Misplaced Pages

#442557

135-763: Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company was the first railroad in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania to use locomotives. When organized the BMRC was authorized to acquire $ 250,000 capital. The BMRC, taking immediate advantage of a charter provision which allowed them to own and work 200 acres of coal land as an incentive for building a railroad from mines to either the Lehigh River or Little Schuylkill then increased its capitalization ceiling to $ 800,000. The Beaver Meadow Mines were discovered in 1812 by Nathan Beach. The land had an unclear title until Judge Barnes, owner of

270-510: A U.S. Department of Commerce program. The Lehigh Valley as a whole leads Pennsylvania in terms of population growth in the 18-to-34 year old demographic, according to 2020 census data. The Lehigh Valley's population growth is partly a result of a growing influx of residents from New Jersey and New York drawn to the Lehigh Valley's lower cost of living, its employment opportunities, and its close proximity to Philadelphia and New York City,

405-537: A New York charter for the Lehigh Valley Railway, a similar name to the LVRR, but with "railway" instead. LVRR subsidiary, Lehigh Valley Railway began constructing the main line's northern part from Buffalo to Lancaster, New York , in 1883, a total distance of ten miles. This was the second step toward establishment of a direct route from Sayre to Buffalo (thus avoiding the connecting spur to Waverly and on to Buffalo on

540-646: A day in comparison with wagon operation of $ 33. By 1834, because of the difficulty in obtaining agreement with the Lehigh Canal on tolls, Allentown was pursued as the road's terminus. In 1836, an agreement on tolls was reached, and twelve miles of rail line were developed from the coal mines to the Lehigh River. The remaining fourteen miles to Weissport were under contract to be developed. Three locomotives from Garrett & Eastwick in Philadelphia were operating on

675-448: A dramatic related economic downturn in the region. Bethlehem Steel continued functioning on a vastly reduced scale for a period, but ultimately ceased steel manufacturing entirely at its primary Bethlehem -based manufacturing plant in 1995. In 2001, the company filed for bankruptcy protection and, in 2003, the company was dissolved. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the downturn and ultimate demise of Bethlehem Steel, once one of

810-464: A few hundred acres of coal land, by 1868 the LVRR was feeling pressure from the Delaware and Hudson and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in the northern Wyoming Valley coal field, where the railroads mined and transported their own coal at a much reduced cost. The LVRR recognized that its own continued prosperity depended on obtaining what coal lands remained. In pursuit of that strategy,

945-540: A fleet of ships on the Great Lakes with terminals in Chicago , Milwaukee , and Duluth . This company became an important factor in the movement of anthracite, grain and package freight between Buffalo, Chicago, Milwaukee, Duluth, Superior and other midwestern cities. Following Federal legislation which stopped the operation of such service, the lake line was sold to private interests in 1920. The port on Lake Erie at Buffalo

1080-491: A friendlier regulatory environment, provide the area with a comparatively favorable business climate compared to surrounding metropolitan areas. Due in large part to this comparably favorable business climate and mature business support programs, the Lehigh Valley has been very successful in luring established businesses as well as new startup companies from higher cost areas such as New York and New Jersey, generating thousands of new jobs and significant new investments in

1215-423: A global leader in steel and other heavy manufacturing industries, which represented a considerable portion of its employment and economic production for most of the 20th century. Beginning in the early 1980s, however, the region's heavy manufacturing sector experienced a rapid downfall, highlighted by the downsizing and ultimate closure of Bethlehem Steel , the world's second-largest steel manufacturer for much of

1350-478: A movement to reestablish manufacturing activities in the U.S., driven by customer demand for American-made products, faster product delivery, increased overseas wages, and inflated costs and extended timeframes for shipping has led to some renewed growth in the Valley's manufacturing sector. Several large companies from China and Germany have invested tens of millions of dollars into developing significant operations in

1485-455: A popular maker of juice drinks and other fruit products, produces 40 percent of its total national beverage volume at its Lehigh Valley plant in Breinigsville. Due to Pennsylvania's lack of an excise tax on cigars and the Lehigh Valley's close proximity to major markets, the region is home to some of the nation's largest cigar distributors and retailers. The largest retail shopping area in

SECTION 10

#1732852482443

1620-511: A population of 873,555 as of 2023. Lehigh County is among Pennsylvania's fastest-growing counties, and the Lehigh Valley leads Pennsylvania in terms of population growth in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, which constitutes a significant portion of the labor workforce . The region's core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties along Interstate 78 , Interstate 476 , Pennsylvania Route 309 , and U.S. Route 22 . The Lehigh Valley has historically been

1755-571: A quarter of it was ballasted with stone or gravel. The line had a descending or level grade from Mauch Chunk to Easton and with the exception of the curve at Mauch Chunk had no curve of less than 700 feet radius. The 46-mile-long (74 km) LVRR connected at Mauch Chunk with the Beaver Meadow Railroad . The Beaver Meadow Railroad had been built in 1836, and it transported anthracite coal from Jeansville in Pennsylvania's Middle Coal Field to

1890-553: A terminus in Jersey City, New Jersey . Construction commenced in 1872 as soon the Easton and Amboy was formed; coal docks at Perth Amboy were soon constructed, and most of the line from Easton to Perth Amboy was graded and rails laid. However, the route required a 4,893-foot (1,491 m) tunnel through/under Musconetcong Mountain near Pattenburg, New Jersey (about twelve miles east of Phillipsburg), and that proved troublesome, delaying

2025-556: A third rail within the Erie mainline tracks to enable the LV equipment to run through to Elmira and later to Buffalo. Further rounds of acquisitions took place in 1868. The acquisitions in 1868 were notable because they marked the beginning of the LVRR's strategy of acquiring coal lands to ensure production and traffic for its own lines. Although the 1864 acquisition of the Beaver Meadow had included

2160-410: Is Allentown , the third-largest city in Pennsylvania and the county seat of Lehigh County, with a population of 125,845 residents as of the 2020 census . The Allentown– Bethlehem – Easton metropolitan area, which includes the Lehigh Valley, is Pennsylvania's third-most populous metropolitan area after those of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh , and the nation's 67th-largest metropolitan area with

2295-669: Is a geographic and metropolitan region formed by the Lehigh River in Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania . It is a component valley of the Great Appalachian Valley bounded to its north by Blue Mountain , to its south by South Mountain , to its west by Lebanon Valley , and to its east by the Delaware River and Warren County, New Jersey . The Lehigh Valley is about 40 miles (64 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide. The Lehigh Valley's largest city

