with the intention to remind: you help yourself when you help others. Not religious, and certainly not political. Just common sense. Too bad that is so rare. Stay safe!

  • @LackawannaCutOff
    @LackawannaCutOff 5 лет назад +3

    Nice job!

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад +1

      My videos are intended for a totally different purpose than yours; but praise from the person who is the absolute expert is wonderful! Thank you.

    • @intercityrailpal
      @intercityrailpal 3 года назад

      @@BeMoreBetter I hope you are watching Mr. Walsh's updates on the Cut Off. I am. And I rode the Cut off many many times! At 70mph and 100 when my train was late.

  • @cartdauria6538
    @cartdauria6538 4 года назад +1

    Born and raised in Port Morris NJ the railroad was always my stomping ground growing up and the Roseville tunnel was always a favorite Hangout just as it was for my father when he was a young lad. I proudly own in almost perfect condition the headlight off of steam locomotive #1116 from the port Morris yard Erie Lackawanna.The train was a passenger train and was a 462-Built in 1922 and retired in 1953. It's certainly a piece of history and if anyone should have any pictures of this steam engine I would love to buy or trade for I have pics of all kinds myself.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад +1

      The steam era seems almost magical; hard to imagine that so much was done simply by boiling water! A future video will be just about the workings of a steam engine. Thanks for watching!

  • @intercityrailpal
    @intercityrailpal 4 года назад +2

    7 miles someday will be restored...I think they have one or two guys working on the joke of a project. It's only 900 miles to Chicago. In the last days the cut off was part of the Erie - Lackawanna all the way to Chicago.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад +1

      It was easier to destroy than to build. Sad, but true.

  • @cartdauria6538
    @cartdauria6538 4 года назад +1

    WATCH OUT FOR HOOKER MAN!!!! HE'S ALWAYS WALKING THE TRACKS!!! 😁

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад

      Thanks for the warning. It's what is on either side of the tracks that is of greater interest. I once found a small cemetery. Tripped upon entry over a headstone of a child. She had died 100 years to the day before.

    • @samanthab1923
      @samanthab1923 3 года назад

      I thought he was in Flanders?

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  3 года назад

      @@samanthab1923 Sheila Anne...If you are commenting about my videos that have Flanders Field in them, no, I'm in New Jersey. The Lackawanna Cutoff starts 20 miles to my west.

    • @samanthab1923
      @samanthab1923 3 года назад

      Be More Better No, I always heard the Hookerman was along the non-existent tracks that ran thru Flanders NJ. I think it was an old CRNJ spur.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  3 года назад

      @@samanthab1923 I'm only off by 3,000 miles...never heard of the Hooker Man walking in Flanders NJ. Thank you for explaining. BTW, my name is Mike.

  • @marktoken6052
    @marktoken6052 5 месяцев назад

    We've walked atop of the viaduct over the Delaware River and I-80 just before the Water Gap

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 месяцев назад +1

      Have done so myself... well, with my wife. Each of these structures amazes me. Have not seen the remains of the runaway train in the river. Don't know if the cars are still in the water.

    • @marktoken6052
      @marktoken6052 5 месяцев назад

      @@BeMoreBetter I might go back and do more exploring. We want to check out Paulinskill for sure. We've also been atop the Tunkhannock viaduct in Northern PA South of the NYS line.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 месяцев назад

      @@marktoken6052 Have not beer atop either the Paulinskill or the Tunkhannock. Someday. So much to see, and do. Am working on the next video, returning to history of battleships... the end of the age of sail. Will then turn to Victorian Era RR bridges. It is a good plan. Mike

  • @tonejames9272
    @tonejames9272 5 лет назад +1

    Good info thanks

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад

      It amazes me they built the Paulinskill -- the largest of its type in the world -- only to surpass it with the Martin's Creek, and it, far exceeded by the Tunkhannock! BACK OVER 100 YEARS AGO!

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад

      When I found the Paulinskill it amazed me. (I'd driven under the Delaware River Viaduct many times before, so took it for granted). The Martins Creek & the Tunkhannock are beyond amazing!

  • @bluegillphil1427
    @bluegillphil1427 5 лет назад +1

    Our history !!!

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад +1

      Love that you used "!!!" These videos aren't political, but there is a truth: Americans have made the world better. We built. We transformed a wilderness into a great nation. A new nation. Under God. I help at the Whippany Burying Yard (see videos 22 & 23). It has the first known burial in NW NJ -- 1718. A very new nation. That is our PROUD history!!!

