Stourbridge Railroad

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Stourbridge Railway
Reporting marks SBRR
Locale Pennsylvania
Dates of operation 1977–present
Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters Honesdale, Pennsylvania

The Stourbridge Railroad (AAR reporting marks SBRR) is a class III railroad that operates a 24-miles route between Honesdale (in Wayne County, Pennsylvania) and the village of Lackawaxen in Lackawaxen Township (in Pike County, Pennsylvania). It is owned by the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association and operated under contract by Robey Railroads.

Hawley (in Wayne County) is also served by the line, which runs southeast from Honesdale to Hawley, then east to Lackawaxen. At Lackawaxen (which is on the border with New York), there is a connection to the Norfolk Southern Railway line. CSX Transportation rail service is also available via this track (as well as an indirect connection to Canadian Pacific Railway service).

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[edit] Heritage railroad

The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce operates a heritage railroad on the Stourbridge Railroad during the summer season, offering passenger excursion trains in historic refurbished railroad cars. Excursion trains operate between Honesdale (on Pennsylvania Route 191) and Hawley. The railroad has restored and refurbished 5 passenger cars that are on display and a historic snow plow is also on display.

[edit] History

The Stourbridge Lion's first run, as depicted by Clyde Osmer DeLand c. 1916
The Stourbridge Lion's first run, as depicted by Clyde Osmer DeLand c. 1916

According to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, this is the site of "the first commercial locomotive on rails in the western hemisphere", run by the Delaware and Hudson railway on August 8, 1829. The locomotive was the famous Stourbridge Lion.

In 1868, the line became part of the Jefferson Railroad, and part of the Erie Railroad in 1870. In 1960 the Erie's successor merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, becoming part of Conrail in 1976. Conrail announced plans to abandon the line in 1976, and the Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association was formed, taking over in 1977.

The line was washed out in 2005, with the break occurring at Hawley.

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