2430-533: Is expected to have a total size of 1,100,000 square feet (100,000 m ) square feet and employ over 3,000 people. The Boston Beer Company operates its largest U.S. production brewery facility in Breinigsville in the Lehigh Valley, which produces over 2/3rds of all Samuel Adams beer globally. The company continues to upgrade and expand operations at this facility and has cited the location as central to its overall corporate success. Additionally, Ocean Spray ,

2565-453: Is located geographically within a one-day drive to over a third of the U.S. population and over half of Canada's population, which has been a factor in its 21st century emergence as a North American leader in light manufacturing and commercial distribution . Gains in these and other industries have helped offset the significant losses the region had experienced from its late 20th century decline in heavy manufacturing. Since its settlement in

2700-407: Is located within the U.S. Northeast megalopolis with ease of access and close proximity to many of the nation's largest population centers, airports, terminals, railways, and seaports, including New York City , the nation's largest city , which is 90 miles (140 km) to its east, and Philadelphia , the nation's sixth-most populous city, which is 60 miles (97 km) to its southeast. The region

2835-527: Is one of the fastest-growing and largest economies in Pennsylvania with a total GDP of $ 43.8 billion that saw a five percent increase between 2016 and 2017 alone driven by strong manufacturing, financial, health care, and professional services industry segments. It is centrally located in the Northeast megalopolis with ease of access and close proximity to several of the largest U.S. markets, population centers, airports, terminals, railways, and seaports, including

SECTION 20

#1732852482443

2970-592: Is sometimes referred to as the nation's "second Inland Empire " for freight. Large national companies that own and operate warehouses and distribution centers in the Lehigh Valley include Amazon.com , B. Braun , Boston Beer Company (brewer of Samuel Adams brand beer), BMW , Bridgestone , FedEx SmartPost , FedEx Ground , Home Depot , J. C. Penney , Nestlé Purina , ShopRite , Stitch Fix , The Coca-Cola Company , Ocean Spray , Phillips Pet Food and Supplies, True Value , Uline , Zulily , and others. Most of these warehouses and distribution centers are located along

3105-720: The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment , which was established on August 5 and later proved influential in expanding the Union Army's reach into the Deep South , permitting it to launch successful attacks against Confederate positions in the Battle of St. Johns Bluff in 1862 and throughout the Red River campaign in the Trans-Mississippi theater and Sheridan 's Shenadoah Valley campaign across Virginia in 1864. These victories helped to tip

3240-554: The Coal Region , Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley, and Warren County in the Skylands region of northwest New Jersey . As of 2023 census estimates, it is the 67th-largest metropolitan area in the nation with a population of 873,555. In July 2023, the area was added to the newly created Allentown - Bethlehem - East Stroudsburg PA-NJ Combined Statistical Area (CSA). This area also includes Monroe County in

3375-861: The Delaware Division Canal or transported across the river to Phillipsburg, New Jersey , where the Morris Canal and the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) could carry it to the New York City market. At Easton, the LVRR constructed a double-decked bridge across the Delaware River for connections to the CNJ and the Belvidere Delaware Railroad in Phillipsburg. Through a connection with

3510-670: The Great Depression , feeding ports up and down the Delaware River , the Pennsylvania Canal , and transoceanic demand, and was integral to the industrialization of the greater Delaware Valley region. The Morris Canal , the 22–23 miles (35–37 km) anthracite coal feeder of the Delaware and Raritan Canal . and locks at New Hope on the Delaware Canal were built to fuel anthracite energy needs of Trenton , Newark , Jersey City , and New York City. In 1899, Bethlehem Steel

3645-759: The Hayts Corners, Ovid & Willard Railroad opened May 14, 1883 from the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre to the Willard asylum, and continued in service until 1936. In Pennsylvania, the Lehigh scored a coup by obtaining the charter formerly held by the Schuykill Haven and Lehigh River Railroad in 1886. That charter had been held by the Reading Railroad since 1860, when it had blocked construction in order to maintain its monopoly in

3780-693: The Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City . The LVRR, which had built coal docks in Perth Amboy when it built the Easton and Amboy in the 1870s, desired a terminal on the Hudson River close to New York City . In 1891, the LVRR consolidated the Roselle and South Plainfield Railway into the Lehigh Valley Terminal Railway , along with the other companies which formed the route from South Plainfield to

3915-494: The Lehigh Canal at Mauch Chunk. For 25 years the Lehigh Canal had enjoyed a monopoly on downstream transportation and was charging independent producers high fees. When the LVRR opened, those producers eagerly sent their product by the railroad instead of canal, and within two years of its construction the LVRR was carrying over 400,000 tons of coal annually. By 1859 it had 600 coal cars and 19 engines. The LVRR immediately became

4050-512: The Lehigh River and break the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company 's monopoly on coal traffic from Wyoming Valley . The railroad was chartered on August 2, 1847, and elected James Madison Porter its president on October 21. Little occurred between 1847 and 1851, save some limited grading near Allentown, Pennsylvania . All this changed in October 1851, when Asa Packer took majority control of

4185-818: The Lehigh River . The Lehigh Valley Railroad's original and primary route between Easton and Allentown was built in 1855. The line later expanded past Allentown to Lehigh Valley Terminal in Buffalo and past Easton to New York City , bringing the Lehigh Valley Railroad to these metropolitan areas. By December 31, 1925, the railroad controlled 1,363.7 miles of road and 3,533.3 miles of track. By 1970, this had dwindled to 927 miles of road and 1963 miles of track. The first small repair shops for locomotives and cars were located in Delano, Wilkes-Barre, Weatherly, Hazleton, and South Easton. In 1902 these were mostly consolidated into

Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company - Misplaced Pages Continue

4320-616: The Lehigh Valley Railroad on July 8, 1864, the Beaver Meadow brought to its new owner its first coal lands. The BMRC became known as the Beaver Meadows Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. This United States railway company-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lehigh Valley 40°42′N 75°30′W  /  40.700°N 75.500°W  / 40.700; -75.500 The Lehigh Valley ( / ˈ l iː h aɪ / )

4455-741: The Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the Allentown-Bethlehem-East Stroudsburg, PA-NJ CSA had a population of 1,030,216, the 59th-largest CSA in the nation. The Lehigh Valley has four distinct seasons, which typically include hot and humid summers, cold winters, and short and mild springs and falls. It has a humid continental climate ( Dfa / Dfb ) and the hardiness zone ranges from 5b in higher elevation locations in northern Carbon County to 6b (the principal zone in Lehigh , Northampton , and southern Warren Counties). The 1991-2020 hardiness zone for

