The
CNJ Railroad in Mauch Chunk>
Signalling | Operations | Locos in MC | Stories | other...
In Mauch Chunk the CNJ
railroad hugs the west bank and the rival Lehigh Valley railroad the east bank of the
Lehigh River. Both had passenger stations in Mauch Chunk although only the CNJ station
remains.
The CNJ station in old Mauch
Chunk was originally a through station for main-line expresses and a terminus for locals. It had a
freight depot, a railroad office and a freight yard and it is at the South (Eastbound) end
of an extensive freight yard (leading up to Nesquehoning junction).
In the late 1940s there was
extensive coal traffic, general freight traffic and some passenger traffic.
Before the introduction of cab diesel units in 1947, Mauch Chunk was the location for adding
steam “helpers” to long freights heading West
over the mountains. Coal trains were assembled for passage east. Further along (and just off the model to the right) is an engine
facility with a turntable for yard switchers, locals and helpers. There’s going to be
plenty of prototypical action once we’ve finished.
There is extensive detail of operations and photos of the CNJ in Mauch Chunk on
the Mauch
Chunk pages of the Black
Diamonds to Tidewater site of Robert Fisher and William Greenburg.
Paul Rice and Frank Revitt have provided us with details of operations and
signalling which can be found on the associated pages. If you can provide us with more
details, please contact us (see contact information below).
