Wilkes Barre & Hazleton survivor in the Quimby book.

CSontag · **Posted:** Fri Aug 21, 2020 11:05 pm

Hi folks,

The recent discussion on the Tamaqua interurban reminded me of a Wilkes Barre & Hazleton survivor that was pictured in the book written by Quimby. Does anyone know if it survived still?Kramer's Grove doesn't appear on any map near Drum, Pa.

Thanks,

Charles

o anderson · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:12 pm

Charles,
PM has been sent to you with some information. Another book was published on the subject of Hazelton trolleys, produced in 1993 and comb bound from what I can see. I do not have info on the name of book or author.

Seems a shame that a well built system like this could not last past 1933. Not too later, some lines were looking for additional steel cars and could have used these.
O. Anderson

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2020 9:01 pm

I think you'll find the town is Drums, Butler Twp., Luzerne County. Drums was on the WB&H line.

Phil Mulligan

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

If I recall correctly, this system was done in almost at a stroke by a road improvement project on PA route 309. It had been in some difficulty during the early Depression years leading to them trying a couple of not-too-good-riding railbuses for off-time service. I'd be interested to find that one of their carbodies has survived.

wesp · **Posted:** Sun Aug 23, 2020 3:27 pm

Looking in Google, there are a few news clippings from the Hazelton, PA Standard-Speaker that refer to Kramer's Grove, including the Quinn Family Reunion in September 1967 and a few other news articles that require a newspapers.com subscription.

Wesley

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

Kramer's Grove is along Route 309 almost directly across the highway from the old Angela Park. It's a short distance south of I-80.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

G. W. Laepple wrote:

Kramer's Grove is along Route 309 almost directly across the highway from the old Angela Park. It's a short distance south of I-80.

Interesting. A cursory look on Google maps reveals some “interurban-like” shapes on the other side of #309. Of course, the could be containers, trailers or RVs

CSontag · **Posted:** Tue Aug 25, 2020 1:13 am

G. W. Laepple wrote:

Kramer's Grove is along Route 309 almost directly across the highway from the old Angela Park. It's a short distance south of I-80.

Thank you for that piece of information.

LVRR2095 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2020 12:01 pm

Attachment:

File comment: Jay Quinby in the telegraph bay at his Summit, NJ home.

E.J. Quinby 1973.jpg [ 90.81 KiB | Viewed 6348 times ]

Just as a very minor detail....the author of the book is E.Jay Quinby with an “n” not an “m.”
Jay Quinby was a friend of mine and a real character in the best sense of the word. Jay started work as a motorman on the North Jersey Rapid Transit while attending college. He was a wireless operator on a tramp steamer where he met David Sarnoff later of RCA fame.
He was a personal friend of Nicola Tesla. And a part owner of the Delta Queen steamboat!
Jay had a large pipe organ installed in his home in Summit, NJ and he was a pioneer member at the Branford Trolley Museum.

David Dewey · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:36 pm

He was more than a "part owner" of the Delta Queen Steamboat; he was responsible for it's continued operation back then. Right now they could use another Quinby!
He is also the one who put the calliope on the DQ, and would oftentimes play it (usually wearing a top hat, as befits a "proffeeser" of the steam piana). Besides having a Pipe Organ, he was one of the founding members of the American Theatre Organ Society.
One of those unique people whose life touched many in different circles.

Scranton505 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:17 am **Posts:** 89

I haven't been able to find any proof that the car in the book is still around in 2020. Now, there IS a surviving center door car from either the WB&H or Lehigh Traction in the area. I know where the car is but I'm not comfortable with sharing the location. Maybe someday it will be back on the rails but for now it seems to be in stable condition. Keep buying Powerball tickets.