4590-581: The Port of New York and New Jersey to serve consumer markets in the New York metropolitan area , eliminating the Phillipsburg connection with the CNJ that had previously been the only outlet to the New York tidewater; until it was built, the terminus of the LVRR had been at Phillipsburg on the Delaware River opposite Easton, Pennsylvania . The Easton and Amboy was used as a connection to the New York metropolitan area, with

4725-595: The Schuylkill Valley coal fields. The Vosburg Tunnel was completed and opened for service on July 25, 1886. The 16-mile mountain cut-off, a rail segment of the line that extended from Fairview, Pennsylvania , to the outskirts of Pittston, Pennsylvania , was completed in November 1888. This allowed the line's eastbound grade to be reduced and a shorter route for handling through traffic established. The LVRR had built coal docks in Perth Amboy, New Jersey , when it built

4860-829: The Thomas Iron Company , the Lehigh Crane Iron Company , the Lehigh Valley Iron Works, the Carbon Iron Company, and others. At Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , the North Pennsylvania Railroad which was completed during the Summer of 1856, provided a rail connection to Philadelphia and thus brought the LVRR a direct line to Philadelphia. At Phillipsburg, New Jersey , the Belvidere Delaware Railroad connected to Trenton, New Jersey . To accommodate

4995-783: The Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City and Merchandise Mart in Chicago . Among major bridges, the company's steel was used to construct the George Washington Bridge and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco , and the Peace Bridge between Buffalo and Fort Erie, Ontario . The Roosevelt administration relied heavily on Bethlehem Steel during World War II , utilizing

5130-627: The 1868 purchases of the Hazleton Railroad and the Lehigh Luzerne Railroad brought 1,800 acres (7.3 km ) of coal land to the LVRR, and additional lands were acquired along branches of the LVRR. Over the next dozen years the railroad acquired other large tracts of land: 13,000 acres (53 km ) in 1870, 5,800 acres (23 km ) in 1872, and acquisition of the Philadelphia Coal Company in 1873 with its large leases in

5265-472: The 18th century, the Lehigh Valley has been the birthplace or home to several notable Americans who have proven influential across a broad range of fields, including academia, art and music, business, government and politics, the military, professional and Olympic -level athletics, and other fields. The Lehigh Valley was settled over the first half of the 18th century largely by German immigrants fleeing war and religious persecution . Prior to their arrival,

5400-458: The 1980s, however, the region's manufacturing sector declined rapidly as a result of foreign competition, trade practices, operational costs, regulations, and other factors. The most prominent example was the plight of Bethlehem Steel , the world' second-largest manufacturer of steel for much of the 20th century. Headquartered in Bethlehem , Bethlehem Steel abruptly suspended most of its operations in

5535-415: The 20th century, Bethlehem Steel 's ascent was prominently associated with the emergence of the U.S. as both a world leader in global manufacturing and as the world's largest economy, and its late 20th century downfall has often been cited as an example of one of the nation's most prominent first stumbling points in the face of growing foreign trade competition and other economic challenges that contributed to

Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company - Misplaced Pages Continue

5670-478: The 20th century, and other Lehigh Valley–based manufacturing companies. The Lehigh Valley's economy struggled considerably before ultimately rebounding and since emerging in the 21st century as one of Pennsylvania's largest and fastest-growing economies. As of 2021, the Lehigh Valley's gross domestic product (GDP) is $ 50.960 billion, driven by diverse industry sector contributions from its finance, manufacturing, health care, and education, and information sectors. In

5805-540: The 21st century, the region also has emerged as a national center for the U.S. logistics industry, especially in warehousing and intermodal transport . The region's primary commercial airport is Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township ; the airport's air traffic has grown considerably in the 21st century, largely as a result of considerable growth in its commercial air cargo traffic, which exceeded 210 million pounds in 2016. The Lehigh Valley

5940-567: The 4 ft 10 in (1,473 mm) gauge of the Belvidere, the cars were furnished with wheels having wide treads that operated on both roads. The 1860s saw an expansion of the LVRR northward to the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania , area and up the Susquehanna River to the New York state line. Asa Packer was elected President of the Lehigh Valley Railroad on January 13, 1862. In 1864,

6075-779: The Battle of Trenton, Washington returned to the city and region several additional times during and following the Revolution. Allentown also played a historical role in protecting the Liberty Bell from British capture following the fall of Philadelphia to the British Army on September 26, 1777, concealing the Liberty Bell for nine months from September 1777 to June 1778 under floor boards in Allentown's Zion Reformed Church . After Washington and

6210-590: The Bound Brook and Easton were merged to form a new railroad company called the Easton and Amboy Railroad (or Easton & Amboy Railroad Company). The Easton and Amboy Railroad was a railroad built across central New Jersey by the Lehigh Valley Railroad to run from Phillipsburg, New Jersey , to Bound Brook, New Jersey , and it was built to connect the Lehigh Valley Railroad coal-hauling operations in Pennsylvania and

6345-654: The Central Railroad of New Jersey, LVRR passengers had a route to Newark, New Jersey , Jersey City, New Jersey , and other points in New Jersey . The LVRR's rolling stock was hired from the Central Railroad of New Jersey and a contract was made with the CNJ to run two passenger trains from Easton to Mauch Chunk connecting with the Philadelphia trains on the Belvidere Delaware Railroad. A daily freight train

6480-403: The Civil War in the Union's favor. On October 19, 1899, a monument in honor of the Lehigh Valley men killed in their volunteer service to the Union 's preservation, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, was erected at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Center City Allentown , where it still stands. The opening of the Lehigh Canal in 1827 contributed significantly to transforming Allentown and

6615-436: The Continental Army's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was left defenseless and Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council , anticipating Philadelphia's fall, ordered that eleven Philadelphia bells, including the Liberty Bell, then known as the State House Bell, be taken down and moved to present-day Allentown, which was then called Northampton Towne. In Allentown,

6750-458: The DLS&S. Packer brought additional financing to the railroad, installed Robert H. Sayre as chief engineer, and renamed the company the "Lehigh Valley Railroad." Construction began in earnest in 1853, and the line opened between Easton and Allentown on June 11, 1855. The section between Allentown and Mauch Chunk opened on September 12. At Easton, the LVRR interchanged coal at the Delaware River where coal could be shipped to Philadelphia on

