| Wyoming Valley Railroad |
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| Updated 6/26/2009 |
| About the Wyoming Valley Railroad: "Your model railroad is called the Wyoming Valley? I see Lehigh Valley equipment running on your layout. I didn't know the Lehigh Valley operated in the State of Wyoming" Augh!!! I do hear this comment from visitors who know nothing about northeastern Pennsylvania. But that is okay, because there is an explanation. There is a valley in northeastern Pennsylvania called the Wyoming Valley, and the city of Wilkes-Barre lies within it heart. The Lehigh Valley railroad (LVRR) ran from Jersey City, New Jersey to Buffalo, New York. Along its route, the LVRR passed through the city of Wilkes-Barre and had a significant classification yard near Pittston, Pennsylvania, located approximately ten miles from Wilkes-Barre. On my model railroad, part of the staging yard represents major yards along the LVRR's Jersey City to Buffalo route. However, instead of running straight through, my LVRR trains begin or terminate in Pittston, passing through Wilkes-Barre before heading to or from various yards represented in my staging yard. So, what is the Wyoming Valley all about? In its heyday, Wilkes-Barre was famous for anthracite coal mining. In addition, Wilkes-Barre hosted a couple breweries, including one called Stegmaier Brewery. If that wasn't enough, there was also a railroad related industry, Vulcan, which produced locomotives. And, while it isn't located in Wilkes-Barre, there is a local candy manufacturer in the area called Gertrude Hawk Candies. All of these industries, and more, are represented on the Wyoming Valley model railroad (WVRR). The WVRR has one terminus in a fictitious town called West Coalton. It travels through the towns of South Wilkes-Barre and Wilkes-Barre before sharing trackage rights to the yard located in Pittston with the LVRR. It is in Pittston where cars are interchanged between the two railroads. "So, does the Lehigh Valley railroad operate in the State of Wyoming?" Augh!!! |
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| What's New? 6/21/2009 Completed the lettering of two Walthers N6B cabooses for the Wyoming Valley 4/9/2009 Completed the hoist house for the anthracite mine in West Coalton. 4/1/2009 My article, the Eleventh Tool, is published in the April 2009 issue of RMC. 7/13/2008 Completed a small grocery and barber shop for West Coalton. 6/5/2007 A storefront, MJ's Pianos, is completed for the city of Wilkes-Barre. 3/23/2007 My article on modifying a Bachmann doodlebug appeared in the April 2007 issue of RMC. 2/15/2007 Added a page for WVRR hoppers. 1/1/2006 My article on mine ventilation was published in the Feb and Mar 2006 issues of RMC. 7/30/2005 The fan house for the anthracite mine is completed. 3/18/2005 The station for West Coalton is completed. 2/19/2005 Spotted the prototype for the Union Trust Bank in Georgetown, Washington, DC 10/7/2004 A new custom car advertising Dutchman Ale 10/7/2004 An article of mine was published in the September 2004 issue of RMC 4/24/2004 The Fenimore Brothers Coal has been completed. 1/5/2004 The A-1 Box Company and TC&W Hardware have been added to the layout. |
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