The Susquehanna Connecting Railroad

The S.C.R.R. was a 13.3 mile short line, standard gauge track, that ran from Old Forge to the Suscon Junction of the Central New Jersey Railroad (CNJ R.R.). It was primarily built to transport coal from the Old Forge and Greenwood ( Moosic) collieries to be transferred to the CNJ at Suscon Junction. It also served the local industries and lumber yards along the ROW ( Right Of Way).

The line was incorporated on December 18, 1896, and completed in 1897. ). It was controlled by the NYS&W, which owned all outstanding stock. It was leased to the Wilkes Barry and Eastern R.R. ( Erie System) WB&E R.R.. From Suscon to Minooka, Pa, 7.71 miles. Management officers: Pres. C. P. O’Malley, Vice-Pres. C.E. Denney, Vice-Pres. And Adv. Counsel G .F. Brownell, Vice-Pres. And Sec. G. H. Minor, Treasurer J.G. Walsh, Compt. J.K. Thompson. Annual Meeting, Second Tuesday in Dunmore, Pa. offices.

It was leased to the Erie RR Co. Officers at the time were: W. L. Hill Pres., H. K. Norton Vice-Pres., M. J. Murphy Comptroller, E. L. Keller, Sec. & Treasurer. The annual meetings were held at the Scranton Electric Building, Scranton Pa. on the Second Tuesday in December.

During July 1938, the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized the Erie Railroad to operate over the line of the Susquehanna Connecting R.R., extending from Suscon, Pa to Old Forge, Pa 606 miles, together with the Florence Breaker branch, 2 miles, over the Jermyn #2 Breaker branch of the NYS&W R.R., extending with a connection with the SCRR, at Old Forge, 1.5 miles, and over part of the WB&E R.R., extending from Plains, Pa. 8 miles, together with the Westminster branch, .05 miles for a total of 18.5 miles.

The SCRR line from Suscon (Hillside Junction) to Old Forge was abandoned after the ICC gave its ok in July 1941. The main source of traffic , the Jermyn Mine closed in May 1938, and traffic was left to a local feed and hardware store.

The following is the ROW from A 1937 surveyor’s map: From the Jermyn #1 in Rendham section of Old Forge the north leg of a turnout went to the Erie at the Sibley Bridge on St. John’s creek at Sibley Ave. This is the bottom of the “ Sibley Loop”. The east leg went to Taylorville through the gap now filled in for the Pa Turnpike Northeast Extension.

From the Jermyn #1 heading west the ROW went down Railroad St to cross Oak St. and turn 90degrees south along Railroad St, and a spur for the Jermyn #2 Colliery, ( Old Forge High School). Crossing Marion St. and Main St ( Between the Borough Building and Ambulance Buildings. It continued south crossing Pine, South First and Maxon Dr. to run along Susquehanna Ave to cross Hoover St. It then started to make a sweeping turn east across Moosic Rd. to cross the Lackawanna River, D&H, and DL&W R.R. on the “ Three Barrels Bridge” so named by locals. It had 3 water barrels on it’s narrow, single track, and if one was unlucky to meet a coal train coming down grade out of Old Forge, they had to jump into a barrel till the train passed.

On the Moosic side of the river, it came into the left side of a switch. The right side went north, up to the Greenwood Collieries, and South Scranton.. The other end of the switch went south west to cross Rt. 11, Birney Ave, and on to the 502 Bridge over Rt. 502 and Springbrook Creek. It then turned south to connect at Hillside Junction, Suscon and the CNJ.

The Three Barrels Bridge was a steel, single track trestle, about 550’ long. The stone abutments, and uprights footers on the Moosic side of the river are still visible, as are the large stone block abutment on the Old Forge side. The 502 Bridge was a steel, single track, trestle over 1750’ long. One large stone block abutment can still be seen to the South of I81 above the Lesco Co. building on the west side of Rt. 502. The other end is buried under exit 180 ( old exit 50, Moosic North) of I81. The longest section of ROW remaining is from Moosic Rd. to the river.