6885-490: The Easton and Amboy Railroad was opened for business on June 28, 1875, with hauling coal. The Easton and Amboy's operations were labeled the "New Jersey Division" of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The Easton and Amboy had already completed large docks and facilities for shipping coal at Perth Amboy upon an extensive tract of land fronting the Arthur Kill. Approximately 350,000 tons of anthracite moved to Perth Amboy during that year for transshipment by water. Operations continued until

SECTION 50

#1732852482443

7020-420: The Easton and Amboy in the 1870s, but desired a terminal on the Hudson River close to New York City . In New Jersey, the LVRR embarked on a decade-long legal battle with the CNJ over terminal facilities in Jersey City . The land that Asa Packer had obtained in 1872 was situated on the southern side of the Morris Canal's South Basin, but the CNJ already had its own facilities adjacent to that property and disputed

7155-403: The Erie), the first being the acquisition of the Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad. In 1887, the Lehigh Valley Railroad obtained a lease on the Southern Central Railroad (the LVRR previously had trackage rights on the railroad starting in 1870), which had a route from Sayre northward into the Finger Lakes region. At the same time, the LVRR organized the Buffalo and Geneva Railroad to build

7290-452: The Hazleton Railroad from Weatherly to Hazleton to open up even more coal fields to the company. The Hazleton Railroad ran over BMRC track from Weatherly to Penn Haven a canal wharf. Originally wooden rails, covered with an iron strap, were used, and the locomotives were initially wood-burning. Frequent floods along the Lehigh River notwithstanding, the railroad gained rapid success, as the mines serviced by it were developed. In early 1838, it

7425-529: The Hazleton Railroad opened its high-level line of 1852 (after another flood) to Penn Haven, the BMRC decided to eliminate the two inclined planes at Weatherly with legislative assent in 1853. With the purchase of the abandoned Hazleton Railroad line, plane operation ended in 1855. The new section of the Beaver Meadow had a grade of 145 feet to the mile for 1.75 miles, and 135 feet for the next 4,000 feet. The BMRC also built to Honeybrook Mines during 1855-56, thereby gaining all coal production from that mine. By 1863,

7560-403: The Jersey City terminal. Initially, the LVRR contracted with the CNJ for rights from Roselle to Jersey City, but the LVRR eventually finished construction to its terminal in Jersey City over the Newark and Roselle Railway , the Newark and Passaic Railway , the Jersey City, Newark, and Western Railway , and the Jersey City Terminal Railway . The LVRR's Newark and Roselle Railway in 1891 brought

7695-429: The LV to reach White Haven. In 1866, the LVRR purchased acquired the Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad (originally the Quakake Railroad) and the North Branch Canal along the Susquehanna River, renaming it the Pennsylvania and New York Canal & Railroad Company (P&NY). The purchasing of the North Branch Canal saw an opportunity for a near monopoly in the region north of the Wyoming Valley . In 1866, two years after

7830-400: The LVRR acquired other large tracts of land starting at 13,000 acres (53 km ) in 1870, with an additional of 5,800 acres (23 km ) in 1872, and turned its eye toward expansion across New Jersey all the way to the New York City area. In 1870, the Lehigh Valley Railroad acquired trackage rights to Auburn, New York , on the Southern Central Railroad . The most important market in

7965-517: The LVRR began acquiring feeder railroads and merging them with its system. The first acquisitions were the Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company, which included a few hundred acres of coal land, and the Penn Haven and White Haven Railroad. The purchase of the Penn Haven and White Haven was the first step in expanding to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania . To reach Wilkes-Barre, the LVRR began constructing an extension from White Haven, Pennsylvania , to Wilkes-Barre. The Penn Haven and White Haven Railroad allowed

8100-407: The LVRR began an extensive expansion into New York from Sayre, Pennsylvania (just southeast of Waverly) to Buffalo. Construction from Sayre to Buffalo was split into two projects, Sayre to Geneva, New York , and Geneva, which is located at the northern end of Seneca Lake ), to Buffalo. First, it purchased a large parcel of land in Buffalo, the Tifft farm, for use as terminal facilities, and obtained

8235-456: The LVRR purchased the National Docks Railway outright. The 1890s began with the completion of its terminals in Buffalo and Jersey City, and the establishment of a trunk line across New York state, the company soon became entangled in costly business dealings which ultimately led to the Packer family's loss of control. The coal trade was always the backbone of the business but was subject to boom and bust as competition and production increased and

SECTION 60

#1732852482443

8370-400: The LVRR purchased the Penn Haven & White Haven Railroad in 1864, and began constructing an extension from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre that was opened in 1867. By 1869, the LVRR owned a continuous track through Pennsylvania from Easton to Waverly. In the following year, the LVRR—a standard gauge railroad—completed arrangements with the Erie Railroad, at that time having a six-foot gauge, for

8505-451: The LVRR's bankruptcy in 1976. The marshalling yard is now the residential area known as Harbortown . Passenger traffic on the LVRR's Easton and Amboy connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) at Metuchen, New Jersey , and continued to the PRR'S Exchange Place terminus in Jersey City; that connection was discontinued in 1891 after the LVRR established its own route to Jersey City from South Plainfield. The Easton and Amboy Railroad

8640-411: The LVRR's title, which partly overlapped land the CNJ had filled for its own terminal. Finally in 1887 the two railroads reached a settlement, and construction of the LVRR's Jersey City freight yard began. The LVRR obtained a 5-year agreement to use the CNJ line to access the terminal, which opened in 1889. It fronted the Morris Canal Basin with a series of 600-foot (180 m) piers angling out from

8775-506: The Lehigh River and down the river on its northern shore beyond Turnhole in present-day Glen Onoko to Parryville between Mauch Chunk in present-day Jim Thorpe , and then to the Blue Mountain Gap. The dual markets of New York City and Philadelphia could be reached via the Lehigh Canal , and the favorable grades were factors in the choice of routes. Legislature authorized ownership of 800 additional acres of coal lands. The BMRC cited Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ’s locomotive "York" costs of $ 16

8910-462: The Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1855. The new coal port was located at East Mauch Chunk and was known as "Lousy Bay." Beaver Meadow had a railroad foundry as well as the machine shops until these facilities were moved to Weatherly in 1849. The difficulty of crossing the planes with locomotives needing repairs was a factor in this decision. By 1849, when the line had 2.5 miles of H-rail, five locomotives and 297 coal cars, it delivered 84,396 tons of coal to