  • @nedmerrill5705
    @nedmerrill5705 3 года назад

    Paulinskill Viaduct looks like the frieze on Yankee Stadium.

  • @patrickkruger5310
    @patrickkruger5310 5 лет назад +1

    It's always good when making a plan to also make a plan 'B' or even a 'C' because Murphy [No not your governor] will show up with his law that says "If anything could go wrong - IT WILL!"
    Old Maude #2400, 0-6-6-0 built for the B&O RR may have been the World's Largest/Powerful Locomotive when it was built but the Lima Locomotive Work's Allegheney, 2-6-6-6 was far more powerful developing 7,498 drawbar horsepower (dbhp), and it was by far much heavier weighing 778,000 lbs (389 tons) even more than the ALCO 4-8-8-4 Big Boy

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад

      Pat, you never fail to amaze me!!! And yes, things get bigger all the time. Look at my waistline. There is a 35 mile long Railroad tunnel under the alps now!

  • @intercityrailpal
    @intercityrailpal 4 года назад +3

    He has most of the story, but not all of it. Never mentioned is the public road system public airports built with taxpayer money. Sorry use fees don't cover them. They lose money that is why the government builds, and maintains them. Tracks were private and were the problem of the for profit tax paying railroad.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад +1

      Excellent point! Never even thought of this. Thanks.

  • @josephmiele2277
    @josephmiele2277 5 лет назад +1

    Ghostly?! Not anymore!

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад +1

      And that is a very good thing!!!

    • @josephmiele2277
      @josephmiele2277 5 лет назад +1

      @@BeMoreBetterWhat's crazy was that I found an article about the Lackawanna Cutoff restoration and I found in the comments a bunch of people who were against the project. This was in direct contrast to all the enthusiasm about the project on youtube. They cited costs, drug dealers coming up from NYC, and the lack of people who would come to and from Scranton.
      I thought all that was absurd. I even found people who said that drug dealers would not be stupid enough to take public transportation and risk getting arrested when they likely have their own cars. Others stated that drug dealers are not intelligent at all with them speeding in cars with broken taillights.
      I personally think the project is a great idea. It's always nice to see an abandoned railroad coming back from the dead and it would reduce traffic on Interstate 80.

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  5 лет назад

      History can been seen in what has been left behind. Atlantic City is another place where you find past, present, and future in structures.

    • @josephmiele2277
      @josephmiele2277 5 лет назад +1

      @@BeMoreBetter Indeed

    • @christophers.o622
      @christophers.o622 3 года назад

      @@josephmiele2277 I read your comment. Those who oppose the restoration of the Lackawanna cutoff for all rail service & are against high speed rail are hypocrites. They complain about no jobs & that rebuilding rail lines, high speed rail & even desalting plants on all 3 Coasts cost too much money, but they don't complain about foreign aid to countries that don't need it & our countries enemies. The hypocrites don't want to real projects, high speed rail projects & b building desiring plants provide jobs & those working those jobs are paying taxes which returns the
      money for the projects. I travel long distance on Amtrak & when I'm home in Southern California I ride Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners between San Diego, Los Angeles & Oxnard,CA. I visited my paternal grandparents graves & my great grandparents graves in Pittston & also visited Steamtown in Scranton. I drove on I-476 the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike on 9/24/2012. Not only passenger train service from New York City to Scranton needs to be restored, but also Philadelphia to Allentown, Wilkes-Barre & Scranton & Washington,DC & Baltimore to Scranton as well. Our nation's Interstate highways in most of the nations metropolitan areas are now parking lots.

  • @jonathanng2390
    @jonathanng2390 3 года назад

    what tracks? Still waiting

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  3 года назад

      I gather they are still working on it; seem to have noticed that President Biden said something about RR ==> Scranton, too.

    • @intercityrailpal
      @intercityrailpal 3 года назад

      @@BeMoreBetter It will only happen if the republican's can't block it. They are the party of no, except for tax breaks and give a ways to the super rich. Those are OK.

  • @travelingman484
    @travelingman484 4 года назад

    Are you a Freemason??

    • @BeMoreBetter
      @BeMoreBetter  4 года назад +1

      Just found your question. Am a Catholic, a member of the Knights of Columbus, a retired engineer, a father. Don't really know what the Freemason's are. Sorry for my delayed reply. Mike