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These contributions are
taken from correspondents' emails:
Weighing Scale
I vaguely remember the scale and the actual instrument was housed in a cabinet type
affair. No building for the weigh master. That suggests to me that it was not the primary
weigh scale in the area. It was also located on the WB side of the railroad and most of
what would have to be weighed was moving EB. Not very cost effective. Paul
Rice
PQ Interlocking Tower
"PQ" are the telegraphers call letters for the interlocking tower, at
Nesquehoning Jct. This was located at the West end of Mauch Chunk yard. Before telephones,
the telegraph system was used to transmit train information. Basically every place an
operator or towerman could be found had a one or two letter identification unique to that
railroad. Instructions were transmitted from the chief train dispatcher's office to the
towerman instructing him if there were any changes to the normal operating sequence.
Normally there was. It was the towerman's job to set the points, signals and copy train
orders, (form 19). These would be delivered to the train crews "on the fly" by
attaching them to a piece of string hung either on a forked stick or on a bamboo hoop. The
towerman would offer these up to the engine driver and guard as the train passed.
Nesquehoning Jct. was a two story wood and brick structure built about 1923 and
operated until 1972. I am enclosing the drawing of it as well. There were no other
interlockings remote or automatic between Nesquehoning Jct and Palmerton, ("HX")
tower. At least not until the CNJ / LV rationalization in the early 1960's. I am told the
crossovers near the depot were all hand turnouts. The CNJ could be a very archaic property
at times. Witness the Ashley. Paul Rice
The Trolley line
A trolley also ran through the area being modeled. This was the East Penn
Traction Company's route between Pottsville and Lehighton. The trolley came into town from
Nesquehoning along the main road (Route 54) then turned West and went up Broadway. At the
end of town the trolley made a big horseshoe curve and turned southeast and climbed up to
Flagstaff park. Here it made another horseshoe curve to the southwest and descended into
Lehighton. There was a tall steel bridge between Flagstaff and Lehighton. I think EPT
abandoned service in the 1930's but I do not know exactly what year EPT had both 4 and 8
wheel cars. I recall seeing pictures of both on this route. See the '1905 track plan' for the route
in Mauch Chunk. Paul Rice
There were two trolley lines in Mauch Chunk - the Mauch Chunk Transit Company
(serving Lehighton and East Mauch Chunk), and the Eastern Pennsylvannia Railway Company
(Tamaqua and Mauch Chunk). These were abandoned between 1929 and 1931.
This information comes from "Short Trolley Routes in the Lehigh River
Valley", another NRHS publication, 1967. Glyn Thomas
