Lehigh Valley RR at Susquehanna Street

Jack Delano was passing through the town of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania back in August of 1940. While there he recorded this view along Susquehanna Street, with the Lehigh Valley Railroad depot visible at far right. It’s a bit cluttered with the town and railroad all competing for a piece of land along the river in this narrow valley. And there is a wealth of detail in this image! I’ve posted this photograph in a larger than normal format so one can zoom in to study it.

The railroad itself clings to the bank of the river, with two tracks expanding into three; all those track switches laid out on the curve. A short (likely local) passenger train is stopped in front of the depot, with it’s steamer hiding behind some power poles.

Susquehanna Street has an abundance of service stations on it. The first one at left is the Manson House Garage, a Shell dealer. Several doors down is an Amoco dealer, with their gasoline pumps right at the street’s curb (obviously space is tight!). A few more doors down is a Tydol Gasoline station (the Flying A) also with pumps at the curb. And finally, across the street we see both Atlantic and Esso signs side-by-side. There seems to be no shortage of petrol in this city!

I also noticed several monuments in the hills, and apparently spires were in vogue with this city’s architects as witnessed by their proliferation on the buildings (including the depot).

Lehigh Valley RR at Susquehanna Street

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