9045-407: The Lehigh Valley from a rural agricultural area dominated by German -speaking people into one of the nation's first urbanized industrialized areas. The Lehigh Valley underwent significant industrialization throughout the 19th and most of the 20th centuries and was a major manufacturing hub in the American Industrial Revolution . The Lehigh Valley is named for the Lehigh River , which runs through

9180-493: The Lehigh Valley in the Walking Purchase during the colonial period . Lenape Indians subsequently retaliated with raids against European settlers in the region throughout the 1750s and early 1760s, but were moved out of the region by the mid-1760s. In 1752, the region became part of Northampton County , and Lehigh County was later separated from Northampton County and formally established in 1812. Allentown and its surrounding communities played an important and historic role in

9315-427: The Lehigh Valley is the PA Route 145/MacArthur Road corridor, just north of Allentown in Whitehall Township , which is anchored by Lehigh Valley Mall and Whitehall Mall . Other Lehigh Valley malls include Palmer Park Mall in Easton, South Mall in Salisbury Township , and Westgate Mall in Bethlehem. In October 2006, The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley , located off Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township in

9450-413: The Lehigh Valley was recognized by Site Selection magazine as the second-best performing region of its size for economic development in the nation and the best performing region in the Northeast U.S. . It was ranked by Fortune in 2015 as one of the top 10 best places in the U.S. to locate corporate finance and information technology operations, including call and IT support centers. Allentown,

9585-460: The Lehigh Valley's largest city, was cited as a "national success story" in April 2016 by the Urban Land Institute for its downtown redevelopment and transformation that has led to $ 1 billion worth of new development projects there between 2015 and 2019, one of only six communities nationally to achieve this distinction. The Lehigh Valley is one of the leading areas on the East Coast for warehouses and distribution centers . Because of this, it

9720-573: The Lehigh Valley, opened. The Promenade is roughly half the size of the Lehigh Valley Mall but features higher end stores not available in Lehigh Valley Mall. In 2011, The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem opened at Wind Creek Bethlehem in Bethlehem, becoming the Lehigh Valley's first outlet mall. The Lehigh Valley is part of the Philadelphia television market, the nation's fourth-largest television market, and also receives television stations from

9855-819: The Lehigh Valley, which has generated thousands of new jobs in the region. As of 2024, the Lehigh Valley's five top private sector employers are: 1.) Lehigh Valley Health Network (headquartered in Allentown ); 2.) St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network (headquartered in Fountain Hill ); 3.) Amazon (with a 1,100,000 ft (335,280.0 m) square foot facility in Palmer Township ); 4.) Mack Trucks (with manufacturing headquarters in Macungie ); and 5.) Air Products (globally headquartered in Trexlertown ). The Lehigh Valley

9990-614: The Liberty Bell and other bells were hidden under floorboards at Zion Reformed Church on West Hamilton Street to protect them from being seized and melted down by the British Army for use as munitions. The region again proved influential in the American Civil War . Following the Union Army 's defeat at the Battle of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's April 15, 1861 proclamation calling for state militia to provide 75,000 volunteers to defend

10125-522: The Mahanoy basin. In 1875, the holdings were consolidated into the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, which was wholly owned by the LVRR. By 1893, the LVRR owned or controlled 53,000 acres (210 km ) of coal lands. With these acquisitions, the LVRR obtained the right to mine coal as well as transport it. The 1870s witnessed commencement of extension of the LVRR in a new direction. In the 1870s

10260-495: The New York City and Scranton / Wilkes-Barre television markets. Lehigh Valley–based stations include WBPH-TV , a Christian television licensed to Bethlehem with studios in Allentown, WFMZ-TV , an independent commercial television station on South Mountain in Allentown, and WLVT-TV , the PBS station licensed to Allentown with studios in Bethlehem. Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad ( reporting mark LV )

10395-474: The New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. The Lehigh Valley is within a one-day drive to over a third of the U.S. population and to over half the population of Canada . The Valley has a lower cost of living, more affordable real estate, lower taxes, and a larger and more affordable labor pool than many other Northeastern U.S. metropolitan regions. These attributes and others, including sizable investments in business development incentive programs and

10530-624: The Newark Bay was bridged in 1892 by the Jersey City, Newark and Western Railway and connected to the National Docks Railway , which was partly owned by the LVRR and which reached the LVRR's terminal. In 1895, the LVRR constructed the Greenville and Hudson Railway parallel with the national docks in order to relieve congestion and have a wholly-owned route into Jersey City. Finally in 1900,

10665-520: The Northeastern New Jersey in order to reach its freight yards without using the CNJ main line. The LVRR began construction of a series of railroads to connect the Easton and Amboy line (Easton and Amboy Railroad) to Jersey City. The first leg of the construction to Jersey City was the Roselle and South Plainfield Railway in 1888 which connected with the CNJ at Roselle for access over the CNJ to

10800-597: The Revolution, establishing the first hospitals for treatment of wounded Continental Army troops at various city locations, including at the current location of the Farr Building at 739 Hamilton Street . As the Revolutionary War progressed, Washington and his commanders also established two POW camps in Allentown, one at 8th and Hamilton streets and another on Gordon Street, to house captured Hessian mercenaries . In addition to visiting Allentown after his victory at

10935-571: The Southern Coal Field. That southern field held the largest reserves of anthracite in Pennsylvania and accounted for a large percentage of the total production. Through neglect, the Reading allowed the charter to lapse, and it was acquired by the Lehigh Valley, which immediately constructed the Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Railroad. The line gave the LVRR a route into Pottsville, Pennsylvania , and

11070-460: The Valley's north and South Mountain in the Valley's south. The Lehigh Valley is the lower part of the drainage basin of the Lehigh River. The Lehigh Valley has three principal cities: Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. The region is located between two of the nation's largest population centers, 90 miles (140 km) west of New York City , the nation's largest and world's 11th-largest city, and 60 miles (97 km) north of Philadelphia ,

11205-442: The Valley's southern U.S. Route 22 , Interstate 78 , and Interstate 476 corridors, which provide direct access to numerous major markets throughout the Northeast U.S. and beyond. In September 2018, FedEx Ground constructed their largest distribution hub in the country near Lehigh Valley International Airport at a cost of $ 335 million. This hub can process up to 45,000 packages per hour and employs over 2,000 people. By 2030, it

11340-404: The airport and lower elevations is 7a. The Lehigh Valley has a total population of 861,889 residents as of the 2020 U.S. census , making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania and 68th-largest metropolitan area in the nation. A 2018 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 87.1% of the Lehigh Valley's population was White American , 4.6%

