Saturday, July 16 2022
View today’s road video and route map
Today’s route was from Scranton, birthplace of President Biden, to Sayre, PA just a few miles south of the New York state line but, before leaving, I wanted to make a couple of stops.
The first was to enjoy a walk around the trail that circumnavigates Lake Scranton. This is a reservoir owned by the local water authority which only allows pedestrians and bans pets so all of the many users I saw were adult walkers and joggers.
The trail is mainly in the forest that surrounds the reservoir but there are a few spots with clear views of the lake.
My main stop of the day was at the Steamtown National Historic Site which preserves the downtown rail yards, turntable and Roundhouse of the old Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railway. This railway used to connect New York City to the Great Lakes and to the anthracite producing region of Pennsylvania providing New Yorkers with almost everything they needed. In addition to the facilities the National Park Service also preserves and maintains many historic locomotives and rolling stock.
This steam engine was the first photo I took when I arrived but I did not note the locomotive details as this is the last photo my Sony camera will probably ever take. Immediately after the lens froze and I have not managed to turn it on or get any signs of life from it since. I will do some research tonight and hope to purchase a replacement tomorrow. I had to use my $85 phone for the rest of today’s pictures and hated every second of it.
The site is based in the “Roundhouse”, a circular building almost completely surrounding a turntable and containing dozens of service bays for locomotives and carriages. Parts of the Roundhouse are still used to maintain stock and the rest has been refurbished to provide the visitor center, a theater and educational exhibits. The site also runs full day rail excursions on Saturdays but, since they were enclosed and required mask wearing, I was not eager to ride.
There were many educational exhibits, such as this cut-away locomotive explaining how steam locos work, but I was more fascinated by the displays showing how the early railways operated safely before signals and telegraphs were deployed.
Building bridges for these new monsters obviously came at a risk.
They have one of the world’s largest and most powerful steam locomotives, the Union Pacific “Big Boy” and its tender on display.
After a couple of fascinating hours I headed to Sayre on the “Grand Army of the Republic” highway which was used by Union troops in the Civil War but offered no particularly spectacular scenery.
Looks like you’re having a nerd fest with the trains!! I used to work at the greater Manchester museum of science & industry that featured the worlds first railway station – Liverpool St.
I go with the flow of the region I’m visiting but I do like railway stuff. Funnily enough, I did not have a model railway set when I was a kid.
I forgot you used to work in that museum. Maybe we should nerd out together sometime over a beer?
What a great place to visit. I still find the old steam engines the most romantic visions of travel, something about the way the railway tracks curve around the lakes, through the mountains etc etc!
Im glad the storms haven’t caused any delay in your travels.
Are you meeting up with Tom?
They are impressive monsters and I can imagine the positive influence they must have had in the early days of the US. No bad weather yet but Monday looks pretty wet.
Tom has yet to let me know his plans, I gave him until the 22nd to decide.
Very sorry to hear about your camera – there is nothing to rival an actual camera. Good luck with repair/ replacement.
Thanks. Holding up a phone to take a photo in bright sunshine is like looking in a mirror. I need a viewfinder. About to go and pick up another camera.
As a £7.50-per-month phone contract man,
I’m glad to see that you don’t see a phone as a valid camera (or presumably p.c.). I hope you’re able to mend or replace the camera to your satisfaction (I used my 2008 DSLR for a day earlier in the year; I could take photos and see the results on screen; I just couldn’t find the files or download them).
Phones are not cameras and I don’t see myself paying hundreds of dollars extra for one that has good imaging. I need a viewfinder to be able to frame photos properly on bright days or in dark environments and a wide range optical zoom with a fast lens. Phones are great for some purposes but, for me, not taking photos.
These steam engines make me nostalgic about the many train rides I took in India. Your photos are lovely. I know you love trains so enjoy!!
Thanks, I do enjoy visiting places like this and, in normal times, riding a steam powered train.