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Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
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Author:  Mgoldman [ Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Wilkes-Barre's CNJ station - the restoration has begun - finally!

Initially built for the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad, this 1868 two and a half story, brick building with one and one half-story wings on either side came under the Central of New Jersey Railroad's control when that line leased the L&S in 1871. The Victorian style station served passengers until 1963, and finally closed in 1972, after which the tracks were later removed and paved over. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The station sat unused for some time afterwards. Plans for its reuse and restoration have been made and broken time after time. It lived for a time as a cocktail bars called “The Station” and a club joint called “Banana Joe’s”. Two old Pullman cars were converted into hotel rooms, bars, and even a dance floor. Those cars and additions have since been removed.

George Albert, the developer of the historic structure, stated on April 30th, 2021, he set a five-month deadline to complete the project by the end of October to make it ready to be the new home of the Luzerne County tourism office. The tourism office will be on the first floor and the second floor will have private office space. Hadley Construction Inc. of Pittston was the low bidder for the $1.2 million project.

_______________________________________________

Curious:
Does anyone have photos or a link to aerial maps showing the area in the past, specifically the track layout and perhaps its proximity to the Lehigh Valley station?

It appears the southern side was where the CNJ main was (where today's "South Wilkes-Barre Avenue is today) while the north side (with the signal) seemed to be the location of several yard tracks and spurs. Those tracks I believe were parallel to the Lehigh Valley / D&H line. Assume passengers arrived /parked on the north side somehow crossing all the yard tracks, entered the north side of the station and departed from the south side of the building?

Photo No. 1 2011, southern side
Photo No. 2 2021, northern side


/Mitch

Attachments:
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Station South SLR.jpg
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Station South SLR.jpg [ 232.48 KiB | Viewed 9608 times ]
CNJ WB wSig SLR.jpg
CNJ WB wSig SLR.jpg [ 142.64 KiB | Viewed 9608 times ]
Author:  Mgoldman [ Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
A few photos found online:

Both undated, but quite fascinating!

/Mitch

Attachments:
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Undated SLR.jpg
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Undated SLR.jpg [ 230.57 KiB | Viewed 9599 times ]
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Undated II SLR.jpg
CNJ Wilkes-Barre Undated II SLR.jpg [ 82.33 KiB | Viewed 9599 times ]
Author:  jayrod [ Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Aerial images: The Penn Pilot historic aerial images are now a part of the Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access. Here’s a quick link to the Penn Pilot images: https://datacommons.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=10af5f75f9f94f01866359ba398cb6a9. The go back as far as 1937.

Hope that helps.
Author:  Mgoldman [ Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Thanks - I saw that site but should've stayed a bit longer.

Looks like the Lehigh Valley station is visible above the
CNJ station - just to the right of the center top and bottom.

I wonder if there are any higher resolution images? Wondering
if the signal in my shot is ex-CNJ or D&H, or Lehigh. Seems it
was in the CNJ yard, however - maybe the layout changed over
the years.


/Mitch

Attachments:
Wilkes-Barre Aerial 1LR.jpg
Wilkes-Barre Aerial 1LR.jpg [ 208.74 KiB | Viewed 9524 times ]
Author:  EJ Berry [ Mon Jul 12, 2021 12:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
This is great news. The CNJ/CRP Station has had 9 lives, then 9 more.

For clarity, I'll use railroad direction which is very different from compass direction. The CNJ and LV stations were adjacent crossing Market St. well away from downtown W-B. Jersey City/Allentown to W-B and Pittston/Buffalo (LV) and Scranton (CNJ) was Westward. A map will show a Westward train is moving in compass direction Northeast.

From RR North to RR South are Penobscot Mountain, Stegmaier's Brewery (Federal Offices), CNJ Station, LV/PRR Station (gone), Genetti's old Hotel (gone), Genetti's current Hotel (a Best Western), Public Square and the Susquehanna River. The 1920's train with the Elesco FWH Pacific is Eastward to JC, probably the Bullet, a short-lived name train. The end cab (!) 4-4-0 is Westward toward Scranton.

The CNJ Station became part of a motel and entertainment complex with retired RDG Old MU Cars as the Motel Rooms. 2 rooms per car. Only the Station remains.

Phil Mulligan
Author:  superheater [ Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
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Author:  PMC [ Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
How difficult would it be to bring live rail back to the station? Just curious, I know it isn't in the current plans.
Author:  superheater [ Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
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Author:  co614 [ Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Beautiful old structure. Sure glad it will be saved. I have fond memories visiting this station on my Dad's CNJ office car in the late 1940's during a customer relations trip from Jersey City to Scranton.

Thanks to all who played a part in saving this building for future generations.

Ross Rowland
Author:  EJ Berry [ Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
I almost rode there in February 1968. There was a steam trip out of Penn Station Newark (post-Aldene) with a CNJ TrainMaster to Cranford, then Steamtown 127 (CPR 1278). We added Strasburg 90 (!) at Jim Thorpe for the climb up to Mountain Top. We got very late and turned at Ashley instead of continuing to W-B.

It was getting dark and I found some friends who were chasing and hitched a ride home. They made me drive the car back.

I later found out that, on the way back, 90 and 127 had a disagreement and derailed near Mountain Top and Frank Martz Trailways (still in business today!) sent a bunch of busses to take the passengers home.

Believe it or not, they were schedulled to repeat the trip the next week, and they did.

Phil Mulligan
Author:  Mgoldman [ Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
EJ Berry wrote:
I almost rode there in February 1968. There was a steam trip out of Penn Station Newark (post-Aldene) with a CNJ TrainMaster to Cranford, then Steamtown 127 (CPR 1278). We added Strasburg 90 (!) at Jim Thorpe for the climb up to Mountain Top. We got very late and turned at Ashley instead of continuing to W-B.

Believe it or not, they were scheduled to repeat the trip the next week, and they did.

Phil Mulligan


Wow - I would have LOVED to have ridden that trip!

I think John West posted a photo from that trip to Railpictures.net. If so, I never realized it ran that full distance.

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/215015/

As for PMC's question on bringing back live rail to the building - I wondered that myself.
If Wilkes-Barre ever were to see passenger trains again - I think the question is - could
that location possibly serve as a potential stop. I think it could, though the "main" would
be on the opposite side they once were.

I was wondering if the signal seen in my second shot above, and this shot below, was a CNJ signal?
And regardless, what did it protect? Does not look to be a signal used in a small yard, perhaps some
tracks were relocated before being torn up?

/Mitch

Attachments:
CNJ WB Signal Burst VLR.jpg
CNJ WB Signal Burst VLR.jpg [ 98.14 KiB | Viewed 8815 times ]
Author:  Mgoldman [ Wed Jul 14, 2021 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Here are two more views from May of this year (2021):

/Mitch

Attachments:
CNJ Wilkesbarre wFEL VLR.jpg
CNJ Wilkesbarre wFEL VLR.jpg [ 242.48 KiB | Viewed 8816 times ]
CNJ WB Station Facade UC VLR.jpg
CNJ WB Station Facade UC VLR.jpg [ 190.23 KiB | Viewed 8816 times ]
Author:  superheater [ Thu Jan 20, 2022 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
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Author:  EJ Berry [ Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wilkes-Barre, PA's CNJ Station - Restoration in Progress
Let them finish it. Let them finish it. Let them finish it.

Phil Mulligan
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