11475-423: The area include transportation, retail trade, and restaurants and hospitality. As of 2020, the Lehigh Valley's total gross domestic product was $ 42.9 billion. The Lehigh Valley is known historically for its production of steel , Portland cement , silk , and apparel . Bethlehem Steel , founded in 1899 and based in Bethlehem, was a foundation of the Lehigh Valley's economy for nearly a century from 1899 through

11610-1385: The area's rapid growth, lower operational business costs, and its proximity to popular destinations as significant reasons for expanding their Lehigh Valley International Airport flights. Other large national and international companies either based in the Lehigh Valley or with significant operations there include Broadcom Corporation (in Allentown), Avantor Performance Materials (in Allentown), Air Products (in Trexlertown ), Crayola (in Easton), Buckeye Partners (in Emmaus ), HeidelbergCement (in Fogelsville ), Just Born (in Bethlehem, maker of Peeps candies), Mack Trucks (in Allentown), Martin Guitar (in Nazareth ), Olympus Corporation (in Center Valley ), OraSure Technologies (in Bethlehem), PPL Corporation (in Allentown), Wind Creek Bethlehem (in Bethlehem), Dun & Bradstreet (in Center Valley), Victaulic (in Easton), and others. In 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019,

11745-447: The canal at East Mauch Chunk. In 1849, the company had decided to replace the light wooden rails with flat iron bars fastened with t-rails. The work was done during the winter of 1849 and completed by the spring of 1850. The road was in three divisions, Upper, mines to Weatherly, six miles; Middle, Weatherly to Penn Haven, five miles; Lower, Penn Haven to East Mauch Chunk, nine miles, laid with 62 tons of flat bar iron rail. Two years after

11880-509: The canal at Mauch Chunk to Wilkes-Barre. After the LVRR opened its line, the Lehigh & Susquehanna extended to Phillipsburg, New Jersey , and connected with the CNJ and the Morris and Essex Railroad in 1868. In 1871, the entire line from Phillipsburg to Wilkes-Barre was leased to the CNJ. For most of its length, it ran parallel to the LVRR. The LVRR found that the route of the Morris Canal

12015-452: The company to produce the steel necessary for shipbuilding, ammunition, and other military equipment that proved essential to the Allies ' ability to prevail in these conflicts. In the late 20th century, however, a variety of factors, including the practices of foreign competitors, began eroding Bethlehem Steel's once historical global leadership in steelmaking . In 1982, the company announced it

12150-466: The completed line by 1837, a promise the company kept. On November 5, 1836 the Beaver Meadow Register reported, "The Beaver Meadow Railroad opened … beside some bottles of champagne." One locomotive was hauled over 145-foot-high planes, delivering coal between Beaver Meadow and Weatherly. Mules pulled the empty cars up and down the planes. In the summer of 1836, Pardee and others began utilizing

12285-449: The conflicting claim, purchased Beach's tract. The already established Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company quickly labeled the BMRC a speculative venture which led to friction between the two enterprises. By 1833 the design was finished. The engineers included Ario Pardee , who was later a coal magnate in the Hazleton, Pennsylvania region. The route was set from the Beaver Meadow mines to

12420-484: The early 1980s, declared bankruptcy in 2001, and was dissolved in 2003. Since the late 20th century, the Lehigh Valley has begun to recover from the loss of its once powerful manufacturing base and other industry sectors have emerged in the region, providing a more diversified regional economy. As of 2020, the Valley's top five industries were finance, manufacturing, health care and education, professional and business services, and information. Other major industry sectors in

12555-490: The early 1980s. At the pinnacle of its success, Bethlehem Steel was the nation's second-largest and one of the world's largest steel manufacturers. Bethlehem Steel was instrumental in the development of many of the nation's most prominent 20th century infrastructure projects. Its steel was used to build 28 Liberty Street , Chrysler Building , the Empire State Building , Madison Square Garden , Rockefeller Center , and

12690-512: The east was New York City, but the LVRR was dependent on the CNJ and the Morris Canal for transport to the New York tidewater. In 1871, the LVRR leased the Morris Canal, which had a valuable outlet in Jersey City on the Hudson River opposite Manhattan . Asa Packer purchased additional land at the canal basin in support of the New Jersey West Line Railroad , which he hoped to use as the LVRR's terminal. That project failed, but

12825-436: The economy cycled. The coal railroads had begun in 1873 to form pools to regulate production and set quotas for each railroad. By controlling supply, the coal combination attempted to keep prices and profits high. Several combinations occurred, but each fell apart as one road or another abrogated its agreement. The first such combination occurred in 1873, followed by others in 1878, 1884, and 1886. Customers naturally resented

12960-503: The emergence of the American Revolution . Some of the first resistance to British colonialism began in Allentown and its surrounding Lehigh County communities in the Lehigh Valley. As early as June 21, 1774, patriot forces in Allentown began meeting to formulate resistance plans to British colonial governance. On December 21, 1774, a Committee of Observation was formally established by Allentown-area patriot militias. Following

13095-521: The first time on July 8, 1776 at noon. Following their victory at the Battle of Trenton several months later, Washington and his Continental Army staff traveled through the present-day Lehigh Valley, proceeding up Lehigh Street , which was then called Water Street. Washington and his staff stopped at the foot of Lehigh Street at a large spring on what is the present-day Wire Mill Arboretum in Allentown. They rested there, watered their horses, and then proceeded to their post of duty. Allentown supported

13230-591: The hands of the LVRR in September 1876, which extended from the New York state line near Sayre, Pennsylvania , to Geneva, New York , a distance of 75 miles. On May 17, 1879, Asa Packer, the company's founder and leader, died at the age of 73. At the time of his death, the railroad was shipping 4.4 million tons of coal annually over 657 miles (1,057 km) of track, using 235 engines, 24,461 coal cars, and over 2,000 freight cars of various kinds. The company controlled 30,000 acres (120 km ) of coal-producing lands and

13365-463: The heavy manufacturing companies that had been the region's foundation for decades, the Lehigh Valley began developing other economic sectors, including financial services, health care, life sciences, and technology. The Lehigh Valley also began emerging as a national warehouse and distribution hub, due in part to its proximity to many of the largest U.S. markets and relatively lower operating costs compared to other Northeast U.S. regions. More recently,

13500-414: The lands were later used for the LVRR's own terminal in 1889. The CNJ, anticipating that the LVRR intended to create its own line across New Jersey, protected itself by leasing the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad (L&S) to ensure a continuing supply of coal traffic. The L&S had been chartered in 1837 by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company (the Lehigh Canal company) to connect the upper end of

