Railroad tour of the Top of the Poconos from Tobyhanna to Cresco, Pa.

Welcome to the Top of the Poconos.  Before leaving the station we will discuss the area around us.

Starting to your left rear you see the turnaround “Y” used to turn around engines usually to enable them to return to their point of origin. These engines were usually "helpers" or "pushers" to get up over the mountain.  

On your right is the latest version of the Tobyhanna station.  The front porch canopy was added to the original station as traffic increased over the years.  This station was one of the busiest prior to World War II during the age of the ice industry.  It also controlled traffic from the lumber mills, other factories, the Tobyhanna Military Reservation as well as local passenger traffic.                       

The tower to your right was one of the largest manually operated towers. going to the various local industries.  Just below the tower in the middle of the main lines was a water tower.

To the right is the old mill which served many purposes until it was

At the first bridge we cross (over Laurel Drive) with the new Coolbaugh Township Fire House to the right.  Rounding the curve we approach Steamshovel Bridge where Route 611 spans the railroad right of way. The bridge derived its name from the huge rail mounted steam shovel used to move the rock and debris from the ‘cut’. Look to the right (north) as we pass under Route 611 and you can see the signs and the buildings for the new Wal-Mart Northeast Distribution and the new Pocono Villa Assisted Living Facility.

Continuing east we pass between State Game Lands on the right and properties of the Lynch Corporation on the left.  As we pass the next mile marker we see Lynchwood Lake and one of the original boarding houses used to house and feed the people who harvested ice.  On the far side of the lake is Camp Tegawitha, a Camp for Girls for about 80 years.

On your left is Hawkey Pond, which was created by the D. L. and W. Railroad as a source of water for the steam engines of yesterday.  The pond furnished water to a high water tower down near Pocono Summit.

The homes on your right are a part of the Stillwater Lakes Civic Association.  Approaching on the left is the Pocono Mountain Business Park.  The Park presently includes Coca-Cola, Geometric Machine and Design, Huxley Envelope, Liz Claiborne, Moritz Embroidery, Pocono Springs Water and others.

As we cross the Pocono Summit Lakes, the homes on the left are part of the Pocono Summit Lake Development.  We are nearing the Pocono Summit Station, the only concrete station in the area.  This was the main stop for Pocono Manor, Lutherland and the area between here and Blakeslee.  A very busy area during tourist season and especially during the ski season when entire trains would arrive from New York and Scranton.  Everything from buses to dog sleds were used to carry visitors to the various resorts.  On the left is Cramers Lumber Company, which has served the Poconos for over 50 years.

As we pass under Route 940 and round the curve we see the Lackawanna Railroad off-loading area.  It has become a grain processing facility.  Chrysler Corporation used the site as an East Coast Distribution area.

Further around the curve we pass between the Borough of Mount Pocono and properties of Pocono Manor.  Next we go under a presently unused bridge which is soon scheduled to be revitalized.  Further ahead we see the Village of Mount Pocono on the left and the large parking lot which was the second location of the Mount Pocono Station.  Next we cross over Route 611 which at this point connects Mount Pocono and the Village of Swiftwater.

On a nice day without leaves on the trees, you can see the Delaware Water Gap.  The left side is New Jersey and the right side is Pennsylvania.  The Appalachian Trail follows the ridges on its way from Maine to Georgia.

We are about to pass mile marker 99 on your left.  This indicates the distance from here to Hoboken, New Jersey, the eastern terminus of the original D.L. and W. Railroad.

As we wind around Knob Hill you may see off to your right the Pocono Mountain School Swiftwater buildings, Aventis Pasteau Laboratories and Mount Airy Resort.

As we approach the point of the Knob you may see on your left the former entrance to the tunnel cut.  Originally the railroad went through a tunnel in the mountain.  Later the roof was removed and just prior to World War II the roadbed was extended around the end of the hill.  The tunnel was a constant matter of concern with falling rocks and other debris.

Now the downgrade takes us to the original Paradise Crossing.  This was a grade crossing later replaced by the bridge when Route 940 was rebuilt in the Fifties.

Next we approach the Devils Hole grade crossing.  Departing the crossing we cross over the site of the largest washout on the railroad as a result of the flood of ’55.  The entire area on the left filled with water when the culvert below could not handle the water.  Running over the fill the water completely washed out everything down to the streambed leaving only the tracks dangling in the air.  The hill on the left was removed to replace the roadbed.

We now pass below State Game Lands and Seven Pine Mountain, a lovely place to hike and look over the scenery between here and the Delaware River.  Depending on the foliage we may see Monsignor McHugh School off to the right.

Soon you’ll see a group of houses on the left.  This is Hardy-Town, a small village at the end of Hardy-Town Road.  This scene tells us that we are fast approaching the Cresco Station and the terminus of this leg of the trip.

Cresco was probably the busiest passenger station on the run toward the end of the passenger era.  The station served many large hotels and innumerable other lodging facilities and resorts throughout Barrett Township.

Revised - 04/23/08 07:45 PM