13635-464: The line extended to Audenreid, had five engine houses and a machine shop. Equipment consisted of nineteen locomotives, two passenger cars, one for baggage and mail, three freight and a thousand four-wheeled coal cars and 300 eight-wheeled coal cars. In delivering 1,595,729 tons of anthracite, the BMRC had operated coal trains 208,573 miles. Passenger and freight trains carrying 21,500 passengers and 15,022 tons of freight traveled 38,500 miles. Merged into

13770-474: The line from Roselle into Newark, where passengers connected to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Bridging Newark Bay proved difficult. The LVRR first attempted to obtain a right of way at Greenville , but the Pennsylvania Railroad checkmated them by purchasing most of the properties needed. Then the CNJ opposed the LVRR's attempt to cross its line at Caven Point . Finally after settling the legal issues,

13905-427: The most iconic and prominent symbols of American global economic power and leadership, emerged as an example cited by those who believe American global economic leadership is now in either gradual or even rapid descent. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Lehigh Valley the ninth-best place in the nation to retire. Also in 2023, realtor.com ranked the Lehigh Valley "the 21st hottest housing market" in

14040-464: The nation's sixth-largest and world's 68th-largest city. The region borders Carbon County and the Coal Region to its north, the Delaware River and Warren County, New Jersey to its east, Bucks and Montgomery Counties in suburban Philadelphia to its south, and Berks and Schuylkill Counties to its west. The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area that includes Carbon County in

14175-437: The nation's emergence of its Rust Belt . In 1982, following nearly a century of global leadership, growth, and profitability in steel manufacturing, Bethlehem Steel abruptly reported operating losses of $ 1.5 billion, citing foreign competition from Asian economies and costly U.S. governmental regulations and labor costs for the losses. The company abruptly reduced operations, resulting in considerable Lehigh Valley layoffs and

14310-461: The nation's sixth and largest cities, respectively. The Valley's population is expected to increase by 227,000 people by 2040, making it one of the fastest-growing areas in the state and nation. Median household income for the region increased from $ 57,288 to $ 62,507 between 2015 and 2019. The Lehigh Valley's economy has been known historically and globally for its leadership throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in heavy manufacturing. Beginning in

14445-467: The nation. The Lehigh Valley is geologically and geographically part of the Great Appalachian Valley , a geographic region made up of limestone that stretches along the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains . The Lehigh Valley is so named because it is located geographically within an actual valley formed by the Lehigh River that lies between two mountain ridges, Blue Mountain in

14580-591: The national capital in Washington, D.C. , Allentown immediately deployed its Allen Infantry, which defended Washington, D.C. from Confederate attack following Fort Sumter 's fall. Also known as the Allen Guards, the Allen Infantry mustered in for duty on April 18, 1861. During the late summer and early fall of 1861, members of this unit and other volunteers from within and beyond the Lehigh Valley came together to form

14715-482: The opening of the line until May 1875, when a coal train first passed over the line. To support the expected increase in traffic, the wooden bridge over the Delaware River at Easton was also replaced by a double-tracked, 1,191-foot (363 m) iron bridge. At Perth Amboy, a tidewater terminal was built on the Arthur Kill comprising a large coal dock used to transport coal into New York City. These tracks were laid and

14850-458: The purchase of the Penn Haven and White Haven, the extension from White Haven to Wilkes-Barre opened. Construction of a rail line to the New York state line started immediately and, in 1867, the line was complete from Wilkes-Barre to Waverly, New York , where coal was transferred to the broad gauge Erie Railroad and shipped to western markets through Buffalo, New York . To reach Wilkes-Barre,

14985-517: The railroad acquired land in northeast Pennsylvania and formed a subsidiary called The Glen Summit Hotel and Land Company. It opened a hotel in Glen Summit, Pennsylvania , called the Glen Summit Hotel to serve lunch to passengers traveling on the line. The hotel remained with the company until 1909, when it was bought by residents of the surrounding cottages. In New York State, s branch line,

15120-481: The railroad ended operations and merged into Conrail along with several northeastern railroads that same year. The Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad (DLS&S) was authorized by the Pennsylvania General Assembly on April 21, 1846, to construct a railroad from Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania , now Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, to Easton, Pennsylvania . The railroad would run parallel to

15255-508: The railroad was incorporated and established, initially called the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company . On January 7, 1853, the railroad's name was changed to Lehigh Valley Railroad. It was sometimes known as the Route of the Black Diamond ; black diamond is a slang word for anthracite , the high-end type of Pennsylvania coal that it initially transported by boat down

15390-471: The region was inhabited by Lenape Indian tribes, who hunted, fished, and quarried jasper in the region. The region was initially established in 1682 as part of Bucks County . Shelter House in Emmaus , constructed in 1734 by Pennsylvania German settlers, is the oldest still-standing building structure in the Lehigh Valley and believed to be one of the oldest in the state. In 1737, sons of provincial Pennsylvania founder William Penn acquired much of

15525-542: The region. Large companies such as Amazon.com have praised the Lehigh Valley for its commitment to business support, infrastructure investment, and incentive programs, citing these as major reasons for their continuing expansions and increased hiring in the region and Allegiant Air , a low-cost budget airline, opened a new flight base at the Lehigh Valley International Airport in February 2020, noting

15660-404: The region. It owes much of its development and history to anthracite coal , timber , and ore that was only commercially possible with the development of the Lehigh Canal and the Lehigh Valley's extensive railway infrastructure that permitted these minerals and later the region's manufactured steel to be transported for sale in major national and overseas markets. The Lehigh Canal operated into

15795-467: The rest of the 97-mile Geneva to Buffalo trackage, from Geneva to Lancaster. Finally, in 1889, the LVRR gained control of the Geneva, Ithaca, and Sayre Railroad and completed its line of rail through New York. As a result of its leases and acquisitions, the Lehigh Valley gained a near-monopoly on traffic in the Finger Lakes region. It also continued to grow and develop its routes in Pennsylvania. In 1883

15930-588: The route in New York state to Buffalo, considerably shortening the line. The majority of the Lehigh Line is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and retains much of its original route in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey , although it no longer goes into New York City. The former Lehigh Valley tracks between Manville, New Jersey , and Newark are operated separately by Conrail Shared Assets Operations as their own Lehigh Line . In 1976,

16065-573: The shops at Sayre, Pennsylvania on the New York State border, which featured a 750 by 336-foot machine shop with 48 erecting pits. The shops in Packerton, Pennsylvania , located in the Coal Region north of Allentown, served as the primary freight car shops. Conrail maintained the line as a main line into the New York metropolitan area , and the line became known as the Lehigh Line during Conrail's ownership of it. In 1976, Conrail abandoned most of

16200-499: The shoreline but was too narrow for a yard, so the LVRR built a separate yard at Oak Island in Newark to sort and prepare trains. The South Basin terminal was used solely for freight, having docks and car float facilities. Passengers were routed to the Pennsylvania Railroad's terminal and ferry. The LVRR strove throughout the 1880s to acquire its own route to Jersey City and to the Jersey City waterfront. The LVRR decided to expand more to

16335-590: The signing of the Declaration of Independence , the Colonial British government in Allentown began dissolving and these patriot militias seized control, pressuring Tories out of the region. In recognition of the strong pro-revolutionary sentiment in the region, Easton was one of only three designated locations, along with Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey , where the Declaration was read aloud in public for

16470-695: The trunk line down the Lehigh Valley, with numerous feeder railroads connecting and contributing to its traffic. The production of the entire Middle Coal Field came to the LVRR over feeders to the Beaver Meadow: the Quakake Railroad , the Catawissa, Williamsport and Erie Railroad , the Hazleton Railroad , the Lehigh Luzerne Railroad and other smaller lines. At Catasauqua, the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad transported coal, ore, limestone and iron for furnaces of

16605-567: The use of an independent leading wheel truck with equalizing lever. Due to this innovation, the Hercules was adapted to operating in the rough Pennsylvania terrain and helped to open much of the United States to railroad construction. In 1840, the BMRC offered to lease its line and its 30- to 60,000-ton annual coal production, and to furnish to the lessee railcars, engines and engineers. This was first leased to A. H. VanCleve & Company in 1841, and

16740-486: Was Black or African American, 0.1% was American Indian , 2.3% was Asian American, 0.1% was Native Hawaiian , 0.1% were Pacific Islander Americans , 4.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% belonged to two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 11.3% of the population and represent the Lehigh Valley's fastest-growing demographic. Lehigh County is in the top 1% of all U.S. counties for inward migration from international locations, according to Select USA ,

16875-544: Was a railroad in the Northeastern United States built predominantly to haul anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Northeastern Pennsylvania to major consumer markets in Philadelphia , New York City , and elsewhere. On April 21, 1846, the railroad was authorized to provide freight transportation of passengers, goods, wares, merchandise, and minerals in Pennsylvania . On September 20, 1847,

17010-511: Was absorbed into the parent Lehigh Valley Railroad. In 1875, the LVRR financed the addition of a third rail to the Erie Railroad main line so that cars could roll directly from colliery to the port at Buffalo. While the third rail on the Erie Railroad main line between Waverly and Buffalo gave the LVRR an unbroken connection to Buffalo, the road's management desired its own line into Buffalo. The Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad passed into

17145-578: Was critical to the LVRR's shipments of coal to western markets and for receipt of grain sent by the West to eastern markets. Although in 1870 the LVRR had invested in the 2-mile (3.2 km) Buffalo Creek Railroad, which connected the Erie to the lakefront, and had constructed the Lehigh Docks on Buffalo Creek , it depended on the Erie Railroad for the connection from Waverly to Buffalo, New York . In 1882,

17280-408: Was discontinuing most of its operations. In 2001, the company declared bankruptcy. In 2003, it was dissolved. Throughout the late 20th century, other heavy manufacturing companies in the Lehigh Valley that once served as backbones for the region's economy suffered similarly, either downsizing significantly or dissolving, which destabilized the region considerably. In the early 2000s, seeking to replace

17415-508: Was elected president, a position he held for 13 years. The 1880s continued to be a period of growth, and the LVRR made important acquisitions in New York, expanded its reach into the southern coal field of Pennsylvania which had hitherto been the monopoly of the Reading, and successfully battled the CNJ over terminal facilities in Jersey City . In 1880, the LVRR established the Lehigh Valley Transportation Line to operate

17550-522: Was expanding rapidly into New York and New Jersey. The railroad had survived the economic depression of 1873 and was seeing its business recover. Leadership of the company transferred smoothly to Charles Hartshorne, who had been vice president under Packer. In 1883, Hartshorne retired to allow Harry E. Packer, Asa's 32-year-old youngest son, to assume the Presidency. A year later, Harry Packer died of illness, and Asa's 51-year-old nephew Elisha Packer Wilbur

17685-687: Was formed in Bethlehem in the Lehigh Valley. The company developed into the nation's second-largest manufacturer of steel , and its steel was used in developing many of the nation's earliest and largest infrastructure and building projects, including the Empire State Building , Madison Square Garden , and Rockefeller Center in New York City, Merchandise Mart in Chicago , the George Washington , Verrazzano , and Golden Gate Bridges, and warships and other military equipment that proved essential in American-led victories in both World Wars. During

17820-477: Was impractical for use as a railroad line, so in 1872 the LVRR purchased the dormant charter of the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook Railroad which had access to the Perth Amboy, New Jersey , harbor, and added to it a new charter, the Bound Brook and Easton Railroad. The State of New Jersey passed legislation that allowed the LVRR to consolidate its New Jersey railroads into one company; the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook and

17955-416: Was operated by that firm until 1846. William Milnes & Company then worked the mines for about a year. The firm of Hamberger & Company then leased them and continued operations until 1850, after which the mines were abandoned until 1881, when they were leased to Coxe Brothers & Company. After the flood of 1841, the BMRC abandoned its track from opposite Mauch Chunk to Parrysville, partly rebuilt by

18090-486: Was put into operation leaving Easton in the morning and returning in the evening. In the early part of October 1855, a contract was made with Howard & Co. of Philadelphia to do the freighting business of the railroad (except coal, iron, and iron ore). The length of the line from Mauch Chunk to Easton was 46 miles of single track. The line was laid with a rail weighing 56 pounds per yard supported upon cross ties 6 x 7 inches and 7-1/2 feet long placed 2 feet apart and about

18225-459: Was reported that the five Garrett and Eastwick locomotives (owned by the BMRC) were fired exclusively with anthracite. One of these locomotives, the Hercules, had a revolutionary impact on the future development of American railroads. The Hercules was the earliest locomotive to have the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement which for a time became standard for American locomotives. It was the first locomotive to combine

#442557